Safe Practices for Personal Fall-Arrest Systems
- Don't tie knots in rope lanyards and lifelines; knots can reduce strength by 50%.
- Don't tie lifelines or lanyards directly to I-beams; the cutting action of beam edges can reduce the rope's strength by 70%.
- Know how the sag angle of a horizontal lifeline can affect arrest forces on the anchorages. Remember that horizontal lifelines must be designed, installed, and used under the supervision of a qualified person.
- Think about the potential for a swing fall whenever you connect a lifeline to a personal fall-arrest system.
- Remember that a shock-absorbing lanyard will elongate before arresting a fall. The fall distance includes lanyard length (before the shock absorber extends), deceleration distance (shock-absorber extension), worker height, and a safety margin (allow 3 feet).
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
3-10. Why is it an unsafe practice to tie knots in rope lanyards or lifelines?
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