Safeopedia Explains Fall Restraint System
Falls account for a large portion of workplace fatalities and are a prominent issue in the construction industry. In 2022, 49% of all fatal falls took place on construction sites.
Fall Restraint Systems and the Hierarchy of Fall Protection
The hierarchy of hazard controls is a structured system that helps safety professionals mitigate workplace hazards. It ensures that more effective control measures are implemented before moving on to less effective (but often essential) ones.
The hierarchy is as follows, in order of most effective to least effective type of control measure:
- Elimination or Substitution: Removing the hazard entirely.
- Engineering Controls: Implementing physical barriers between workers and the hazard.
- Administrative Controls: Safe work processes and methods for encouraging safer behavior.
- PPE: Supplying and mandating the use of safety gear.
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has developed a hierarchy of hazard controls that applies specifically to work at heights:
- Elimination or Substitution: Removing the hazard entirely.
- Passive Fall Protection: Installing fall protection systems like guardrails and safety nets.
- Fall Restraint: Tethering systems that prevent workers from reaching fall hazards.
- Fall Arrest: Systems that cannot prevent a worker from falling but limit the risk of injury when a fall does occur.
- Administrative Controls: Controlled access zones, warning line systems, safety signs, and other measures to discourage workers from going near fall hazards.
Hazard Elimination
ANSI and OSHA both regard hazard elimination as the most effective method to deal with fall hazards – or any hazard for that matter.
Fall hazards can be eliminated by changing work procedures or relocating the work so that the job can be done without coming into contact with open edges. Installing components on the ground before moving them up to a higher level, for example, or doing inspections at heights using drones.
Although highly effective, eliminating fall hazards is rarely practical or even possible. In those cases, fall protection measures will need to be implemented.
Passive Fall Protection
Passive fall protection consists mainly of guardrails and safety nets. These devices protect workers from falls without any active involvement on their part. Once installed, they are essentially fool-proof and will protect anyone regardless of their level of training or the safety gear they have on.
Where passive fall protection systems cannot be implemented or are not sufficient, active fall protection systems must be considered.
Fall Prevention
Active fall prevention systems are devices that prevent workers from falling or making contact with fall hazards. Unlike guardrails and safety nets, however, these devices only provide full protection if the workers use them properly. This can include putting on PPE or tying off to the system using a lanyard.
Fall restraint systems fall under this category since they prevent falls from taking place but require workers to don a safety harness and tie-off to an anchor point.
When falls cannot be prevented, safety professionals must then consider measures to arrest a fall.
Fall Arrest
Fall arrest systems do not prevent falls from taking place but are designed to prevent or limit the injuries that result from them.
Personal fall arrest systems (PFAS) fall under this category. They are worn on the body and will stop a worker’s fall before they make contact with the ground. These systems are also designed to absorb the shock generated by the sudden stop.
Workers must be trained to use these systems and a rescue plan must be in place to retrieve suspended workers promptly after a fall.
Administrative Controls
Warning signs and demarcations can alert workers to the fall hazards around them. This is the least effective type of fall protection, since it cannot prevent or arrest a fall. In most cases, administrative measures must be used in conjunction with higher level controls.
OSHA Fall Restraint System Requirements
OSHA 1910.140(b) specifies that a travel restraint system consists of:
- Body support (e.g. harness)
- Lanyard (or other suitable tether)
- Anchor point
- Anchorage connector
When installed properly, the restraint system will prevent a worker from reaching the edge of the walking-working surface.
According to Section V: Chapter 4 of the OSHA Technical Manual (OTM), there are no specific standards for fall restraint systems. However, the system should be capable of withstanding a force of at least 3,000 pounds (or twice the maximum force needed to restrain a worker when they are walking, leaning, or sliding down the walking-working surface).
The ANSI standard Z359.3-2007 establishes minimum design and test requirements for equipment used in travel restraint and work positioning systems:
- Slope: Restraint systems are to be used on walking-working surfaces with a slope between 0 and 18.4 degrees.
- Connectors: Attachment elements like the D-ring must be able to withstand a dynamic strength test of a 3.3 feet free fall with a test weight of 220 pounds.
- Lanyards: Lanyards used in the system must be able to withstand a static load of 5,000 pounds without breaking.
Fall Restraint System Setup
A fall restraint system has four basic components.
Body Harness
A body harness is made of straps that can be adjusted and secured on a worker’s body. It is designed to distribute any force exerted on the body over the chest, shoulders, waist, thighs, and pelvis.
The harness can be connected to other parts of the restraint system using D-rings or other connectors. The harness must be inspected for damage, abnormalities, or missing parts before use.
Lanyard
The lanyard is a short line with connectors at either end. It connects the body harness to the anchorage.
Shock-absorbing or self-retracting lanyards must not be used as part of a fall restraint system.
Lanyards must be inspected for wear, fraying, abrasions, or any other damage that could render them unsafe.
When used in conjunction with a horizontal lifeline system, the lanyard is attached to a rope grab that allows the user to travel along the length of the lifeline.
Connectors
The connectors used in fall restraint systems can be carabiners, D-rings sewn into the harness, or snap hooks that lock securely to an anchor point.
Anchorage
The anchorage is a secure point of attachment for the lanyard. It must be able to withstand a pull force of 1,000 pounds for each person tied off to the system.
Anchors must be installed in a location that will prevent the worker from reaching an unprotected edge even when their lanyard is fully extended. They must not be installed in any structure that shows signs of cracking, corrosion, or other types of damage.
When to Use a Fall Restraint System
Fall restraint systems work well:
- When work is performed within a fixed area
- For securing a person in an aerial lift basket
- When there isn’t sufficient clearance to use a fall arrest system
Fall Restraint Vs. Fall Arrest
Fall restraint and fall arrest systems both provide workers with fall protection. The main difference is the type of protection it provides:
- Fall Restraint: Prevents workers from falling and coming in contact with fall hazards.
- Fall Arrest: Stops a falling worker from reaching the lower level and reduces the impact of the fall.
Fall restraint systems and personal fall arrest systems also have similar components. However, there are important differences that reflect the unique purposes of each type of system. The lanyard in a fall restraint system, for instance, is typically shorter and does not have a shock absorber.
FAQs About Fall Restraint Systems
What are the four components of a fall restraint system?
The four components of a fall restraint system are:
- Body harness
- Lanyard
- Connectors
- Anchor point
What are the force requirements for a fall restraint system?
D-rings and other connectors must be able to withstand a dynamic strength test of a 3.3-foot free fall with a test weight of 220 pounds.
Lanyards used in the system must be able to withstand a static load of 5,000 pounds without breaking.
What is a travel restraint system?
A travel restraint system is another name for a fall restraint system. In an update to its fall protection standard, OSHA began using the term “travel restraint” to emphasize the fact that these systems don’t restrain a fall but, rather, limit the distance a user can travel while tied to the system.
Is a warning line a fall restraint system?
A warning line does not restrain a worker’s movements or prevent them from reaching fall hazards. Instead, it acts as a visual demarcation that warns workers when they are approaching an unprotected edge. The minimum tensile strength of a warning line is 500 pounds, which is not sufficient to physically prevent falls.
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