Fall Protection Anchors

Fall Protection Anchors

Posted by Howie Scarboro - CEO Fall Protection Distributors, LLC on Jul 11th 2022

A roof fall protection anchor is a somewhat simple product. There are various shapes, sizes, and design concepts.  However, this product is anything but simple. There are a number of different factors that need to be considered during the design and manufacturing of roof anchors.

What is a Roof Fall Protection Anchor Used For?

A roof fall protection anchor serves one purpose, to protect workers from a fall. Building owners have to provide contractors and workers with a workspace that is free from avoidable hazards. Work that is at risk of such hazards includes gutter cleaning, simple maintenance, and window cleaning. When workers are at risk, a roof fall protection anchor provides adequate equipment for protection.

How Does a Roof Fall Protection Anchor Work?

In most cases, workers are attached to anchors using lanyards that are connected to d-rings on their harnesses.  Any other anchors are used to support any suspended equipment, like a bonus chair or power platform.

Roof fall protection anchors can also be included in a horizontal lifeline system. In this case, a cable is run through the anchors and is connected at each end. The worker attaches to the cable instead of to the anchor.

Roofers anchored to standing seam roof using SSRA1 anchor point.

Installing a Roof Protection System

To install a roof protection system, the elevations and roof plans need to be reviewed. The goal is to determine the layout of the system so that it is up to code and meets certain standards. It should also be designed in a way that is both cost-effective and efficient to use.

Workers on roof doing fall protection training.

It is always highly recommended that you consult with a reputable manufacturer during the design phase of a fall protection system. A fall protection system is put into place to provide protection for workers from potentially fatal accidents. Therefore, proper installation is a very important step that must be taken into careful consideration.

Howie Scarboro, C.E.O. and co-founder of Fall Protection Distributors, L.L.C., recognized the need for continued improvements in roofing safety during the 2010 MetalCon show in Las Vegas. He joined forces with SnoBlox-Snojax, a leader in snow retention and seam clamping technology for metal roofs, to create the SSRA1 prototype. Tested by Gravitec for OSHA/ANSI certifications, the SSRA1 proved to be the industry's lightest, most robust, and most universal-fit anchor point for standing seam roofs. Fall Protection Distributors, L.L.C. was born in 2015, shaping the future of fall protection and instilling confidence in the industry.

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