Retractable lifelines

Fixed ladders must be provided with cages, wells, ladder safety devices, or self-retracting lifelines where the length of climb is less than 24 feet but the top of the ladder is at a distance greater than 24 feet above lower levels. 

Free fall distance means the vertical displacement of the fall arrest attachment point on the employee s body belt or body harness between onset of the fall and just before the system begins to apply force to arrest the fall. This distance excludes deceleration distance, and lifeline/lanyard elongation, but includes any deceleration device slide distance or self-retracting lifeline/lanyard extension before they operate and fall arrest forces occur. 

Self-retracting lifeline/lanyard means a deceleration device containing a drum-wound... 

Self-retracting lifelines and lanyards which automatically limit free fall distance to 2 feet (0.61 m) or less shall be capable of sustaining a minimum tensile load of 3,000 pounds (13.3 kN) applied to the device with the lifeline or lanyard in the fully extended position. 

In this specific erection sequence and procedure, retractable lifelines do not solve the problem of two workers becoming tangled. In fact, such a tangle could prevent the lifeline from retracting as the worker moved, thus potentially exposing the worker to a fall greater than 6 ft. Also, a worker crossing over the lifeline of another worker can... 

Employees tied to a lifeline can be trapped and crushed by moving structural members If the employee becomes restrained by the lanyard or retractable lifeline and cannot get out of the path of the moving load. 

The ANSI A10.14—1991 American National Standard for Construction and Demolition Operations—Requirements for Safety Belts, Harnesses, Lanyards and Lifelines for Construction and Demolition Use, states that the anchor point of a lanyard or deceleration device should, if possible, be located above the wearer s belt or harness attachment. ANSI A10.14 also states that a suitable anchorage point is one which is located as high as possible to prevent contact with an obstruction below should the worker fall. Most manufacturers also warn in the user s handbook that the safety block/retractable lifeline must be positioned above the D-ring (above the work space of the intended user) and OSHA recommends that fall arrest and restraint equipment be used in accordance with the manufacturer s instructions. 

A. Fixed ladders Fall protection must be provided for employees climbing or working on fixed ladders above 24 feet. Section 1926.1053(a)( 19) states that fall protection must be provided whenever the length of climb on a fixed ladder equals or exceeds 24 feet. Also, even if the length of climb is less than 24 feet, under 1926.1053(a)(18), cages, wells, ladder safety devices, or self-retracting lifelines must be provided where the top of the fixed ladder is greater than 24 feet above lower levels. 

Fall protection (harness, lanyards, retractable lifelines)... 

The new DBI-SALA 85 and 130-foot Sealed-Blok M Self-Retracting Lifelines (SRL) are designed to withstand the harshest operating environments and include features that maximize work site versatility and lower the cost of ownership. Industry-first features new to the 85 and 130-foot Sealed-Blok SRL s include an optional RSQ dual-mode rescue capability, a FAST-Line field replaceable lifeline, IP68 sealed rating certification and a secondary faU arrest rated anchor point. Units are available with an integrated retrieval winch. Capital Safety, www.capi-talsafety.com, (800) 328-6146. Circle 265... 

Contact the manufacturers of fall arrest systems or their representatives to ensure compliance and worker safety. Information on anchorage connectors, self-retracting lifelines, suspension supports, rope grabs, and deceleration devices are also available. In addition to providing quality products and training, they can assist in conducting a survey of any other applications where fall protection is needed. 

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