Rope access anchors are used when abseil access is required to a building’s facade or other area.
To the untrained eye, it may seem like rope access anchors and fall protection anchors are a distinction without a difference. And while in some circumstances this can be largely true, in most circumstances they both serve different purposes and have different use cases.
In short, rope access anchors are used when abseiling is required to access a work area, such as a facade for maintenance or repairs. By contrast, fall protection anchors are used in situations where a fall from height is possible, but ideally not going to happen.
These different purposes are reflected in their design and operation.
Differences between rope access anchors and fall protection anchors
Rope access anchors are designed to support the sustained load of a worker and their equipment, suspended on ropes, that are abseiling down the facade of a building or other area.
These anchors do not deform (or, rather, should not) deform when placed under load by a rope access technician.
By contrast, fall protection anchors serve the purpose of arresting a fall, should it occur, and reducing the forces of the fall that are transferred through to the worker.
In the event of a fall most anchors will deform. This absorbs some of the energy of the fall, reducing the force transferred it back to the structure. This also reduces the forces placed on the body of the worker. This, in turn, reduces the chances of severe injury.
Once a fall protection anchor has been involved in a fall, it must be removed and replaced.
Types of rope access anchor
In terms of how they function, rope access anchors come in two distinct types. Anchors that are designed to work in sheer and anchors designed for direct pull. Determining the type of anchor needed for a particular rope access situation will depend on the area being accessed and the location the anchor points will be installed in.
Also, depending on the location they are installed in; many rope access anchors are available either as a single fixed unit (one piece) or with detachable eyebolts and other components that are reinstalled prior to use. These detachable anchor points are often found in areas where access to the edge being abseiled over is not restricted (e.g. a balcony common area). Having detachable components means that the system cannot be used by an unauthorised person and that the risk of an injury associated with catching the attachment point with an item of clothing, tripping over it or bumping into the anchor is removed.
Much like their fall protection counterparts, rope access anchors also come in varieties suited to the different types of roof and structural material found on buildings. This includes metal roofs, tile roofs and concrete roofs.
Sheer and direct pull anchors
The two main types of rope access anchors that an abseiler is likely to be using on a site are anchors that work in sheer and anchors designed to work in direct pull (or tension).
Anchors designed to work in sheer mean the load applied to the anchor when it is being used is at (or close to) 90-degrees to its installed direction.
Anchors are used in sheer when they are installed into a roof to allow for abseiling down the facade of a building. Depending on the limitations of the anchor chosen and their placement, this can include where access is needed up and over a parapet wall.
Direct pull anchors (or tension anchors) are used when the direction of the force placed on the anchor will be in-line with the direction the anchor has been installed in.
Typically, this is when an anchor is installed on the underside of an overhang in areas where abseil access is required underneath that overhang.
Rope access anchor positioning
The one big difference when positioning anchors for rope access compared to fall arrest or prevention is that rope access anchors are typically placed in pairs.
Why pairs? One anchor is used to connect the working rope, while the second anchor is for attaching a backup rope. Having a secondary/backup connection is critical for abseil work as the failure of the working rope will lead to the worker falling if the backup is not present.
In fall arrest or prevention work, the anchor itself and the connection the worker has to it is the backup. The primary safety tool in this situation is not falling in the first place. The anchor is present to arrest a fall should it occur.
Understanding your access needs
Height Safety Engineers have been in the business of protecting people for over twenty years.
Our team have the expertise, experience and know-how to design and install an easy-to-use, compliant, and cost-effective rope access system for your building’s abseil needs.
To start your safety journey with HSE, call us on 1300 884 978 or email enquiries@heightsafety.net.
