×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Fall protection proprietary system anchorage to metal roof deck

Fall protection proprietary system anchorage to metal roof deck

Fall protection proprietary system anchorage to metal roof deck

(OP)
Who has experience with the anchorage of a fall protection proprietary system to metal roof deck?

I am working with a manufacturer, Guardian, with their system "XS Horizontal Lifeline system". I was provided the design load by their engineers. The load is 3,600 lbs applied horizontally to the top of a 8 1/4" post. Their system provides the anchorage of the post to the metal deck (in my case 20 ga wide rib roof deck) via their "toggle fastener".

Their sales literature says the load is "so slight", but I dont consider 3,600 lbs slight. I can easily check the roof framing for the load, but the localized effects of the load on the metal deck is not so easy, especially in the weak direction. I'm sure the manufacturer verified the ability of steel decks to sustain that type of load through full scale testing, but they are not offering it for DOR's use.

I'm sure I'm not the first one to challenge their system's anchorage scheme. What am I missing?

Thanks for your input.

RE: Fall protection proprietary system anchorage to metal roof deck

It won't work. It needs to be anchored into a structural component. They will say that their design stops at the bottom of their post. Providing a system below the deck to support the loads for the fall protection system typically falls in the EOR's scope from my experience.

RE: Fall protection proprietary system anchorage to metal roof deck

Strong agreement here - your gut is correct. Yes, provide steel framing and appropriate detail for attachment. Define clearly who is responsible for attachment to structure. Plan location of anchors is typically going to be a coordination issue - locations determined by architects or possibly by supplier. Contractor in the end needs to coordinate anchor locations with framing.
Best of luck

RE: Fall protection proprietary system anchorage to metal roof deck

Design your deck to handle the load. Put in local supports as needed. Push for the test results. Generally you can get them.

Check out the lines in their spec in section 1.05. We generally try to be stronger than the threaded rod and then understand that insulation will crush / deck will deform / etc. to dissipate energy.

Hope that helps.

ZCP
www.phoenix-engineer.com

RE: Fall protection proprietary system anchorage to metal roof deck

I checked out the product literature. I'll give them high marks for innovation. However, I would derive little comfort from knowing that somewhere there was a human being prevented from plummeting to her death be a puddle weld or a Hilti pin loaded in tension.

The greatest trick that bond stress ever pulled was convincing the world it didn't exist.

RE: Fall protection proprietary system anchorage to metal roof deck

We typically provide steel (either hot-rolled or cold-formed) blocking underneath and screw directly to it so we don't have to worry about the deck taking the load.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources