What are Horizontal Cable Fall Protection Systems?

Horizontal lifelines are commonly utilized arrest and fall restraint systems used on tall structures to prevent serious accidents and injuries. They’re the perfect solution for situations where there are no existing anchor points for personnel tie-off. The system consists of two or more anchor points at the main structure, to which a cable is attached at one end. At the other end, the cable is connected to the body harness or belt. This is what prevents an individual from falling from a great height in case they misstep or fall, as the fall is arrested by the lifeline and lanyard. Read More

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) directly defers to the ASC standards in its General Duty Clause.

OSHA also includes a rigorous checklist of anchor system standards that have to do with the efficacy of parts like:

• The anchorage or point of attachment

• Body harnesses and belts

• Snaphooks, positioning systems, and lanyards

• Deceleration devices and lifelines

A Roof Lifeline System and Anchor Point for Safe Working at Height

Falls from height are the biggest single cause of injuries and fatalities in the construction industry and are also responsible for high accident rates in other occupations such as building maintenance. Many safeguards that are intended to prevent falls or to arrest them, so a worker is not injured are not popular because they are restrictive for workers and adversely affect productivity. However, roof horizontal lifelines are extremely effective in preventing and limiting accidents while allowing workers to operate freely.

The system comprises a horizontal lifeline anchor at each end of a high-strength cable running between them and intermediate supports at intervals for particularly large roof areas. Workers wear safety harnesses and attach themselves securely to the cable using lanyards. They are therefore prevented from approaching dangerous areas such as roof edges and, if they do fall, a tensioning device ensures they don’t fall too far.

Versatile Fall Prevention Systems

Horizontal lifelines have varying uses and come in different types:

• A roof lifeline system that is used when inspecting or repairing a roof, or for various other purposes. These systems need to prevent falls without adversely impacting the integrity of the roof support system and have to take into account the roof’s structure, materials, strength and available anchor points.
• Lifelines for narrow walkways known as crane rails that alleviate the high risk of falls.
• Overhead lifelines that can cover long distances and allow workers to travel the full length with complete hands-free mobility and without the need to detach and re-attach.
• Pipe rack lifelines that allow elevated sections to be accessed without the risk of falls.
• Window washing anchors, which allow window washers to access high rise windows safetly.

These lifelines are not restricted to roofs but can also be placed at the base of any elevated structure, above it or anywhere in between. They provide a horizontal lifeline to OSHA standards and help to ensure compliance with health and safety regulations for working at height.

Why Your Building Needs Horizontal Fall Restraint Systems

Falls from height are common causes of serious injury and death. The risk of these falls is increased when there are unprotected edges, obstacles such as vents that are trip hazards, variable working heights, loose materials and damaged roofs with cracks and soft spots.

Any falls that do occur can be devastating for workers and their families and can also be very costly for your company in terms of lost production, a damaged reputation and financial penalties that can include fines, legal costs, compensation payments and increased insurance premiums. It’s vital that you avoid these problems and a properly installed and used roof lifeline system can ensure you do.

Considering the problems that can arise from inadequate protection, fitting roof anchors for fall protection is an extremely cost-effective investment. Our systems are very durable, are made of high-quality, lightweight materials and provide complete safety without affecting the mobility or productivity of your workers.

In order to achieve optimum benefits, horizontal lifeline systems need to be properly installed and maintained to ensure they never let you down. We can advise on the systems you need, can install them properly and then undertake periodic inspections and maintenance to ensure worn and damaged components are replaced. With our help, your workers’ safety is ensured.