Various safety types of equipment are used by different maintenance and construction-related purposes in buildings. Maintenance and construction workers need to ensure their safety from the hazards of different kinds. Fall protection equipment is one such type of safety measure that ensures the safety of the workers from the impact of falls from a height. Safety roof anchor points are a vital part of a fall protection system. Fall protection anchor points are generally installed on the roof for connecting lanyards, lifelines, and other forms of tie-off equipment which prevent the workers from falling. Roof anchors can be as simple as a D-ring connection or as complex as a complete lifeline system.
Types Of Systems Used For Fall Protection
Although, when it comes to fall protection, the fall protection anchor points and horizontal lifelines are 2 very effective ways of protecting workers from the impact of falls and accidental falls, if correctly used. The two systems which are generally used for fall protection are fall protection anchor points and horizontal lifelines both systems work by combining a lanyard or a harness to hold up the full body.
Anchor Point System
The fall protection anchor point system or the single anchor points can be installed in the middle of the roof, or along with the safe edge of the roof parameter which depends upon the shape and size and the type of surface of the roof.
- For using a single anchor point a worker needs to detach from one point of the anchor and reattach to the other when there is a need to switch to a different work area.
- Most of the single anchor points are only suited for use by one person at a time. This makes it difficult for an entire team of workers to work at the same time. Although a temporary lifeline may be attached or placed between two anchor points so as to allow multiple users to work together, which also allows the freedom of movement.
Horizontal Lifeline System
A horizontal lifeline system or an HLL system consists of a series of fall protection anchor points that are connected through a steel wire-rope.
- Workers use it by attaching it to the lifeline track and travel along the trajectory which eliminates the need to detach and re-attach the lifeline.
- The horizontal lifelines can be configured in a way that multiple workers or a team of users can work with one system at the same time. This also allows the total safety of a team working simultaneously.
- Various safety equipment companies have even developed a system with multiple lifelines so that workers can pass each other without having to disconnect from the lifeline system.
- These types of horizontal lifelines can also be equipped with additional other anchor points in order to enable the rope access from a location which gives more freedom of movement to the users of horizontal lifelines.
What kind of system is needed to be used completely depends upon the project which defines the amount of movement and number of users of the fall protection systems Although fall protection anchor points allow a 360-degree movement in a circular trajectory around the anchor point, this means these points allow to cover the areas like the corners and edges of a building. In order to reach all the rooftop areas, more number of fall protection anchor points need to be installed. These anchor points can be placed near corners and edges but that could increase the risk of a fall, which is something you should prevent.
