Working from Heights

Learners are taught the different connecting devices and lanyards, and when and how they should be worn. It covers how to follow federal safety requirements, best practices to keep connecting devices working and how to avoid making common mistakes.

• Questions (level 1, 2, 3)

This topic is currently available in English.

1. The connecting device attaches the body harness to the anchorage system and is critical in stopping the worker’s fall.

2. There are many types of connecting devices. The main types include simple single lanyards, y-shaped lanyards that allow workers to move easily between anchorage systems, and retractable lanyards (also called self-retracting lifelines) that are used when workers must move away from the anchorage system.

3. According to federal safety rules, connecting devices must be labeled with their weight capacity and be able to support 5000 lbs of dead weight.

4. Never cross your lanyard over a beam or another object, and then tie or reconnect it with itself. This tears or saws away at the material and compromises its strength.

5. Never connect a lanyard to itself because it reduces its strength by half.

6. An anchor sling is a strong, sturdy strap that is designed to connect a lanyard to a beam. Use the anchor strap instead of connecting the lanyard to itself, which can damage or cut the lanyard.

7. Federal safety regulations require that connecting devices must have a double-locking snap hook. A double-locking snap hook requires two separate movements to open, making it less likely they’ll accidentally open and disengage from the anchorage system.

8. Snap hooks should only be attached to an approved compatible anchorage system. This helps prevent accidental disengagement and keep the hooks oriented correctly.

9. Never connect a snap hook to incompatible devices like rope or webbing, wire rope, directly to a horizontal lifeline, or to another snap hook because they are not designed to be connected to these items safely.

10. Never connect two snap hooks into one D-Ring because the D-Ring is designed to accommodate one snap hook.

Learners are taught key steps/what they should do before putting a body harness on, how to wear it properly, and how to safely secure all the components to their bodies. Learners are also taught about federal safety requirements for body harnesses.

• Questions (level 1, 2, 3)

This topic is currently available in English.

1. To reduce injury to the worker, the body harness is designed to spread the force of the fall over a large area of the body, so no one area absorbs the full force of the impact.

2. Most body harnesses are equipped with foot-holds which create a support platform in the event of a fall. The platform helps the fallen worker support their weight and remain upright.

3. Inspect your harness before every use to make sure it’s in good condition and working properly.

4. Before putting on a body harness, find the D-ring on the back and gently shake out the harness so you can find the straps easily.

5. When the body harness is hanging in the right shape, put your arms through the straps, like you would put on a vest.

6. After putting on your body harness, pull the leg straps around your legs, and tighten them until they are snug. If you fall with loose leg straps, you can cause serious injury to the groin area.

7. Once your body harness is on, and you’ve put on and tightened the leg straps, tighten the chest strap around the middle of your chest.

Learners are taught the different types of lanyards and how they help to reduce and absorb the force of a fall. It also covers how to calculate total fall distance before working to ensure proper lanyard length and some federal safety requirements.

• Questions (level 1, 2, 3)

This topic is currently available in English.

1. An energy-absorbing lanyard reduces the impact to the user’s body if they fall from a height.

2. In the event of a fall, a special section of an energy-absorbing lanyard will tear and elongate. This special section absorbs the impact of the fall and slows the rate of descent until the worker comes to a controlled stop.

3. In the event of a fall, a self-retracting lifeline limits the distance the worker will fall and helps reduce the impact of the fall.

4. Self-retracting lifelines allow more mobility for the worker because it lets them move further away from the anchorage point. In the event of a fall, a locking mechanism and deceleration device is activated, which quickly stops the fall.

5. There are two classes of self-retracting lifelines. Class A self-retracting lifelines will stop a fall within two feet; Class B self-retracting lifelines will stop within 4.5 feet.

6. Where there is any risk of falling, it is important to calculate the total fall distance to avoid hitting the ground. This distance is the maximum distance a worker will fall from the anchorage system.

7. When calculating the total fall distance, add the worker’s height, the lanyard length, and the elongation length braking distance together.

8. Federal safety rules require that the maximum elongation or deacceleration distance of an energy-absorbing device is 42 inches, which is 3.5 feet.

   Ex: the total fall distance for a six-foot worker, wearing a six-foot energy absorbing lanyard, with a designated elongation of 3.5 feet = 15.5 feet. 15.5 feet + an extra 3 feet for safety = anchorage system must be at least 18.5 feet high for the 6-foot worker.

9. Use measuring tools, like a tape measure, to make sure you have the correct height of the anchorage system before working. You need the right measurements to make sure you don’t hit the ground if you fall.

10. When setting the anchorage system point, add a three-foot safety or buffer space; this buffer space will help avoid colliding with the ground if you fall.