Instruction Manual

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3.3MakingConnections:Onlyuseconnectorsthataresuitabletoeachapplication.Ensureallconnectionsarecompatibleinsize,shapeand
strength.Visuallyensureallconnectorsarefullyclosedandlocked.FallTechcarabinersaredesignedtobeusedonlyasspecifiedineachproduct’s
user’sinstructions.Ensurethecarabinerisnotbent,cracked,brokenorotherwisedamaged.Ifinspectionrevealsadamagedcarabiner,removeit
fromserviceimmediately.Ensurethelockfunctionsnormally.Connectthecarabinertolineuptheloadalongthecarabinersverticalaxis.See
Figure3.
3.4 AnchorageStrength:Thefollowinglistsminimumanchoragestrengthrequirements:
 FALLARREST:PerANSIZ359,anchoragesselectedforPFASshallhave:
o astrengthcapableofsustainingstaticloadsinthedirectionspermittedbythePFASwheninuseofatleast;(A)3,600lbs.(16kN)when
certificationexistsor(B)5,000lbs.(22.2kN)inabsenceofcertification.
o OSHArequiresthatanchoragesusedforattachmentofaPFASsha
llbeindependentofanyanchoragebeingusedtosupportorsuspend
platforms.Theattachmentmustbeabletosupportatleast5,000lbs.peruserattached,orbedesigned,installedandusedaspartofa
completePFASwhichmaintainsasafetyfactorofatleasttwo,andisunderthesupe
rvisionofaqualifiedperson.
 RESTRAINT:Anchoragesforrestraintapplicationsmustsupportastaticloadofatleast3,000lbs.(13.4kN)appliedinanydirectionpermitted
bythesystemwheninuse.Eachinstallationmustindependentlysustainthisload.
 POSITIONING:OSHArequiresthatpositioningdevicesshallbesec
uredtoananchorageabletosupportatleasttwicethepotentialimpact
loadofanemployee’sfallor3,000lbs.,whicheverisgreater.Eachworkpositioningsysteminstallationmustbeindependentlycapableof
sustainingtheseloads.Afreefallofnotmorethan24”(60.1cm)ispermissible.
 SUSPENSION:Anch
oragesforsuspensionapplicationsmustsupportaminimumof5,000lbs.perworkerattached.
 RESCUE:Anchoragesforrescueapplicationsmustsupportaminimumof5,000lbs.perworkerattached.
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4.INSTALLATIONANDOPERATION
4.1Inspection:Beforeeveryuse,inspe
ctthecarabinertoensur
eitsproperworkingorder.Checkforwornordamagedparts.Inspectforsharp
edges,burrs,cracks,distortion,orcorrosion.Gatesmustcloseandlock.Inspectotherfallarrestorrestraintequipmentaccordingto
manufacturer'sinstructions.Removethecarabinerfromserviceifinspectionrevealsanunsafecondition.
4.2Planfortheapplication:Identifyhazardsandevaluatetheworksite.Consulttheapplicationinformationinthismanual.
Donotmisusetheequipment.Seriousinjuryordeathmayresult.Knowthelimitsandcapacities,statedelsewhereinthismanual,forthis
equipment.
DONOTusetheequipmentinaPFASwherethereisapossibilityofaswingfallthatmightresultinstrikinganobjectorcontac
tingthegroundor
thelowerlevel.Attachthecarabiner,andperformnecessarytasks,directlyundertheattachmentpoint.
Ensuretheanchoragelocationprovidesacontinuousconnectionfortheuserwhenexposedtofallhazards.Selectanchoragesthatarestableand
havethestrengthrequired.Selectanchoragelocationsto:
 Maintainamaximumfreefalldistanceofsixfeet.
 Preventswingfallhazards.
 Provideclearspaceinthepotentialfallpathstoavoidstrikinganobject.
Seetheequipmentprovider’sinstructionsregardingfalldistance,swingfallhazardsandcle
arfallpaths.
4.3FallClearanceDistance:WhenworkingatheightsandusingaPFAS,itisimportanttoconsiderthedistancebetweenthewalking/workinglevel
andthenextlowerleveltoensurethereissufficientroomforthePFAStoarrestafall.FallClearanceDistanceisthedistancethatisrequiredto
safelyarrestthefallofauser.TheDistancemaybecalculatedbyaddingtogethertheLengthoftheLanyard,theD
ecelerationDistance,theHeight
oftheWorker,plusaSafetyFactorof11/2’.SeeFigure4‐A,4‐B,4‐C,and4‐D.
4.4SwingFall:Swingfallsoccurwhentheanchoragepointisnotdirectlyabovethepointwhereafalloccurs.Theforceofstrikinganobjectina
swingfallmaycauseseriousinjury.Inaswingfall,thetotalverticalfalldistancewillbegreaterthaniftheuserhadfallendirectlybelowthe
anchoragepoint,thusincreasingthetotalfreefalldistanceandthearearequiredtosafely arresttheuser.AnSRDpresentsthegreatestdangerina
swingfallevent.Minimizeswingfallsbyworkingasdirectlybelowtheanchoragepointaspossible.Move
theanchorageasrequired.Neverpermit
aswingfallifinjurycouldoccur.IfaswingfallsituationexistsinyourapplicationconsultaCompetentPersonbeforeproceeding.Aminimumofsix
feetfromtheworkingleveltothelowerlevelornearestobstructionisrecommended.SeeFigure5.
4.5CaptivePi
nInstallation:Certainmodelcarabinersaresuppliedwithacaptivepin,thatwheninstalledformsacaptiveeyeforconnectionofa
lanyard,lifeline,orsimilarcomponent.Toinstallthecaptivepin,drivethepinintothepredrilledholeinthegatebaruntiltheformedcapture
portionofthepinengagestheca
rabiner.
4.6Carabinerinstructions:Rotatethetwistlockuntilitstops.Pushthegateinward,engagethecarabinerontotheselectedanchorage,and
releasethespring‐loadedgate.Visuallyensurethegateclosesandrotatesintothelockedposition.Ensuretheloaddirectionisalignedwiththe
carabiner’sverticalaxis.SeeFigure6.
4.7AttachingtheCarabinertoAnchorage:Attachthe carabinertotheanchorageinacorrectmanner,consistentwithANSIZ359.Complywith
ANSIrequirementsandOSHAregulations,specifiedelsewhereinthismanual.Thecarabinerisdesignedasafirstconnectorinauser’sPFASand
mustbeattachedtosolidstructuresabletosupport5,000lbs.Onlyoneworkermaybeattachedtoanyonecarabiner.
DONOTattachthecarabinerinamannerthatwillloadthegate,orexposethecarabinertoexcessivewearordamage.SeeFigure7‐A,and7‐B.
4.8AttachaSubs
ystem:FollowingarerecommendedmethodsofattachingsubsystemelementsandcomponentstoFallTechsuppliedconnectors.
SeeFigure8.
•Whenusinganenergyabsorbinglanyard,connecttheenergyabsorber“pack”endtotheharness.
•Whenusingaself‐retractinglifeline,ensurethedeviceisproperlypositionedtoensureretractionisnothindered.
•Whenconnecting,ensureconnectionsarefullyclosedandlocked.
•Ensureallconnectionsarecompatibleinsize,shape,andstrength.
DONOTuseaknottoconnectalifelinetotheconnector.
DONOTpassalanyardorlifelinethroughaconnectorandhookitbackintothelanyardorlife
line.Alwaysprotectalifelineorlanyardfrom
abradingagainstsharporabrasivesurfaces.Connectorsattachedtoverticalsyntheticropelifelinesmustbeattachedusing asplicedeye
terminationandthimble.
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