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At BlueWater by Tractel, we field a lot of questions about fall protection, many of which are about horizontal lifeline systems. We’ve compiled a few of the top questions - and their answers - so you can make an informed decision on the right roof safety system for your team.
A horizontal lifeline is a component in both fall arrest systems and fall restraint systems. They consist of a strong cable attached to two or more anchor points, which allows for the attachment of a safety harness and lanyard system. They are usually used when employees are working at height and either need the freedom of movement the lifeline offers, when there is more than one worker that needs to be protected, when there are no other existing anchor points suitable for tie-off, or when another roof safety system (like an OSHA compliant guardrail) aren’t feasible physically or financially. Horizontal lifeline systems are considered part of an active fall protection system and as such require participation on the part of the user.
Typical lifeline systems have four necessary components. Known as the ABCD's of fall protection, here are the abbreviations you can use to remember the four pieces.
A horizontal lifeline can be installed at the base of your structure (typically on a roof), overhead (commonly used indoors or on loading docks) or mounted along a wall.
Lifeline systems shall be designed and installed under the supervision of a Qualified person (as should any roof safety system, for that matter). This person generally has a degree in structural engineering, as well as extensive knowledge and experience with designing fall protection systems and the mandatory OSHA regulations that go along with them.
Anchor strength is determined by a qualified person factoring how many people will be on the horizontal lifeline, the length of the line,and keeping a 2:1 safety factor.
Yes, however, this is dependent on several factors: your worksite, the state of your equipment, and the job at hand. Often a horizontal lifeline or an OSHA compliant guardrail is available as either a temporary or permanent installation, making them both portable and more cost effective in the long run. But every job site is different, and while guardrails may be sufficient on one site, they might not be feasible on the next. The same is true for harness and lifeline systems. No matter the site, all your roof safety system equipment will need to be inspected for wear and tear prior to use. This is especially true for the components of any personal fall protection equipment like lifelines, lanyards, and safety harnesses—even more so if they’ve been used to stop a fall.
Calculating fall clearance is an important factor when designing a horizontal lifeline. In the event of a fall, fall clearance is the minimum vertical distance needed to safely prevent a worker from either striking the ground or some hazardous object below. However, calculating fall clearance is much more than just a simple measurement of the nearest falling hazard. When calculating fall clearance, you must take the worker's height, deceleration distance, and the length of a shock-absorbing lanyard into account. If the fall clearance distance is less than the distance between the nearest obstruction and the fall anchorage point, the roof safety system cannot protect a worker if they were to fall. You also have to take into consideration the stretch in the line.
To ensure a building can support a fall protection system, a qualified project engineer should inspect the building, analyze the specific loads applied to the building, and design a bracing system that resolves any load issue in the structure to ensure it does not interfere with the building's integrity.
Deciding whether a horizontal lifeline is right for a job site requires careful evaluation of the building, space constraints, the job, and many other factors. For example, perhaps you frequently have workers (or others) on your rooftop. In this instance, an OSHA compliant guardrail might be more practical as it requires no participation from whomever sets foot up on the roof. On the other hand, perhaps the worksite is beyond the limits of a guardrail or the job is small enough to deem a guardrail installation impractical. In this instance, an active fall protection system might make more sense.
Ultimately, however, your workers’ safety is the most important factor. That is why partnering with an experienced fall protection provider is a smart choice. They can help you determine what system will be the most effective for your individual worksite. At BlueWater by Tractel, we’ve been designing industry-leading fall safety solutions for over forty years. If you have questions about what kind of lifeline is right for you, give us call. We’ll get you on the right path to fall safety so you can focus on the job at hand.