Our Blog

Swing falls are one of the most hazardous and occasionally fatal incidents when working at a height. When installed correctly in the workplace, a fall protection system enhances worker safety by keeping a worker from impacting the ground during a fall. When a fall protection system is applied incorrectly, however, the risk of a fall is enhanced due to the production of a swing fall.

The possibility of a swing fall:

When users are a long distance from their anchorage point, they run the possibility of a swing during a fall or a fall with a pendulum effect. The reason for this is that as the user’s distance from their anchoring point grows. If a user falls, the lanyard might produce a significant swing, perhaps causing a person to collide with a nearby surface/object.

Longer swing fall combined with the possibility of a crash can cause a significant injury or even death. This is something you should avoid at all costs using an overhead anchor exactly above the user’s head.

How to prevent it?

1. Install equipment: Install accurate fall protection equipment—harnesses, lifelines, connectors, anchorages, and so on—and educate employees on the hazards of swing falls. Safety begins with the proper fall protection equipment.
2. Awareness: Workers who are aware of the dangers of swing falls and how they occur are less likely to utilize fall protection in a way that puts them at risk of a swing fall. They will be more aware of the hazards of a long distance from the anchor point due to training and repeated discussions.
3. Avoid going over the edge: To avoid swing, stay within a specified distance of your anchor point, aside from avoiding going over the edge. When your lanyard is overhead, keep within 30 degrees of your anchor point to prevent swing. The more you travel away from your anchor point, the more you’ll swing and the harder you’ll hit the obstruction. Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for keeping your employees inside the 30° safe zone.
4. Anchors against pendulum: Installing an overhead anchor prevents swinging and is a cost-effective and straightforward solution to the problem. The more anchor posts that must be erected, the greater the distance between the lifeline and the edge from where the swinging would begin. Lines must be put when there is a significant gap between the ridge and the edge, and it is not practicable to prevent swinging using anti-pendulum anchors. The height of the building should be considered when deciding when to install this sort of line. These are a part of the fall protection system.
5. Anti-pendulum anchor: points are placed near a roof edge, for example, where there is a higher chance of a swing fall.
6. Providing the Appropriate Fall Protection Gear: It all begins with the appropriate fall protection equipment. This device is required for any employee operating at the height of six feet or more above a lower level. To safeguard your staff from potential head injuries, have them wear hard helmets. Not only will the chin strap decrease the force of falling objects, but it will also provide additional protection in the case of a swing fall.

If your employees work on elevated surfaces, provide them fall protection equipment like Full Body Harness, lanyards. When climbing on uneven ground or beneath overhangs, the harnesses come in handy.