TECHNICAL DATA SHEET

MANUAL

OSHA TECHNICAL BULLETIN

SRLs Below D-Ring Anchorage (Text from OSHA Technical Bulletin)

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, establishes comprehensive requirements and regulations for Personal Fall Arrest Systems (PFAS). One type of PFAS is a Self-Retracting Lifeline (SRL). OSHA mandates that all SRLs adhere to specific minimum and maximum performance requirements.

The regulations for SRLs encompass various factors: free fall distances, minimum tensile load strengths, allowed Maximum Arrest Forces (MAF), etc. A Self-Retracting Lifeline must possess sufficient strength to withstand twice the potential impact energy resulting from a fallen worker’s free fall of 6 ft. (1.8 m), or the maximum free fall distance permitted by the system– whichever is the lower of the two.

Although above D-ring anchorage is the preferred anchorage tie-off level in the industry, there are situations where it may be impractical. These situations require the user to initiate below D-ring tie-off. Compliance with OSHA 1926.502 and 1910.140 is required for Self-Retracting Lifelines, regardless of its anchorage height.

Consult OSHA 1926.502 and 1910.140 for detailed information on these regulations.