Are You My Anchorage?

Almost everyone in the world has performed a task in a manner that is unsafe. Whether you’ve stood on a wheeled office chair to change a light bulb or used two-by-fours to prop up your car while you change a flat tire, the fact remains that sometimes people will choose to perform a task in a slightly dangerous way because they wanted to save time, or they didn’t have the right tools. However, when it comes to accessing heights in a safe manner in the workplace, it’s very important to find places where you can safely attach your fall arrest devices, even if it requires a little more time or different equipment. 

Handrails
Handrails are a very common fixture in most workplaces and it can be tempting to use them as an anchorage connection point. OSHA requires that handrails have a minimum ability to resist 200 lbs. of force. On the other hand, OSHA requires that fall protection devices develop a maximum of 1,800 lbs. of force. Clearly, if the handrails in your facility only meet OSHA’s handrail minimum strength requirements, they will not be anywhere near compliant for OSHA’s fall protection requirements.  If you are hoping to use your handrails as an anchorage point, it is best practice to consult with a structural engineer before attaching any type of fall arrest or fall restraint devices.  

Pipes 
Because pipes are usually carrying liquid or gas, it is poor practice to attach any kind of safety equipment to any pipes or plumbing. There are very serious safety hazards that can occur if any pipes or plumbing were to become compromised in the workplace. Due to the potential fall forces that are lurking in fall arrest, pipes could easily be damaged if they are used as an anchorage point during fall arrest. Do not use pipes as an anchorage point—no matter how secure or solid they may appear.

Purlins & Joists
Purlins and joists have two very similar functions—they provide structural support for a building or roof. However, when it comes to providing a fall arrest anchorage, caution must be used when making a decision. Purlins are usually less reliable than joists because they are lightweight, minimum strength, and short span reinforcements. Meanwhile, joists are heavier, higher strength, and designed to support longer spans. Due to their overall strength, joists are a good candidate for an anchorage point. However, a structural engineer should be consulted before applying any sort of fall protection anchorage. 

Concrete Ceilings
Even though concrete is used as a structural and covering agent in many different construction applications, it fractures and cracks with relative ease and does not do well in tension. Concrete has a crystalline structure and that makes it almost like glass in regards to its brittle nature. Conversely, concrete can readily handle pressure and compression. Because it has such a brittle makeup, concrete should never be loaded in tension. And because concrete should never be loaded in tension, a majority of concrete surfaces should not be used as a fall protection anchorage. If a concrete anchorage location is one of your only options, a structural engineer should be consulted.

Scaffolding
There are two types of scaffolding in the world—scaffolding that can be used as a fall protection anchorage and scaffolding that cannot be used as a fall protection anchorage. The best way to identify if you can anchor your fall protection equipment to the scaffolding is to call the manufacturer of the scaffolding you are using and ask them if it is rated for fall protection use. If the manufacturer says that they have engineered and tested their equipment for fall arrest forces and that it is rated for fall protection use, then you can connect your fall arrest device to the scaffolding as an anchorage point.

Types of Testing

If there is uncertainty about the strength of part of a building being considered for use as a fall protection anchorage, a qualified engineer can perform several different types of tests to determine an anchorages potential strength. Static pull tests are performed to measure the strength capabilities of a structure. Here is a brief overview of a pull test. A pull test is basically where a force is applied to a structure in increments to determine the strength of a material. If a material deflects slightly from its original position and it does not return back to its original position when the force is removed, that scenario indicates that there is structural yielding. If there is structural yielding, then the structure cannot handle the weight that was presented and its limited strength has been established.

As far as non-destructive testing, there are a few different varieties that can be applied to a potential anchorage.  Magnetic Particle Inspection, X-Ray Inspection, and Dye-Penetrant Testing are three common ways that engineers can test structural integrity and identify weak spots without doing damage to a structure. All building component anchorages being used for fall protection should be tested and re-certified annually by a qualified engineer to ensure that people are anchoring their fall arrest equipment into a reliable location. 

NOTE: THIS BLOG ONLY DISCUSSES BUILDING COMPONENTS. FOR TESTING INFORMATION REGARDING ENGINEERED FALL ARREST ANCHORAGE SYSTEMS, CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER. FOR CUSTOM ENGINEERED FALL PROTECTION ANCHORAGES, CONSULT WITH THE FALL PROTECTION SYSTEM MANUFACTURER.

Until the next time, stay safe up there!

Do you have other places that you think might be a good anchorage location? Tell us about it in the comment section below!