Horizontal lifelines – review of regulations and simple design method considering anchorage rigidity

Abstract

Among the many occupational risks construction workers encounter every day falling from a height is the most dangerous. The objective of this article is to propose a simple analytical design method for horizontal lifelines (HLLs) that considers anchorage flexibility. The article presents a short review of the standards and regulations/acts/codes concerning HLLs in Canada the USA and Europe. A static analytical approach is proposed considering anchorage flexibility. The analytical results are compared with a series of 42 dynamic fall tests and a SAP2000 numerical model. The experimental results show that the analytical method is a little conservative and overestimates the line tension in most cases with a maximum of 17%. The static SAP2000 results show a maximum 2.1% difference with the analytical method. The analytical method is accurate enough to safely design HLLs and quick design abaci are provided to allow the engineer to make quick on-site verification if needed.

Keywords:

• horizontal lifeline
• design method
• anchorage flexibility
• SAP2000
• fall tests
• wire rope
• deflection

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to acknowledge the technical team from the structural laboratory of the École Polytechnique de Montréal for their help in the dynamic fall testing process and the IRSST for the funding of this research project.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The IRSST funded this research project.