Fall Protection Truss Anchor Instruction Manual

Page 1

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24400 Sperry Drive

Figure 1 – Portable Truss Anchor

Cleveland, OH 44145
1-800-504-4016
[e-mail]

www.fallprotect.com

User Installation and Instruction Manual for

The Portable Truss Anchor

This manual shall be used as part of an employee training program and is intended to meet the Instructions required by ANSI

Z359.1 and OSHA 1926.502 Fall Protection Systems Criteria and Practices. All personal fall arrest systems and their use shall

comply with the provisions set forth by these agencies, this manual, and any applicable local or state regulations.

[WARNING]

Failure to follow all of the manufacturer’s instructions or altering the product in any way could result in death or serious injury. As a
part of a personal fall arrest system the user of the system must follow all of the manufacturer’s instructions. These instructions
are intended for the instruction of the Portable Truss Anchor as well as for use of the Portable Truss Anchor therefore these
instructions must be provided to all users and installers of this equipment. All users and installers must read the instructions and
understand them. Manufacturer’s instructions must be followed for maintenance of this fall arrest system.

Attention/Notice: Contact Diversified Fall Protection (DFP) if there are questions of any kind concerning installation, use or

maintenance.

Attention/Notice: Do not throw away this manual. Installation must follow the provided guidelines to ensure correct system

installation and safe operation. Installation and use outside of these guidelines may invalidate system warranty and insurance
coverage.

Diversified Fall Protection, LLC.
www.fallprotect.com Copyright Diversified Fall Protection 2013 ©

Portable Truss Anchor Instruction Manual – V 1

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I. Applications:

Figure 3 - Safe Work Area

Figure 2 - Fall Clearances

A. Purpose:

The purpose of the portable truss anchor is to be used as an anchor point of a personal fall arrest system. It is
designed to be used with a full body harness with back D-Ring, a carabiner, and a connecting subsystem consisting of
a self-retracting lifeline (SRL).

B. Limitations:

• Capacity – The portable truss anchor is not to be used by persons with a total weight over 420 pounds. This
total weight includes body weight, and the weight of any clothing, tools, and equipment.

• Fall Clearance – In general industry, when working on a surface 4 feet or higher from ground level, per
OSHA, fall protection is required. This system is designed to prevent serious injury or death in the event of a
fall. There must be sufficient clearance below the user to arrest a fall before the user strikes the ground or

other obstruction. Clearance required may increase depending on but not
limited to some of the following factors: worker height, worker weight,
movement of attachment element, elevation of anchorage connector, SRL
length, other obstructions, deceleration distance and free fall distance.

least 6’6” from the ground surface when user is in upright standing
position to prevent serious injury and/or death.

• Swing Falls – A swing fall occurs when the anchor point is not directly above

where a fall occurs. Minimize this hazard by working with the anchor overhead
as much as possible. The suggested safe work area is within a 30º downward facing cone from an overhead
anchor point to harness D-Ring (See Figure 3). The extra force of striking an object in a swing fall may cause
serious injury or death and should therefore be avoided whenever possible. The required clearance
significantly increases when a variable length subsystem such as a web lanyard is used.

• Environmental Hazards – Extra precautions may be required to safely use this system if other hazards in the
surrounding environment exist. Such hazards include, but are not limited to: extreme temperatures, power
lines, moving machinery, sharp edges, corrosion, and toxic fumes. Please contact DFP if you have concern
of any such conditions existing where this equipment is being used.

• Training – This equipment is only permitted to be installed and used by competent persons that have been
trained in the correct use and application of the portable truss anchor.

C. Standards:

• Please refer to all families of standards regarding occupational safety for more information on work positioning
systems and fall protection. These include ANSI, OSHA, and any applicable local or state requirements.

II. System Requirements:

• WARNING: Working surface must be at

A. Compatibility:

• Compatibility shall follow all requirements of OSHA 1926.502 (d) as well as these instructions and those of the
SRL, harness, and other components.

• The design of the portable truss anchor is made for use only with approved components and subsystems.
Non-approved components and subsystems may jeopardize the compatibility of equipment and affect the
safety and reliability of the complete system.

Diversified Fall Protection, LLC.
www.fallprotect.com Copyright Diversified Fall Protection 2013 ©

Portable Truss Anchor Instruction Manual – V 1

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• A connector is considered compatible with the portable truss anchor when they have been designed to work
together in a manner that the gate mechanism cannot accidentally be opened no matter how they become
oriented.

• Connectors must be compatible with the attachment point and must be capable of supporting a minimum of
5000 pounds. Do not use a non-compatible connector as it may unintentionally disengage. Connectors must
be compatible in strength, size, and shape. Self-locking snap hooks and carabiners are required by ANSI and
OSHA.

B. Connections:

• Only use of snaphooks and carabiners meeting ANSI Z359.1-2007 3.2.1.4 are permitted for use with this
equipment. This requires that “snaphooks and carabiners shall be self-closing and self-locking and shall be
capable of being opened only by at least two consecutive deliberate actions”. Furthermore, “the gate of a
snaphook or carabiner shall be capable of withstanding a minimum load of 3,600 pounds without the gate
separating from the nose of the snaphook or carabiner body by more than .125 inches”. All connectors must
be compatible in size, strength, and shape. Ensure all connectors are fully closed and locked.

• Snap hooks and carabiners shall never be connected:

o To an attachment point where another connecter is already attached.
o In a way that would result in a load on a gate.
o In false engagement where features that protrude from the connector catch on the anchor and seems

to be fully engaged without visual confirmation.

o To each other.
o Directly to webbing, rope lanyard, or tie-back.
o To any object which will not allow the connector to close and lock or which a roll-out could occur.

C. Personal Fall Arrest System:

• A full body harness must be worn when this equipment is used as a component of the fall arrest system.

• OSHA requires that a fall arrest system must be capable of arresting the user’s fall with a max arresting force

(MAF) of 1800 pounds. DFP designed this system with a max limit of 900 pounds.

• OSHA requires that the free fall limit is 6 feet or less.

• This system has been designed for use with a web or cable style self-retracting lifeline. Lanyards are not

permitted to be used with this system.

D. Anchorage Strength:

• The required strength is dependent on the type of application that is being used. ANSI Z359.1 requires
systems to have a strength capable of sustaining static loads as follows:

o Fall Arrest:

(a) 5000 pounds for non-certified anchorages
(b) Two times the MAF for certified anchorages.

o Rescue:

(a) 3000 pounds for non-certified anchorages
(b) Five times the foreseeable force for certified anchorages

• If multiple systems are being attached to the same anchorage point in any of the prior applications, the
strengths defined shall be multiplied by the number of systems attached to the anchorage.

• WARNING: The anchorage connector shall be marked or labeled with its intended application. Use of
equipment for an application that does not meet the strength requirements can result in serious injury
or death.

III. Installation and Use:

Diversified Fall Protection, LLC. Portable Truss Anchor Instruction Manual – V 1
www.fallprotect.com Copyright Diversified Fall Protection 2013 ©

Page 4 of 16

• WARNING: Prior to install, all instructions must be read and understood for each component of this

Figure 4 – Anchor Locations

personal fall arrest system.

• WARNING: Do not alter or misuse this equipment. Consult DFP before using the portable truss
anchor with any other component or subsystem than designed for. Other components may interfere
with the proper operation of this equipment. Use extra caution around electricity, moving machinery,
chemical hazards, and sharp edges.

• WARNING: Pregnant women and minors must not use the portable truss anchor system. Age and
fitness also affect the ability to withstand falls. Consult your doctor if you have any doubts regarding
your ability to safely absorb a shock from a fall arrest.

• WARNING: Proper Personal Protective Equipment must be worn throughout the entire installation
process. OSHA 1910.135(a)(1) states “each affected employee wears a protective helmet when
working in areas where there is a potential for injury to the head from falling objects.” Protective
eyewear is also required as part of this system.

• WARNING: Avoid power lines and any other potential overhead hazards when extending and raising
the extension pole. Maintain a minimum 10 foot distance from any electrical hazard.

A. Plan your system prior to installation. Consider any factor that may affect a user’s safety. Key points to consider are:

anchorage, sharp edges, post-fall lock out, and rescue.

B. Installation Requirements:

• Anchor Locations - Truss anchorage locations must be approved by a safety engineer or a qualified person and
must meet all of the requirements of these instructions.

1. May not be at the end of a truss.

2. May not be between the first and second panel point.

3. Must be located between two panel points.

4. Should be as close to a panel point as possible.

Diversified Fall Protection, LLC. Portable Truss Anchor Instruction Manual – V 1
www.fallprotect.com Copyright Diversified Fall Protection 2013 ©

Page 5 of 16

• Truss Requirements

Figure 5 – Bottom Chord Detail

1. Bottom Chord (See Figure 5):

o Depth, D, of bottom chord vertical leg of angles must be between 1 1/4 inch and 3 inch.
o The thickness, Y, of the bottom chord must be a minimum of 1/4 inch.
o The gap, S, must be a minimum of 3/4 inch
o The width of the space and legs, X, must be a maximum of 2”.
o Must be hot rolled steel with minimum tensile yield strength of 36 ksi.

2. Truss Span

o Bracing shall be straight, undamaged, and meet the original design intent.
o The span and loading of the truss affects the allowable concentrated load that may be applied to the

truss. It must be capable of withstanding a concentrated load of 900 pounds with a safety factor of two
(2) for certified anchorages and 5000 pounds for non-certified anchorages.

o No more than one user is permitted at a time per truss.
o Do not attach to a truss that is smaller than 18” in height (See figure 4).
o An acceptable truss must be designed according to the Steel Joist Institute (SJI) and be a K, KCS, LH, or

DLH series truss.

o The truss must be inspected by an engineer or qualified person for structural integrity which

includes but is not limited to corrosion, end connections, size, load capacity, welds, existing
loading, bracing, span, or any other unsafe conditions.

.

Diversified Fall Protection, LLC. Portable Truss Anchor Instruction Manual – V 1
www.fallprotect.com Copyright Diversified Fall Protection 2013 ©