1. Personal Fall Arrest Systems
Inspection and Maintenance
OSHA REGULATION
CFR

2. Disclaimer
The information presented in this presentation has been compiled from sources believed to be reliable and is intended to be a tool to assist and guide you in building your own presentation. This program may not address all the hazardous conditions or unsafe acts that may exist. For that reason, SPIN cautions users to confirm accuracy and compliance with the latest standards and best practices. Local, State/Provincial and Federal regulations take precedence over this material. Implementation of any practices suggested by this program is at your sole discretion, and SPIN will have no liability to any party for any damages including, but not limited to, direct, indirect, special or consequential damages, arising out of or in connection with the information provided or its use.

3. PFAS (Personal Fall Arrest System)
A system used to protect an employee in a fall from a working level.
It consists of an anchorage, connectors, body harness and may include a lanyard, deceleration device, lifeline, or suitable combinations of these.
As of January 1, 1998 the use of a body belt for fall arrest is prohibited!
Employers must plan the rescue of the worker.

4. Justification
If equipment isn’t inspected before each use, defects not identified could cause failure of the system in the event of a fall.
Serious injury or death may occur when wearing faulty personal fall arrest systems which fail in the event of a fall.
New quarterly inspection report to be submitted to the EHS office.

5. Inspection
To maintain service life and ensure performance capabilities.
Inspect before and after each use.
Take out of service any defective conditions found.
Equipment may not be modified in anyway.
Best practice is to store out of light, and hanging from the Dee-ring.

6. Inspection: Harness
Examine all nylon webbing for burn marks, torn, frayed, broken fibers, pulled stitches or frayed edges.
No damage from acid or other corrosives.
Dee-ring - no wear, pits, deterioration, deformation or cracks.

7. Inspection cont.
Buckles, not deformed or cracked and operate correctly.
Tongue straps, no excessive wear
All Grommets (if present), secure and not deformed from abuse or a fall.
No additional punched holes.
Rivets tight not deformed.

8. Inspection - Lanyard or lifeline
No Cuts, burns, abrasion, kinks, knots, broken stitches.
Check Snap-hooks for, hook, locks, and eye distortion.
Carabiner for excessive wear, distortion and lock operation.
All locking mechanisms seat and lock securely.

9. Lanyard cont.. No visible “WARNING TAG” deployed.
Shock Absorber no damage, pay close attention to where it attaches to the lanyard.
Point of attachment to snap-hook free of defects.

10. Retractable Lanyard Check outer casing no damage nuts/rivets tight
cable ends securely crimped, eye and rubber stop in place
entire length of cable/strap undamaged and retracts freely
Verify locking mechanism operates correctly by pulling sharply on the cable/strap
If manufacturer recommends, return for scheduled inspection

11. Inspection Snap-hooks
No hook and eye distortion.
No cracks, pitted surfaces or corrosion.
Keeper latch
not bent, distorted or obstructed
seats into nose of the hook without binding
spring securely closes
test locking mechanism to verify it locks properly

12. Rescue Never work alone.
Always pre-plan how you will rescue someone in the event of a fall.
You may survive a fall but will not survive extended period of time suspended in your PFAS.

13. RESCUE
Arresting forces are on thighs, pelvis, waist, chest and shoulders
Harness rated for 1800 pounds of arresting forces
Tolerable suspension time of 15 minutes

14. 1.) Free Fall Distance. Limited to 6’
Lanyard
Before Fall
Shock Absorber
Working Surface
Free Fall
Deceleration(Shock Absorber Activation) 1. 2. 3.
Clearance
Closest Object in Fall Path
1.) Free Fall Distance. Limited to 6’
2.)Total Fall Distance. The sum of the fall distance and deceleration distance.
3.) Deceleration distance. Must not exceed 3.5’.

15. Anchor Before Fall After Fall 6’ length of lanyard
3 1/2’ deceleration distance
Fall Clearance Calculation
6ft. Lanyard length
6ft. Height of worker
31/2 ft. Extension of shock absorber
3 ft Safety Factor
18 1/2 ft. Minimum recommended fall clearance.
6’ height of worker
3’ safety factor

16. Swing Fall Hazard

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