Fall Restraint System

[wbd]

Hello,
I am looking at installing a horizontal restraint system. OSHA has no specific standards for restraint systems. They do suggest that fall restraint systems should have the capacity to withstand at least twice the expected force needed to restrain the person from exposure to the fall.
this system will be used for work on a horizontal surface to prevent a fall into water.
Anyone have any guidance for a reasonable expected force? They will have a short stop retractable web type lanyard. This is similiar to the action of a seat belt for a quict tug.
Thank You

 

[jsummerfield]

Look for ANSI Z 359.1. Typically my fall protection experience includes two six-foot lanyards. I am very big and the forces from a six-foot fall are enourmous.

Assure that the restraint system complies with OSHA and ANSI Z 359.1 (American Society of Safety Engineers) provisions. This requires a minimum breaking strength of 5000-pound force (22.2 kN) to arrest the fall of one person weighing up to 310 pounds (140 kg) or up to 1,800- pound force (8 kN). Select compatible components. These are for connecting to a suitable overhead anchorage. The anchorage connectors are designed to hook onto structures directly above the worker.
Also look at ANSI A10.8 for Scaffolding, ASTM F 987 for Portable Intermediate Flush Deck Stanchions for the marine industry and IEEE 1307 Fall Protection for Utility Work . These may be more suited to your needs. IEEE 1307 lists the following ANSI standards.

ANSI A10.8-2001, American National Standard for Safety Requirements for Scaffolding.2
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.
ANSI A14.1-2000, American National Standard for Safety Requirements for Portable Wood Ladders.
ANSI A14.2-2002, American National Standard for Safety Requirements for Portable Metal Ladders.
ANSI A14.3-1992, American National Standard for Safety Requirements for Fixed Ladders.
ANSI A14.5-1992, American National Standard for Safety Requirements for Portable Reinforced Plastic
Ladders.
ANSI A92.2-2002, American National Standard for Vehicle Mounted Elevating and Rotating Aerial
Devices (SIA).
ANSI A92.3-1990, American National Standard for Elevating Work Platforms, Manually Propelled.
ANSI A92.5-1992, American National Standard for Elevated Work Platforms, Boom-Supported.
ANSI A92.6-2001, American National Standard for Work Platforms, Self Propelled Elevating.
ANSI Z133.1-2001, American National Standard for Safety Requirements for Tree Care Operations—Pruning,
Trimming, Repairing, Maintaining, and Removing Trees, and Cutting.
ANSI Z359.1-1992 (R-1999), American National Standard for Safety Requirements for Personal Fall Arrest
Systems, Subsystems, and Components.
ASTM F711-02-2003, Standard Specification for Fiberglass-Reinforced Plastic (FRP) Rod and Tube Used
in Live Line Tools.3


John