The following portrays different statements of how fall distance is calculated.

 
   It is common knowledge throughout the fall protection industry that you must tie off over your head and calculate fall distance as shown in the above pictures.  Over the head tie off points do not exist in a fair amount of instances such as an ironworker on top of a structure being built or workers performing duties inside an aerial lift.  With the Dennington system this calculation is no longer needed.  You do not need to calculate fall distance and deceleration distance nor add a safety factor as this system will keep you within a six foot fall distance each and every time.

In the first picture, it is explained that Free fall distance is 6 ft (lanyard length), deceleration distance is 3 ½ ft (tear away) and your ten foot building increment would be located around mid-torso of the bottom figure.     
  
In the second picture entitled “Calculating Fall Clearance Distance Using a Shock-Absorbing Lanyard and D-Ring Anchorage Connector” it is explained that you should “First, add the length of the shock-absorbing lanyard (6 ft.) to the maximum elongation of the shock absorber during deceleration (3-1/2 ft.) to the average height of a worker (6 ft.). 
Then, add a safety factor of 3 ft. to allow for the possibility of an improperly fit harness, a taller than average worker and/or a miscalculation of distance. 
The total, 18-1/2 ft. is the suggested safe fall clearance distance for this example”.

     The first two pictures are misleading in more ways than one.  They do not show true distances (ten ft increments between floors) since in the first picture, the lower level isn’t portrayed although a higher level is shown as a tie off point.  It is unrealistic to believe that any worker can reach up and tie off to a higher level.  For example, if you were stand up in your office could you reach through the ceiling and hook off to the next level?  A standard drop ceiling is 8ft between floor and ceiling with 2ft of clearance between the ceiling and the next floor.  The tie off point portrayed is a fictional point.  

    Although the lower level is portrayed in the second picture, it is also inaccurate as a worker would not be able to stand on one level and reach up to tie off to the other.  If you’re not tied off over the top of your head, you’re not properly rigged and in most instances, there is no way to be properly rigged which is a recognized hazard.

    The Dennington Safety harness eliminates more recognized hazards (violations) than you can count on two hands versus any other fall protection system.  Just with our first recognized hazard that can be eliminated, the Bureau of Labor Statistics figures show the following:   Between 1996 and 2006 there were a total of 982,461 injuries to American workers in the U.S. due to falls to a lower level.  Furthermore, there were 6,523 deaths to U.S. workers due to falls to a lower level.

    See the CBS video for a demonstration of the new technology. 

For more information contact Dennington Safety Gear or LDL United Union.  (318) 635-5454