How To Calculate Fall Clearance for a Fall Protection System

When working with fall protection equipment, it’s important to remember that each specific piece of gear requires a certain amount of fall clearance in order to be effective. This measurement is the optimal height required for a worker’s fall arrest system to take effect and halt the downward movement. Without this understanding, it’s more difficult to tell when certain items don’t meet the requirements and are, therefore, unsafe to use. This is a rundown of what this value is and how to calculate fall clearance for a fall protection system.

Defining Fall Clearance

Fall clearance refers to the height that a worker must attach their anchorage equipment in order to avoid impact with the lower level in the event should they fall. This distance varies depending on how high up the individual is working. It is also determined by calculating the sum of several other factors, such as free fall distance, arrest distance, harness stretch, and the overall safety factor. Being aware of your minimum fall clearance at all times is the best way to ensure you won’t accidentally fall too far.

OSHA Fall Clearance Guidelines

There are four key factors that contribute to finding out your current fall clearance on a job site. Each has an ideal numerical value assigned by OSHA. However, they can still vary between two specific towers.

Free Fall Distance

Free fall distance refers to the distance you’ll theoretically fall before your protection system starts to stop you. It’s also the length between your established anchorage point and the attachment point of your harness. For optimal safety, this number should never exceed 6 feet.

Arrest Distance

Arrest distance, on the other hand, is the amount of space required for your energy-absorbing lanyard to activate. For reference, standard fall protection lanyards extend about 2.6 feet and should never be more than 3.5 feet.

Harness Stretch

Next, harness stretch accounts for the amount of shifting that occurs when a person falls. This can give the overall clearance an extra foot or two depending on the model of the harness and how it fits.

Safety Factor

Lastly, the safety factor acts as a buffer for any other conditions that may affect your fall distance. It’s used to better guarantee that you’ll always have enough space to accommodate the fall. This is added to the fall clearance by 2.5 feet.

Calculating Your Fall Clearance

After figuring out each of these factors, you can calculate the fall clearance for a fall protection system by simply adding them all together. This will give you the total distance that your fall will use between your standing point and the floor below you. Make sure you’re taking these measurements before each job, and that you’re aware of your equipment’s limitations.

At Midwest Unlimited, we take the necessary precautions to ensure our cell tower climbing equipment abides by all relevant OSHA standards. Whether it be our specialized fall arrest lanyards or our automatic locking rope grabs, we carefully test all our products to determine the distance required for them to deploy. With this information, we aim to make it easier for you to calculate your own fall clearance on the job and keep yourself safe.