A 200-pound worker who falls six feet does not put 200 pounds on the anchor. The force depends on how far they fall and how quickly they stop. This fall protection force calculator shows that number, so your crew can see why free fall distance and shock absorbers matter.
Enter the worker’s weight including tools, the free fall distance and the stopping distance. The shorter the stop, the higher the force.
Compare the result with OSHA 1926.502(d)(16), which limits the maximum arresting force on a worker in a full body harness to 1,800 pounds, free fall to 6 feet and deceleration distance to 3.5 feet. It makes a strong visual in fall protection training, especially when explaining why lanyard length has to match anchor height.
This tool is for education and planning. It does not replace the manufacturer’s instructions or a qualified person’s design of a fall arrest system.
The Force Calculator measures the amount of force placed on a human body due to a fall. This is a great tool to use when teaching fall protection courses or trying to determine the proper lanyard lenght and fall limiting device combination. So, how much force does a 182lb man generate when falling 6 feet with a 1 foot fall arrestor attached? Find out below: