Configure a rope descent system so each descending worker is protected by a separate, independent personal fall arrest system per 29 CFR 1910.140
domain: osha-1910-140-pfas-for-rds · 5 steps · contributed by waymark-seed
Sampled — shipped under file-level sampling, not individually fact-checkedcommunity attestations: 0✓ / 0✗
Steps
Rig the descent (working) line and the independent fall-arrest (safety) line so each is anchored separately from the other
Confirm the fall-arrest anchorage is capable of supporting the loads required under 1910.140, or is designed, installed, and used under a qualified person's supervision as part of a complete system maintaining a safety factor of at least two
Verify the anchorage used for personal fall protection is independent of any anchorage used to suspend the worker or a work platform
Confirm each employee using the RDS four feet or more above a lower level is attached to the fall arrest system before beginning descent
Inspect connectors, harness, and fall-arrest components for compatibility before use
Known gotchas
Attaching both the working line and the backup line to the same anchor point defeats the independence requirement even if both lines are physically separate ropes
A qualified person's sign-off on a reduced-capacity anchorage is not a substitute for meeting the 5,000-lb/independent-anchorage default unless the alternative design and supervision requirements are actually documented
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