Residential Roofers Have Affordable Horizontal Lifeline Option

Residential roofers are scrambling to find an affordable roof safety system that keeps them compliant and lets them get on with their work. Horizontal systems are a great choice because once in place, they allow a greater area to be covered in safety.

The problem with using a single fixed point roof anchor is the danger of swing falls. Once a worker moves away from the vertical line from the anchor, any fall will include not only the vertical forces, but the slapping, whip-you-around and bang-you-into-the-building forces. That's not the technical name, but you get the idea.

Our Roofer's Horizontal Lifeline Kit is very simple to set up. First the reusable roof anchors need to be positioned at least 6 ft. back from the gables. The horizontal lifeline is then fastened between the two roof anchors and cinched up with the mechanical ratchet. Attaching the vertical lifeline for each worker to the rings on the horizontal piece is literally a snap, and you are nearly finished. Finally hook the rope grab to the harness back D-ring and the other end to the vertical line and you are set to go.

The important thing to remember about horizontal lifeline systems is they need a significant amount of fall clearance to work. Each job site is different, so measure the distance from the eave to the next obstacle carefully and check the HLL instructions each time.

To provide protection while we are installing the system, we toss a lifeline over the building and secure it on the far side before climbing. If OSHA representatives see you installing fall protection without fall protection on, they will likely have a fit.

The roof anchors can be attached with either their included 16D nails or six 1/4 in. x 2-1/2 in. bolts. The whole system, with the exception of the nails, is reusable and can be used by one or two workers. If only one person is using the HLL, the fall clearance distance required for set-up is decreased quite a bit. Remember to check the instructions for proper installation.

If you still have questions, please don't hesitate to call us or contact us via live chat online at pksafety.com. Thanks for reading.