Analysis of Anchors and Bracing Configurations for Personal Fall Arrest Systems in Residential Construction

dc.contributor.authorMorris, Justin Collinsen
dc.contributor.committeechairHindman, Daniel P.en
dc.contributor.committeememberSmith-Jackson, Tonya L.en
dc.contributor.committeememberLoferski, Joseph R.en
dc.contributor.departmentForest Resources and Environmental Conservationen
dc.date.accessioned2013-06-21T08:00:21Zen
dc.date.available2013-06-21T08:00:21Zen
dc.date.issued2013-06-20en
dc.description.abstractFalls continue to be a major problem in the residential construction industry and account for a large number of injuries and fatalities each year (US Department of Labor, 2012).  The effects of a fall are catastrophic to the workers and their families as well as the construction company and surrounding community.  Prevention of these incidents has been the primary focus of organizations such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).  To reduce the number of falls on residential construction sites, OSHA has put forth several standards that require the use of fall protection.  Although guidelines have been provided, there have been concerns and complaints regarding the standards as well as methods and materials that should be used. The goal of this research was to measure the behavior of a five truss roof system with various anchor points and bracing configurations loaded by a horizontal force.  A lab built roof system was used to test three different anchor types with three forms of temporary bracing.  The materials and methodology used in this testing were based on common materials and practices currently used in the residential construction industry. The results of this research show that anchors must engage multiple trusses to spread the applied load throughout the roof system.  Several forms of temporary bracing such as lateral, diagonal, and sway bracing, are also required to strengthen the roof system allowing it to withstand an applied load.  en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Scienceen
dc.format.mediumETDen
dc.identifier.othervt_gsexam:1195en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/23251en
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectPersonal Fall Arrest Systemen
dc.subjectFall Protectionen
dc.subjectResidentialen
dc.subjectConstructionen
dc.subjectTie-downen
dc.subjectRoof Trussen
dc.subjectTemporary Bracingen
dc.subjectAnchoren
dc.subjectSafetyen
dc.titleAnalysis of Anchors and Bracing Configurations for Personal Fall Arrest Systems in Residential Constructionen
dc.typeThesisen
thesis.degree.disciplineForest Productsen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen

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