FallTech 778100 - Manual (Page 12)

Section 4: Product Selection
Product selection is as important as the proper use of the product
itself. Poor judgment in product selection can have catastrophic results –
therefore be sure to consult a competent person to ensure that the
product that is issued is appropriate for the application and the specific
location for which it is intended.
ANSI Z359.1-2007, Section 7 describes in detail the steps that should be
taken with regard to the selection of fall arrest equipment. FallTech
strongly encourages the use of this guide by those who employ users of
fall arrest products. The ANSI standard recommends the following steps
be taken:

A workplace assessment by a competent person taking into
account the presence of sources of extreme heat, chemicals,
electrical hazards, environmental contaminants, sharp objects,
abrasive surfaces; moving equipment and materials, unstable,
uneven and slippery walking/working surfaces; unguarded
openings; climatic/weather factors and foreseeable changes to
these conditions. Care must be taken to ensure that the
equipment that is selected is suitable for use where any of these
conditions may exist.

The workplace assessment must identify all paths of movement
and the fall hazards along these paths. Care must be taken to
ensure that there are proper anchorages at appropriate intervals
along these paths to protect the users from these hazards
without exposure to swing-fall conditions. The PFAS selected
must limit the fall distance in order to avoid contact with the next
lower level in the event of a fall.

Anchorage connectors should be selected on the basis of their
suitability for attachment to the anchor point to ensure a
compatible and secure connection.

The exposure of the anchorage connector to sharp edges,
abrasive surfaces and other physical/structural hazards should
be considered when evaluating compatibility.

The competent person shall calculate the weight of all authorized
persons when fully equipped to ensure that they are within the
maximum capacity of the PFAS.

A full body harness meeting the requirements of Z359 shall be
selected, and it shall be sized to fit the user as per the
manufacturer’s instructions.

Connectors that are selected shall be suitably sized and shaped
so as to be compatible with the devices to which they will be
attached.

The competent person shall select the method of protecting the
equipment from damage by workplace conditions, in accordance
with the manufacturer’s instructions.

The competent person shall check the equipment instructions
and markings to ensure compliance with the appropriate
standards and will ensure that manufacturer’s instructions;
markings and warnings are read and followed.

If the PFAS that is selected is made up of components from
different manufacturers, the competent person will ensure that
these components are compatible.
FallTech strongly encourages that the following points also be
considered in the course of product selection, in addition to the points
above:

Select the anchorage connector that is most appropriate for your
application and for the anchor point to which it will be attached.
While sling-style anchors are popular because of their versatility,
they are not always the best choice where sharp or angular
edges are present on the structure to which they are attached.

Select a full body harness of appropriate durability for your
workplace which contains all of the attachment elements that you
will require. Never attach any SRL to anything other than the
back/dorsal d-ring or the front/chest d-ring of your full body
harness.

Depending on workplace conditions and hazards, you may need
to employ multiple systems or different combinations of
components. Do not try and force the system to fit the
application. Use of the correct equipment is the best policy.
Section 5: Anchorage Considerations
OSHA 1910.66 and 1926.502 state that anchorages used for
attachment of a PFAS must be independent of any anchorage being
used to support or suspend platforms, and must support at least 5,000
lbs. per user attached, or be designed, installed and used as part of a
complete PFAS which maintains a safety factor of at least two, and is
supervised by a qualified person (architect, structural engineer, etc.).