# Best Fall Protection System for remodeling



## ApgarNJ (Apr 16, 2006)

Hi guys,

I tried doing a few searches but they were older and not much info given on the actual systems you guys are using. 

We do mostly remodeling and additions. I know osha isn't big in the residential world, but I want to be safer on the jobs where we are working up high. 

I have another builtin gutter and soffit rebuild coming up and there is no room for scaffolding to be setup due to a concrete stoop, wires etc I want to use extension ladders and a pick setup, it's about 25-30 feet in the air with concrete sidewalk/metal railing below. 

I have done this in the past but I want to be safer for myself and my employee.

I really know NOTHING about the harnesses, tie offs, etc. I want to purchase something very soon but don't want to get the wrong harness/system. I want one that is comfortable and easy to work with. I am not a roofer, but sometimes we are on the roof doing dormer work etc. 

Thanks in advance guys! 

Dan


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## greg24k (May 19, 2007)

ApgarNJ said:


> Hi guys,
> 
> I tried doing a few searches but they were older and not much info given on the actual systems you guys are using.
> 
> ...


Dan, check out Web Rigging Supply My roofing and siding contractor gets all the safety material there for large jobs...


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## Cole82 (Nov 22, 2008)

I just bought the roofers kit that comes in a bucket. Comes with everything you need the tie off point the rope, harness everything.

Just got the house brand at acme tools, 

Cole

Similar to this

http://174.47.102.50/tools/Acme+Tools/Harnesses/FALLTECH+7595RA+Contractor%26%2343%3B+Roofer%27s+Kit


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## Tinstaafl (Jan 6, 2008)

Cole82 said:


> Just got the house brand at acme tools,


From the Specifications:



> Weight Capacity (Lbs) 1


:laughing:


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## ApgarNJ (Apr 16, 2006)

Cole, how do you adjust how long the rope is if you are working on a scaffolding pick/ladder jacks etc and you are walking back and forth, you make the rope a different length for each job? I see they have retractable roof mounted units but I don't think I need that because I don't walk around on the roof the whole time. I don't know how guys use these systems when they are sheathing a roof, it has to be a lot more difficult to walk around.


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## [email protected] (Jan 10, 2010)

the adjustment is on the lanyard. It can always move closer to anchor point and you sqeeze it to let more rope out. We use the same type system. You really have to pay attention to lanyard length after fall, also where on the rope your laynard is attached. I have a few different lengths of lanyards for different working heights. If you have a 6 ft laynyard and your 15 ft off the ground your gonna smash your head if you fall. Ive seen alot of guys just throw up an anchor on a harness and figure there good not ever thinking of the decelerator in the lanyard.


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## [email protected] (Jan 10, 2010)

I use http://dbi-sala-safety.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=16&osCsid=f9afcebfab0daee09633041688a726a8 for all my stuff there great to work with and have everything for every situation. Also capitol safety is great to work with they will come out with a drop truck and show your guys a demo on dos and donts.


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## ApgarNJ (Apr 16, 2006)

I find most of the websites I have found for fall protection are geared towards guys that already know what they want and what to order. They don't have a section that is for guys just getting started. Seems like there are so many harnesses out there for different types of jobs. With the rules getting tighter on residential fall protection, I'm sure there are more guys like me looking for answers on exactly what all the different harness/equipment does and what it's for.


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## [email protected] (Jan 10, 2010)

Apgar go here theres a bunch of videos in here. I never knew they had these on here. This is great info for free. The more your in a harness the better one youll want. I have one that incorporates my bags in it for when I need to tie off, it also has side rings for rebar and hanging work. I have to replace two harnesses this month because of the others being out of date and probably gonna get ones with the trauma straps on them. 

http://en.capitalsafety.us/USTraining/USTrainingVideo/tabid/2504/language/en-US/Default.aspx

Look around there site, they have everything layed out pretty well then go over to dbi to order the stuff.


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## [email protected] (Jan 10, 2010)

How far from trenton are you? Pm me


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## [email protected] (Jan 10, 2010)

http://en.capitalsafety.us/USTraini...hedule/tabid/1565/language/en-US/Default.aspx

Theres a training there next week for competant person. This is perfect for what you want. Ive taken part of this course through our OSHA conference and its awsome, the guys teaching it can answer anything you throw at them. Little steep to get it from them, do you guys have safety conferences there at all?


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## GettingBy (Aug 19, 2010)

Try
http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q="fall+arrest"&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

You want deceleration at a reasonable G force rate. 

And all the tree-climbing books I ever read began with "In memory of. . ."


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## ApgarNJ (Apr 16, 2006)

I ordered two of these kits last night. http://www.amazon.com/FallTech-7595...W61I/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1304875997&sr=8-8

I think they will best for what we need to do. I would have liked to have a harness with side rings but for the few times a year we need a harness, this system was the right price and not the real cheap one either. 
I have watched the video linked above and learned about how to set the rope length and factor in the lanyard decelerator.


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## [email protected] (Jan 10, 2010)

thats a gooder


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## Brutus (May 29, 2007)

We have a few of both of these



















For when using a regular anchor point is not a viable option. Either hook the rope to it or attach the lanyard directly when working in a small area.


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## greg24k (May 19, 2007)

Come on guys, straps and harnesses are out-dated... Keep up with technology.




 
For some reason the video cannot be embedded anymore?


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## KennMacMoragh (Sep 16, 2008)

ApgarNJ said:


> I really know NOTHING about the harnesses, tie offs, etc.


Does New Jersey have their own state safety requirements or do they go by OSHA? Find out, if your state uses their own, then OSHA requirements mean nothing to you. Find out if there is a local class available that you can attend. In Washington, they offer a four or five hour class on fall protection which covers our WISHA requirements, different than OSHA.



ubenhad4 said:


> the adjustment is on the lanyard. It can always move closer to anchor point and you sqeeze it to let more rope out. We use the same type system. You really have to pay attention to lanyard length after fall, also where on the rope your laynard is attached. I have a few different lengths of lanyards for different working heights. If you have a 6 ft laynyard and your 15 ft off the ground your gonna smash your head if you fall. Ive seen alot of guys just throw up an anchor on a harness and figure there good not ever thinking of the decelerator in the lanyard.


It shouldn't smash your head, I had a rep from a manufacturer that I was using come out to a jobsite and explain this. According to him they are designed to flip you upright and protect your head when you fall. That's why rock climbing belts are illegal, those don't have shoulder straps, so your head wouldn't be protected. I've only ever seen someone fall completely off a roof once in a safety harness, and it seemed to work.


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## GettingBy (Aug 19, 2010)

KennMacMoragh said:


> they are designed to flip you upright and protect your head when you fall. That's why rock climbing belts are illegal, those don't have shoulder straps, so your head wouldn't be protected.


It's for this reason that I got a whole body harness from Grainger. I also got a lanyard but I regret that I did not get one with adjustable length (I use mine for tree work).


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## TBFGhost (Oct 9, 2008)

ApgarNJ said:


> I find most of the websites I have found for fall protection are geared towards guys that already know what they want and what to order. They don't have a section that is for guys just getting started. Seems like there are so many harnesses out there for different types of jobs. With the rules getting tighter on residential fall protection, I'm sure there are more guys like me looking for answers on exactly what all the different harness/equipment does and what it's for.


I have been using a harness like cole posted for about a week now. I am working as an employee on this addition in Princeton.

You can see the two life lines running out the gable window and hanging down.









You attach to these with a sliding mechanism that allows you to move where you attach the shock arrestor (lanyard) up or down the life line as you need to gain or take in slack.

Those lines are tied off to two different LVLs inside that gable using the yellow ties off pictured in a post above.


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## TBFGhost (Oct 9, 2008)

I find having the harness on takes away the jitters people get when the height really starts to increase. This is about 28 foot in the air...not too bad for me, esp with the 20" sidewalk pic.











Here I am sitting eating lunch on the pic. I am leaned up against the house.


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## TBFGhost (Oct 9, 2008)

These are all random photos I happen to have on my cell










here you can see the tie-off coming out the window...the life line is attached to that just below the photo.


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## TBFGhost (Oct 9, 2008)

This is the last photo I have...the yellow srunchie looking thing is my shock arrestor and you can also see the life line hanging down behind that.










I will try an get some photos of how the system is attached to the home and how all the parts attach together...its really simple but like I said, I just happen to have these photos in my phone.


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## [email protected] (Jan 10, 2010)

KennMacMoragh said:


> Does New Jersey have their own state safety requirements or do they go by OSHA? Find out, if your state uses their own, then OSHA requirements mean nothing to you. Find out if there is a local class available that you can attend. In Washington, they offer a four or five hour class on fall protection which covers our WISHA requirements, different than OSHA.
> 
> 
> 
> It shouldn't smash your head, I had a rep from a manufacturer that I was using come out to a jobsite and explain this. According to him they are designed to flip you upright and protect your head when you fall. That's why rock climbing belts are illegal, those don't have shoulder straps, so your head wouldn't be protected. I've only ever seen someone fall completely off a roof once in a safety harness, and it seemed to work.


 Only if your up high enough to not hit the ground. I was told the reason they flip you upright is if you are incapacitated you have a much higher chance of surviving if the blood isnt all running to your head. Still can die from the blood clots in your legs though.


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## ApgarNJ (Apr 16, 2006)

TBFGhost said:


> This is the last photo I have...the yellow srunchie looking thing is my shock arrestor and you can also see the life line hanging down behind that.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


The kit I got came with a shock arrestor that is compact and wrapped in some sort of plastic. I am not sure which one is better. i looked into both of them. but the kit that I bought came with the non-scrunchy looking one. I guess you just keep adjusting the rope if you need to go down or up, or left/right on the pick?
I'll be using mine in a few weeks. I plan on just using the roof ancho that is part of the kit. and then i will eventually get those yellow loops that are on the other page.


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## world llc (Dec 9, 2008)

TBF, what's with the photo shoot on the ground? MIM or a tv show?

found a pic from 9 years ago working in some pharm complex... full OSHA compliance fall protection working over 6 feet. they had to fight to let me work that first day in shorts!

i still have that harness and a few others like it. that one has a packaged fall break.


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## TBFGhost (Oct 9, 2008)

ApgarNJ said:


> The kit I got came with a shock arrestor that is compact and wrapped in some sort of plastic. I am not sure which one is better. i looked into both of them. but the kit that I bought came with the non-scrunchy looking one. I guess you just keep adjusting the rope if you need to go down or up, or left/right on the pick?
> I'll be using mine in a few weeks. I plan on just using the roof ancho that is part of the kit. and then i will eventually get those yellow loops that are on the other page.



The harness I use has the scrunchy looking one. The one my partner has is the kind you have. Its a fall arrest system, not a suspension system, so you don't need to keep the line tight as its not actually hold you anywhere, it just there to catch you IF you fall.

I adjust it so I can walk left and right without it tugging on me. As you can see in one photo, my harness is tied off the life line below were I am working...but even I feel, I would only fall a few feet before the line caught.

Your thinking about it way too much, the system is easy to work with once you spend ten minutes in it, you will learn fast how much slack you can leave.


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## TBFGhost (Oct 9, 2008)

world llc said:


> TBF, what's with the photo shoot on the ground? MIM or a tv show?
> 
> found a pic from 9 years ago working in some pharm complex... full OSHA compliance fall protection working over 6 feet. they had to fight to let me work that first day in shorts!
> 
> i still have that harness and a few others like it. that one has a packaged fall break.




From what I could gather, it was a Baby's R Us photo shoot or something.


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## ApgarNJ (Apr 16, 2006)

TBFGhost said:


> The harness I use has the scrunchy looking one. The one my partner has is the kind you have. Its a fall arrest system, not a suspension system, so you don't need to keep the line tight as its not actually hold you anywhere, it just there to catch you IF you fall.
> 
> I adjust it so I can walk left and right without it tugging on me. As you can see in one photo, my harness is tied off the life line below were I am working...but even I feel, I would only fall a few feet before the line caught.
> 
> Your thinking about it way too much, the system is easy to work with once you spend ten minutes in it, you will learn fast how much slack you can leave.


I know it'll be easy to work. i started this thread to make sure I don't order the wrong thing, since there are so many options out there.

I saw the two different lanyards and no sites really explained the difference between the two kinds.


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## [email protected] (Jan 10, 2010)

ApgarNJ said:


> I know it'll be easy to work. i started this thread to make sure I don't order the wrong thing, since there are so many options out there.
> 
> I saw the two different lanyards and no sites really explained the difference between the two kinds.


 We cant use the old scrunchy ones anymore here. They dont absorb enough shock to meet the newer standards. I think it went down to only allowing 600 lbs of force to the body at arrest.


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## [email protected] (Jan 10, 2010)

world llc said:


> TBF, what's with the photo shoot on the ground? MIM or a tv show?
> 
> found a pic from 9 years ago working in some pharm complex... full OSHA compliance fall protection working over 6 feet. they had to fight to let me work that first day in shorts!
> 
> i still have that harness and a few others like it. that one has a packaged fall break.


 You dont still use it do you? There toast after 5 yrs from manufacture.


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## world llc (Dec 9, 2008)

ubenhad4 said:


> You dont still use it do you? There toast after 5 yrs from manufacture.


I do still use it... I have never heard what your saying, but I will ask and replace if your right...

I used to be tied off a lot back then working for a roofer/sider... I probably need it once or twice a year the last 6 years.


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## GettingBy (Aug 19, 2010)

More or less half the people survive a 35' fall and the survivors can look forward to physical therapy for a long time. But even falling 2' can cause permanent damage. :sad:

It's F = mA, and with your body mass fixed at M the only way you can reduce the F on your joints and bones and organs is to reduce A.


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## TBFGhost (Oct 9, 2008)

Here you can see the tie-off hooked to the large strong back.









This is what you clip the shock arrestor to. You can slide it up and down the rope to take in or give more slack.


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## TBFGhost (Oct 9, 2008)

And this is what a 3/8" T50 staple does when you hammer tack your thumb through the nail....


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## [email protected] (Jan 10, 2010)

TBFGhost said:


> And this is what a 3/8" T50 staple does when you hamer tack your thumb through the nail....


Ouch!!!!!!!!!!!


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