20/8/2014 Maximum Arresting Force | Rigid Lifelines

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MAXIMUM ARRESTING FORCE
Maximum Arresting Force is one of those epic fall protection terms. I say its epic because it plays an
important role in the safety of anyone who uses a fall protection system or device. Those words also
appear on the label of all Rigid Lifelines fall protection systems (and if it makes the label, it must be
important). But, it also has a really snazzy abbreviation (M.A.F.) that we will be using periodically
throughout this blog.
So, why do you need to care about maximum arresting force?
Maximum arresting force is the largest amount of force that the fall protection system and the person
attached to the system will experience as generated by the deceleration device.
In accordance with OSHA 1910.66, Appendix C, Section I, subhead d (System Performance
Criteria), they explain the need for M.A.F.:
(1) Personal fall arrest systems shall, when stopping a fall: (i) Limit maximum arresting force on an
employee to 900 pounds (4 kN) when used with a body belt; (ii) Limit maximum arresting force on
an employee to 1,800 pounds (8 kN) when used with a body harness
Did you notice how OSHA changes the M.A.F. for different types of harnesses? The reason that
OSHA changes their harness requirements is because of the way the harness fits the human body.
Workers who are wearing a body belt should be exposed to a lower M.A.F. because the body belt
places deceleration pressure in one areathe hips. If a worker was exposed to a full 1,800 pounds
of arresting force while wearing a body belt, the worker could potentially break his back. When a
worker is wearing a full body harness, there are more places for deceleration force distribution
primarily the shoulders, waist, and hips. Those distribution points make it much easier for the body
to handle the arresting forces.
In the definitions section of ANSI Z359 (2009 version), maximum arresting force is described as:
2.106--Maximum Arresting Force: The peak force measured by the test instrumentation during arrest
of the test weight in the dynamic tests set forth in these standards.
(In the 2007 version of ANSI Z359 Fall Protection Code, this definition is listed as number 2.93)
The deceleration device in a fall protection system is the part of the system that has the most control
over the amount of arresting force that a person will experience. The amount of arresting force that a
deceleration device exerts is typically established during the manufacturing process.
An energy absorbing lanyards (also known as a Rip Stitch Lanyard) arresting force is established
during the stitching process. The more stitches there are in the fabric, the higher the force that the
lanyard will exert during deceleration. Meanwhile, the arresting force for a self-retracting lifeline is
determined by the amount of torque that is placed on the main bolt in the center of the ratchet pawl
device. A higher amount of torque on the bolt will result in a higher arresting force being exerted,
whereas a lower amount of torque will lower the arresting force.
The nice thing about M.A.F. is that the worst brunt of the force is experienced in a very short period of
time (like 4 or 5 tenths of a second). Because the human body is not experiencing extended periods
of gravitational pressure, there is a lower chance for bodily damage to occur. The maximum
arresting force is one of the key variables in the equation for calculating the gravitational force of a
fall arrest system that an individual will experience.
The calculation is as follows:
Maximum Arresting Force/Body Weight = Gravitational Force that an individual will experience
For example:
900 lbs M.A.F. / 200 lbs of worker = 4.5 Gravitational Forces
But, if a worker has a lower body weight, they will experience a higher number of G-Forces during
deceleration. So:
900 lbs M.A.F. / 100 lbs of worker = 9 Gravitational Forces
Since the lighter weight body will gain more acceleration in a shorter distance, it will also require
more energy and force to arrest movement in the same amount of time.
The physical science for fall protection systems is important because it ultimately determines how
much bodily damage people will experience on a fall protection system. The numbers get more
complicated if the fall protection system uses a wire as an anchorage point instead of a rigid track.
APR
26
2013
20/8/2014 Maximum Arresting Force | Rigid Lifelines
http://www.rigidlifelines.com/blog/entry/maximum-arresting-force 2/2
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Wire systems get more complicated because you need to factor in deflection rates and distances in
addition to the force and deceleration speed of the deceleration device.
Join us next week when we talk about the history of the generation of the maximum arresting force
standards. Until that time, stay safe and contact us if you have any questions!
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