Personal Fall Arrest Systems
Fall arrest is of two major types: general fall arrest, such as nets; and personal fall arrest, such as lifelines. The most common manifestation of fall arrest in the workplace is the Personal Fall Arrest System, or PFAS ("lifeline").
Such a system must include 4 elements referred to as ABCDs of Fall Arrest:
- A - Anchorage - a fixed structure or structural adaptation, often including an anchorage connector, to which the other components of the PFAS are rigged.
- B - Body Wear - a full body harness worn by the worker.
- C - Connector - a subsystem component connecting the harness to the anchorage - such as a lanyard.
- D - Deceleration Device - a subsystem component designed to dissipate the forces associated with a fall arrest event.
Each of these elements is critical to the effectiveness of a personal fall arrest system. There are many different combinations of products that are commonly used to assemble a personal fall arrest system, and each must meet strict standards. The specific environment or application generally dictates the combination or combinations that are most appropriate.
Read more about this topic: Fall Arrest
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