What Is Rigid Rail Fall Protection?

Rigid rail fall protection systems improve workplace safety by protecting workers at height from fall hazards. These systems feature an overhead track and trolley fall arrest system. They are some of the most innovative and complete fall arrest systems available, suitable for use indoors and outdoors with minimum fall clearance — ideal for environments requiring short arrest distances.

They are one of the most common fall arrest solutions in general industry, manufacturing facilities, foundries, and mills. Rigid rail fall protection systems are also popular in facilities that assemble or service high-profile vehicles, such as aircraft, boats, trains, trucks, buses, and other commercial equipment.

Rigid Lifelines® engineers, designs, and tests rigid rail fall protection systems. Our systems comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 1910, OSHA 1926, and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z359 standards, which reduce workplace risks and protect your workers from fall hazards. Rigid Lifelines offers permanent or mobile Anchor Track™ Systems, including the mobile Griffin™ and permanent Traveling Bridge.

Components of Rigid Rail Systems

Rigid rail fall protection systems consist of the following:

• Anchor: The anchor is typically a trolley that runs along an engineered I-beam, rail, or enclosed track system.
• Body device: The user wears the full-body harness. 
• Connecting drive: The connecting device is generally a shock-absorbing or self-retracing lanyard that connects to the D-ring on the full-body harness to the anchor. This lets workers easily move around while still staying connected to the anchor point.

Rescue plans are just as vital as wearing the body harness itself. Appropriate rescue plans instill confidence in the workplace and create a secure environment, reducing response times.

How Does a Rigid Rail Fall Protection System Work?

Users can permanently mount rigid rail fall protection systems to existing structures or suspend them from wall or floor-mounted supports. They offer several benefits over traditional wire rope-based lifeline systems. Rigid rail systems offer improved fall clearances and less sag, which helps reduce the risk of secondary fall injuries. They are also safer for multiple users and don’t deflect permanently in a fall event.

You can easily mount our rigid track systems to various existing structures with zero reinforcement. They can accommodate a higher amount of vertical loads due to natural events — such as snow.

These systems do not deflect downward during a fall event, decreasing the fall distance. No deflection minimizes injury and increases self-rescue ability. Enclosed track systems include a V-shaped design that prevents dust and debris from compiling inside the track. They can reduce downtime by allowing workers to return to their jobs after a competent person’s brief inspection of the system.

Flexibility Details

Rigid rail fall protection systems are modular in design. You can configure them in endless spans, lengths, and fall protection coverage areas, making them flexible systems. Our systems hold up to 310 pounds with a maximum average arresting force of 900.

If you need a system with a larger weight capacity, we provide custom solutions for up to 450 pounds.

What Are the Three Forms of Fall Protection?

Conventional fall protection systems include:

1. Guardrail systems
2. Safety net systems
3. Personal fall arrest systems

Increase Worker Confidence With Rigid Lifelines®

Rigid Lifelines® systems feature an enclosed Anchor Track and Anchor Trolley™ technology that eliminates the bounce effect and reduces the potential for secondary fall injuries. Our Anchor Trolley reduces the post-fall drift while offering effortless movement and increasing self-rescue ability. It’s our ultimate innovation in rolling trolley technology, requiring minimal maintenance and engaging automatically during a fall event. 

The versatile nature of our systems allows us to configure a solution to your specific needs. Contact us today for more information or to talk to an expert on our technical sales team.