Do not use guardrails as anchorage points for fall arrest equipment unless a structural engineer approves them for that specific purpose. There must be an engineering drawing that indicates which specific locations are suitable as anchorage points; what equipment, by rating, may be used; and how that equipment is to be attached. Anchorage points should be labeled as such.

Signs placed next to fixed ladders, next to scaffold access points, and on suspended scaffolds can provide a continuous message to workers to use fall protection. They function as a form of repeat training until the safety practice becomes second nature. Signs are always secondary; except for emergency alerts, they should never be used as long-term, primary protection.

Dr. J. Nigel Ellis was a guest speaker at the American Society of Safety Engineers Congress and Expo on June 26, 2013 in Las Vegas. Dr. Ellis’ presentation was entitled, “Futuristic Fall Protection Now”. The slides from this presentation are available here.

Dr. J. Nigel Ellis was a guest speaker at the June 2013 International Society of Fall Protection Symposium in Las Vegas. Dr. Ellis’ presentation was entitled, “Three-Point Control: Analysis and Recommendations”. The slides from the presentation are available here.

Fall arrest is designed to catch a person once he or she falls, whereas restraint systems are designed to keep the free fall from occurring in the first place. A restraint is intended to be a leash, reasonably preventing access to a fall-hazard zone. In practice, this is extremely difficult, especially if the system is moved. It is far better to treat it as a fall arrest system meeting fall arrest requirements.

Only ladder rungs meeting OSHA and ANSI standards should be held while climbing. Because of the narrow climbing surface, the hands must grip securely to avoid a fall. Only on horizontal bars are the hands reliable for holding the body weight for a brief time (sufficient for the feet to regain the rung). However, a near-vertical bar cannot be held securely in any fall situation. Sloped rails have been shown to be appropriate up to a certain pitch.