On construction sites, the fall protection equipment provided to crews is among the most important personal protective equipment (PPE) that can be provided. Falls are the leading cause of injury and fatality to occur on jobsites and kill nearly 2-3 workers per day, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Workers in every trade have reason to be vigilant!
However, the effectiveness of fall protection equipment is dependent on the user performing thorough inspections before use and ensuring they follow all manufacturer’s instructions. Connection devices, such as lanyards or self-retracting lifelines (SRLs), have certain requirements that cannot be deviated from, or else the equipment may not work as expected during a fall.
ABCs of Fall Protection
Every personal fall arrest system (PFAS) is comprised of three components: anchor, body harness and connection device.
Anchorages are determined by the mounting substrate available (concrete, wood, steel, etc.). Body harnesses should be sized appropriately to fit the worker properly and must have the proper D-rings required for the worker’s tasks. PFAS require a 5,000-pound rated anchorage device and a body harness to be worn by the worker at all times.
Connection device selection can be a more tedious process, especially on construction sites, when anchorage options can change daily. The correct connection device should primarily be determined by anchor location and available fall clearance.
What Is a Connection Device?
The connection device plays an important role during fall arrest. Once a fall occurs, the device absorbs fall forces and decelerates the fall victim until their fall is fully arrested. These efforts significantly decrease the amount of force a user feels during a fall. The worker will then remain suspended by their connection device until their team performs its rescue plan.
Types of Connection Devices
There are three types of connection devices for fall arrest: shock-absorbing lanyard, Class 1 SRL and Class 2 SRL. Shock-absorbing lanyards must be fully extended before shock absorption and deceleration will occur for the user. This time (after a fall occurs and before fall arrest begins) is referred to as “free fall.” The longer a user spends in free fall, the stronger the forces the victim will feel. The more force generated, the greater the risk of serious injury to the fall victim.
Minimum Required Fall Clearance: Lanyards
Workers must always confirm that they are working above the minimum required fall clearance for their device to prevent serious injury. This information can be found in the manufacturer’s instructions or on the connection device’s label.
As described before, 6-foot shock-absorbing lanyards increase the amount of free fall users experience and will require at least 18.5 feet of fall clearance. This number can be calculated by combining the length of the lanyard (6 feet), deceleration distance (3.5 feet), the approximate height of the worker’s dorsal D-ring (5 feet), typical harness stretch (1 foot) and a precautionary safety factor (3 feet). When calculating fall clearance with shock-absorbing lanyards, measure from the anchorage height.
Minimum Required Fall Clearance: SRLs
SRLs require less minimum required fall clearance than lanyards and are measured from the base of the walking-working surface. Personal SRL units offer much faster deceleration and absorption distances than lanyards, with some units only needing roughly 5.5 feet of minimum fall clearance to guarantee safety. When overhead anchorages are used with SRLs, users will experience virtually no free fall during fall arrest. However, this is only possible when overhead anchorages are used. In fact, a recent update to the ANSI Z359.14 standard now requires overhead anchorage for certain SRL units.
Class 1 vs. Class 2 SRLs
In August 2023, the Class 1 and Class 2 update to ANSI Z359.14 took effect, no longer allowing fall protection manufacturers to produce SRL units referring to the old standard of “Class A and Class B” SRLs. Before this update, SRLs were differentiated by their stopping distance and shock absorption capabilities. Class A SRLs would decelerate a user within 2 feet and limit the fall forces felt by the user to no more than 1,350 pounds. Class B SRLs would decelerate a user within 4.5 feet and limit the fall forces to 900 pounds. This is helpful information, but it did not do enough to prevent equipment misuse.
Class 1 and Class 2 SRLs are now differentiated by which anchorage locations are permitted for use. Class 1 SRLs must be used with anchors located at or above the user’s dorsal D-ring. Class 2 SRLs can be used with anchors at or above the user’s foot-level. What are now classified as Class 2 SRLs used to be referred to as leading edge SRLs, or SRL-LE. The clear label markings required by the ANSI update can discourage accidental misuse and help users quickly determine if their SRL is compatible with their anchorage provided.
In recent years, the popularity and demand for SRL-LE (now Class 2 SRL) has only increased — especially on construction sites. Class 2 SRLs use cable lifelines and contain an additional shock pack to absorb the extra forces that the PFAS and user will experience when connected to foot-level anchorages. In these falls, users experience free fall, and increased fall forces are generated. The additional shock-absorption capabilities added to Class 2 SRLs benefit the SRL itself and help protect the cable lifeline from severing. Falls from foot-level anchorages will always generate greater fall forces than those from overhead anchorages and potentially increase the risk of injury to the worker.
If users find themselves in a circumstance when they have an SRL but only anchor points below their dorsal D-ring are available, they should immediately notify their organization’s competent person. Class 1 SRLs do not contain the increased shock absorption necessary for foot-level anchorages and could fail during fall arrest.
Overhead Anchorages
How much of a difference can overhead anchorages make during fall arrest? After all, a fall is still a fall, and the user must still be retrieved, lowered to safety and receive medical attention. But the location of the user’s anchor can have a significant impact on how quickly their fall is arrested, how much force is generated during their fall and the risk of injury. The higher the anchorage, the sooner the SRL will activate during a fall. The sooner an SRL activates, the less distance the user will fall before being fully arrested. Many Class 1 SRLs on the market now can decelerate and fully arrest a user within inches when used with an overhead anchorage. While these units are known to work very quickly, users should always maintain the minimum required fall clearance as indicated on the device to guarantee for worst-possible fall scenario.
SRLs operate optimally and most efficiently when they are underneath their anchorage. When anchors must be installed at the user’s foot-level (or anywhere beneath their dorsal D-ring), as is common in construction, it means the user will is likely to experience an increased amount of free fall during their fall. The more time spent in free fall, the more force is generated that must be absorbed by the equipment.
Fall protection equipment can be effective in protecting workers from severe injury and preventing avoidable fatalities. But if incorrect equipment is provided or misuse occurs, tragic results will eventually occur. Using the correct equipment can be the difference between life or death.
Every organization’s fall protection needs will be different, but the common goal of wanting to protect workers from harm is shared among us all.