614 Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment

Lifesaving Equipment

A fall-protection system using lifesaving equipment is designed to prevent or arrest falls.

Types of Fall Protection

There are seven general fall-protection systems that we will discuss throughout Modules 3 and 4:

1. Personal fall-arrest system (PFAS): a combination of an anchorage point, a full-body harness, and a lanyard or lifeline that prevents a worker from falling too far.
2. Personal fall-restraint system: prevents a worker from reaching a position where they could fall from an elevated surface, such as a roof or scaffold.
3. Positioning-device system: positions a worker and limits a fall to 2 feet
4. Guardrail system: physical barriers that prevent workers from falling off edges or openings.
5. Safety-net system: uses mesh netting that catches a falling worker before they hit the ground.
6. Warning-line system: uses lines that indicate the boundary of an area where fall protection is required.
7. Slide-Guard System: prevents workers from sliding down a sloped roof. Slide guard systems are not permitted in residential construction as the primary means of fall protection.

Fall Protection ABCDs

Anchorage Connectors: Roof anchors are permanent or temporary anchor points used to perform new construction, repair, or maintenance.

Body Wear: Full body harness that connects the worker to an anchor. Harnesses distribute fall impact forces through the shoulders, thighs and pelvic region to reduce the risk of injury.

Connectors: Energy absorbing lanyards, fall limiters, self-retracting lanyards, rope grabs or retrieval systems that provide the connection from body wear to anchorage point.

Descent and Rescue: Having a program in place to deal with emergencies will reduce injury and increase chance of survival in the event of a fall.

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