Guidelines on the Safe Use of Fall Arrest Equipment②

Guidelines on the Safe Use of Fall Arrest Equipment②

(Labour Standards Bureau Notification No. 0622-2 of June 22, 2018)

IV. Selection of fall arrest equipment

1. Basic approach

(1) As a general rule, fall arrest equipment should be the full harness type. However, if there is a risk that a person wearing full harness type fall equipment may reach the ground in case of a fall, use of a body belt type is permitted.

(2) Selection of appropriate fall arrest equipment includes selection of the full harness type or body belt type, as well as the type of shock absorber suitable for the height of the mounting equipment for hooks, etc., and the length of the associated lanyard (including winder types with a lock). The employer must confirm the maximum free fall distance and the maximum usable weight, etc. of the shock absorber, and select the appropriate fall arrest equipment according to the work content, height of the work place, and weight of the worker, etc.

(3) As a guideline for the height at which the body belt type can be used, the value must be equal to or less than the total of the free fall distance and the shock absorber elongation, assuming the full harness type is used, plus 1 meter. Therefore, as a minimum criterion that must be followed in all cases, the full harness type must be used when working at a location exceeding the height (6.75 m) obtained by adding 1 meter to the total of the maximum free fall distance of the shock absorber (4 m) and the maximum elongation of the shock absorber (1.75 m).

2. Selection of fall arrest equipment (when not used together with work via work positioning)

(1) Selection of type of shock absorber, etc.

1. If it is possible to carry out work by attaching the hook, etc. at waist height or higher, select a Type 1 shock absorber.
2. If it is necessary to carry out work by attaching the hook, etc., below the feet in steel frame assembly work, etc., select the full harness type and select a Type 2 shock absorber.
3. When there is a mixture of both types of work, select the full harness type and select a Type 2 shock absorber.

(2) Selection of lanyard

1. Confirm the fall distance under the standard conditions indicated on the lanyard (mounting height of lanyard hook, etc. (a): 0.85 m, height of ring connecting lanyard and full harness (b): 1.45 m; same applies below), and select an appropriate lanyard in accordance mainly with the height of the work place.
2. Use of a winding lanyard with lock function is recommended mainly in cases where the height of the work place is comparatively low because these lanyards have a shorter fall distance than ordinary lanyards.
3. To prevent falls when reattaching hooks, etc. while moving, it is desirable to use two hooks, etc. in a mutually supportive fashion (double lanyard).
4. When using the double lanyard system with the full harness type, use two lanyards for fall arrest.
5. When using the double lanyard system with the body belt type, it is permissible to use an auxiliary rope only for the purpose of reattaching the hook, etc., of a lanyard for fall arrest.
   Auxiliary ropes include those without shock absorbers, and in that case, select one with a length of 1.3 m or less to ensure it is not used during work.

(3) Selection of equipment according to body weight

A maximum usable weight is specified for fall arrest equipment (85 kg or 100 kg, excluding special-order products). Therefore, select equipment so that the total weight of the person using the equipment and their tools/accessories does not exceed the maximum weight.

(4) Guideline for usable height of body belt type

Assuming typical usage conditions of the full harness type in construction work, etc. (mounting height of hook, etc., of lanyard: 0.85 m, height of ring connecting lanyard and full harness: 1.45 m, lanyard length: 1.7 m (in this case, free fall distance is 2.3 m), maximum elongation of shock absorber (Type 1): 1.2 m, elongation of full harness, etc.: about 1 m), the guideline height should be 5 m or less. Use the full harness type when working at a place higher than this.

3. Selection of fall arrest equipment (when used together with work via work positioning)

Equipment for holding the body used in work via work positioning (hereinafter referred to as “work positioning equipment”) has a substantial effect in preventing falls, but it must be used together with fall arrest equipment to serve as a backup to arrest a fall if it occurs.

(1) Selection of shock absorber type

In work via work positioning, there is usually no work where the hook, etc. is attached under the feet, so select a Type 1 shock absorber. However, if the content of the work includes work where the hook, etc. is attached under the feet, a Type 2 shock absorber should be selected.

(2) Selection of lanyard

1. Confirm the fall distance under the standard conditions indicated on the lanyard, and select an appropriate lanyard in accordance mainly with the height of the work place.
2. Use of a winding lanyard with lock function is recommended mainly in cases where the height of the work place is comparatively low because these lanyards have a shorter fall distance than ordinary lanyards.
3. To prevent falls when reattaching hooks, etc. while moving, it is desirable to use two hooks, etc. in a mutually supportive fashion (double lanyard). Also, reattaching hooks, etc. while maintaining the work positioning posture is effective for preventing falls.
4. When using the double lanyard system, it desirable to use two lanyards for fall arrest, but it is permissible to use the work positioning rope for one of the two. In this case, set to the minimum necessary rope length using the length adjuster.

(3) Selection of equipment according to body weight

A maximum usable weight is specified for fall arrest equipment (85 kg or 100 kg, excluding special-order products). Therefore, select equipment so that the total weight of the person using the equipment and their tools/accessories does not exceed the maximum usable weight.

(4) Selection of full harness type

When used together with work via work positioning, there is usually a structure over the worker’s head, and the hook, etc. can be mounted above the head.
Therefore, it is possible to use a full harness type so as not to reach the ground, so select the full harness type. However, it is also permissible to use the body belt type if there is a risk that a wearer of the full harness type may reach the ground due to the absence of a structure where the hook, etc., can be attached above the head.

4. Measures for moving up and down and passing through, etc., and use of peripheral equipment

(1) Fall arrest equipment is mandatory during work. Passing through and moving up and down (including the case of moving up and down while confirming the soundness, etc. of equipment for moving up and down) are fundamentally different concepts from work.
If it is extremely difficult to use fall arrest equipment, such as when there is no place to attach the hook, etc. of the fall arrest equipment (as when tree trimming, etc.) then alternative measures such as wearing a safety helmet must be taken.

(2) A fall arrest function is not required when moving up and down using a vertical main rope, safety block, or vertical rail. In addition, when directly linking between the connector provided on the chest, etc. of the full harness type and a vertical main rope, safety block, or vertical rail, via a subrope and slide-type device for fall arrest, as recognized by ISO standards, the pertinent subrope and slide-type device for fall arrest fall within the scope of the lanyard of the full harness type among the types whose safety can be confirmed through appropriate fall testing, etc.

(3) Movement ropes used in construction work, etc. on power transmission towers are not lanyards, and are treated as main ropes. Also, if the movement rope and the full harness type are directly linked to each other with a key-lock type safety device, etc., and the movement rope is equipped with a shock absorber, the key-lock type safety device, etc., falls within the scope of the lanyard of the full harness type. In this case, the shock absorber of the movement rope has a function conforming to a Type 2 shock absorber.