Anchors Away
This is the minimum strength required for a non-certified anchor point under OSHA.
What is 5,000 pounds?
This must be calculated before relying on a personal fall arrest system.
What is fall clearance?
This must be in place before employees begin work requiring fall protection.
What is a rescue plan?
A portable ladder must extend this far above the landing surface.
What is 3 feet?
Both EM 385 and OSHA generally require fall protection at this height in construction.
What is 6 feet?
This hazard occurs when a worker falls while positioned far from the anchor point.
What is swing fall?
This component of a personal fall arrest system reduces the force of a fall and affects total stopping distance.
What is the energy-absorbing lanyard (shock absorber)?
This is the general timeframe after a fall that rescue should begin to prevent serious harm from suspension in a harness.
What is within minutes (ideally 5–10 minutes)?
This ratio is used to properly position an extension ladder.
What is 4-to-1?
This person is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards and has authority to take corrective action.
What is a Competent Person?
An engineered anchor point may be designed by this qualified individual.
Who is a Qualified Person?
This is the term for the distance a worker travels before a fall arrest system begins to slow the fall.
What is free-fall distance?
The first priority after a worker has been arrested in a fall and is suspended.
What is initiating rescue?
This is the maximum intended load and user weight a Type IA ladder is designed to support.
What is 300 pounds?
This document outlines site-specific controls and procedures for high-risk activities.
What is an Activity Hazard Analysis (AHA)?
This type of anchor may support a personal fall arrest system if it is designed, installed, and used under the supervision of a qualified person.
What is a certified anchor point?
This factor is commonly overlooked and can add approximately one foot or more to total fall distance.
What is D-ring shift (or harness stretch)?
This condition can begin developing within minutes after a worker is suspended following a fall.
What is suspension trauma?
This ladder setup error is one of the most common causes of ladder incidents.
What is improper ladder angle?
Under EM 385, this person must be present when fall protection systems are inspected, selected, and monitored for compliance on complex work activities
Who is the Competent Person?
When two workers are attached to the same anchor point, this requirement must be considered.
What is total anchor capacity for all attached workers?
A worker is tied off at foot level using a 6-foot shock-absorbing lanyard while working 18 feet above grade. This is the first calculation that should be performed.
What is total fall clearance?
A rescue plan that depends solely on calling 911 may be inadequate because of this concern.
What is delayed rescue response time?
This action must be taken immediately when a ladder is found to be damaged or defective on a jobsite.
What is remove from service and tag/mark until repaired or destroyed?
This is the level of professional required when designing or approving engineered fall protection systems or making structural calculations for anchors, lifelines, or complex setups.
Who is a Qualified Person?