Fall Restraint; Work Positioning; Free-Fall; Clear-Fall - Falltech 7262 Instructions Manual

harness and a self‐retracting lifeline, shock‐absorbing lanyard or other deceleration
device designed to bring a falling user to a stop in the shortest possible distance while
limiting the force imparted to the user's body.
2.6: Fall Restraint
Fall Restraint is an area of Fall Protection devoted to restraining the user of the
system in a manner which restricts his or her access to the fall hazard in a manner such
that they cannot be subjected to a fall. A typical Fall Restraint System consists of an
anchorage, a full body harness or a restraint belt and a restraint lanyard. An SRL should
never be utilized in a restraint application as it is not capable of restricting a user's
access to fall hazards.
2.7: Work Positioning
Work Positioning is an area of Fall Protection devoted to allowing a user to work on a
vertical surface by means of a positioning assembly, and restricting the user's exposure
to a fall of no more than two feet. Typical positioning assemblies consist of a large rebar
hook and a length of chain, rope, wire rope or webbing with a double locking snap hook
on either end. These snap hooks are attached to d‐rings on the hips or on the waist of
the user's full body harness, with the rebar hook attached to the structure upon which
the user is working. An SRL should never be used for work positioning, nor should it
ever be attached to a side or hip d‐ring on a full body harness.
2.8: Free‐Fall
Free‐Fall is the distance that a worker will fall before the connecting device or
deceleration device elements of the PFAS will begin to engage during a fall event. OSHA
allows a maximum Free‐Fall Distance of 6' (6 feet) when rigging a Personal Fall Arrest
System (PFAS). In some cases, exceptions may be allowed when there is no practical
way to limit the Free‐Fall Distance to 6', such as a job‐site where no overhead anchor‐
point is available. Tying off in a manner that would create a Free‐Fall greater than 6'
should always be a last resort. If you are rigging a system that allows more than 6' of
Free‐Fall, make sure your Connecting Device/Deceleration Device is rated for this
application. FallTech Web SRL's ARE NOT rated for Free‐Falls greater than 2'!
2.9: Clear‐Fall
Clear‐Fall or Clear‐Fall Distance is the distance that is required to safely arrest the fall
of a user. When working at heights and using a PFAS, it is important to consider the
distance between the walking/working level and the next lower level to ensure that the
components selected are capable of arresting the user's fall before they hit the next
lower level. The required Clear‐Fall Distance can easily be calculated by adding together
the Free‐Fall Distance, the Deceleration Distance, the height of the user plus a safety
factor of 2 feet. The formula for calculating Clear‐Fall Distance is shown below:
Free‐Fall Distance + Deceleration Distance + Height of Worker + Safety Factor = Clear‐
Fall Distance
The matrix below can be used as a guide for calculating Clear‐Fall Distance on your
job‐site:
Free‐Fall Distance
(OSHA allows up to 6')
Deceleration Distance
(Typically 3.5' or less)
Height of Worker
Safety Factor
(Minimum of 2')
Total
(Sum of all values)
See figure 2.1 on the next page for a graphic illustration of Clear‐Fall Distance and the
method for calculating. It is also necessary to consider the fall path when determining
the Clear‐Fall limitations in your application. Ensure the fall path is clear of obstructions,
Example Values
2'
3.5'
6'
2'
13.5'
7
Actual Values