Fall Protection Calculator

Free Fall Distance already represents the distance before the shock absorber engages, so it is not a second, separate distance stacked on top of Lanyard Length -- adding both would double-count the same fall. Lanyard Length is collected as a reference figure to compare against your entered Free Fall Distance (most shock-absorbing lanyards run up to 6 ft), useful for catching a mismatched or slack setup, not as an additive input to the clearance calculation.

The dorsal D-ring where a lanyard attaches sits partway up a worker's back, not at their feet, so after a fall arrests at the D-ring, the worker's feet are still hanging some distance below it -- the gap between Worker Height and D-Ring Height. That gap has to be added to the clearance calculation so the worker's feet, not just the D-ring, clear the level below. This calculator also floors that gap at 1 ft, matching published guidance that the D-ring-shift-plus-harness-stretch allowance runs roughly a constant 1 ft regardless of worker height, so the result never understates clearance below that sourced minimum even when Worker Height and D-Ring Height are entered close together.

Total Fall Distance is the calculated physical distance the system allows before fully arresting a fall -- free fall plus deceleration plus the D-ring-to-feet gap. Required Clearance adds a flat 3 ft safety margin on top of that total, giving the actual minimum clear space you should verify exists below the anchor point before relying on the system, rather than cutting clearance exactly to the calculated fall distance.

An SRL typically arrests a fall within roughly 2 ft of free fall -- an industry rule of thumb reflecting how fast its internal brake engages, not an OSHA-mandated figure -- compared to up to 6 ft of OSHA-permitted free fall for a fixed lanyard. When working near the edge of available clearance, switching to SRL Fall Distance and SRL Required Clearance can meaningfully reduce how much clear space below the work surface you need.

No -- it only checks that Free Fall Distance is at or under 6 ft and Deceleration Distance is at or under 3.5 ft, the two numeric limits in 29 CFR 1926.502(d)(16). It does not verify anchor point strength (OSHA requires 5,000 lbs per attached worker for non-certified anchors), harness fit, inspection status, or other fall protection program requirements, so treat it as one check among several a complete plan needs.