Shock-absorbing lanyard

Persons fading from roof. Employees working on the roof will utilize full-body harnesses with shock-absorbing lanyards attached to the existing anchorage points(s). The capacities were verified by our PE. The quaUfied person for fall hazard control on this job is H. Lee. 

Q. Are shock absorbing lanyards mandatory in a personal fall arrest system ... 

A. Shock absorbing lanyards are not mandatory but are often used to comply with OSHA s fall protection requirements. The specifications for a personal fall arrest system are in 29 CFR 1926.502(d). One of the provisions in this section requires that when using a full body harness, the system must limit the maximum arresting force exerted on an employee to 1,800 pounds. One means of complying with this section is to use a shock absorbing lanyard. 

The length of fall only is reduced by a safety harness. The worker may still be injured due to the shock load applied to him when the fall is arrested. A free fall limit of about 2 m is maintained to reduce this shock loading. Lanyards are often fitted with shock absorbers to reduce the effect of the shock loading. 

Several factors must be considered in determining how much distance will be needed for a fall arrest system to work — to prevent the worker from contacting the next lower level. First, under 1926.502(d)(16)(iii), a personal fall arrest system must prevent the employee from contacting the level below. A 6 foot lanyard that incorporates a shock absorbing system may have a total extension of up to about 9V2 feet before a fall is completely arrested. Because the lanyard Is attached to the body harness at a point that is more than half-way up the body, an additional distance of about 3-4 feet must be added to assure that no part of the employee s body makes contact with the surface. 

Where a person is standing on the surface to which the arrest system is anchored, if a fall occurred, the person would first fall the distance of the anchor point to the location of the lanyard attachment on the body harness, which is usually approximately 4y2 feet (this will vary with the height of the worker). The worker would then fall the length of the lanyard, which in this example is 6 feet. Finally, assuming a shock absorbing system were incorporated into the lanyard, the worker would fall another 3V2 feet if the full length of the shock absorber was used. The total of these distances is about 14 feet. 

Titan B-Compliarrt Roof Kits from Miller Fall Protection simplify product selection and are compliant with the new OSHA Residential Construction Regulation, effective June 16,2011. Each kit contains a full-body harness, rope grab with permanently-attached lanyard with shock absorber pack, rope lifeline with locking snap hooK and reusable roof anchor bracket with D-ring, all in a convenient waterproof storage container. Miller Fall Protection, www.millerfallprotection.com. Cmslc 275... 

Fall arresting system A system consisting of a belt (sometimes with a torso or subpelvic harness), a lanyard or lifeline, and an arresting mechanism with built-in shock absorber designed for use by a worker performing tasks in a location from which a fell would be injurious or fetal, or where other kinds of protection (e.g., enclosure, handrail, net) are not practical. Also called fell protection system, free-fall restraint system, or personnel lowering device and lifeline. 

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