Choosing Safe Anchor Points

Key Safety Considerations for Anchor Points

When attaching a lanyard or lifeline to a surface at height, you use an anchor. The structure you are connecting the anchor to is known as an anchorage. Lastly, the anchor point (also known as a tie-off point) is where your anchor is securely attached to the anchorage, temporarily or permanently. 

The security of your anchor point is crucial to keeping safe while working at heights. It should be perpendicular to the surface or unprotected edge of the job site. The anchor point needs to be as close as possible to your work surface. That way, you minimize the number of times you need to move or change positions to accomplish your task. You will need to keep your lifeline away from corners or sharp edges to prevent damage. 

Best Practices for Anchor Point Placement

The key things to keep in mind about your anchor points are that you should not be in any danger when securing yourself to them. Ideally, your anchor point should be built into the structure's design whenever possible. That way, you can work safely for the task at hand and any future work on the same surface.

Your anchor point should ideally be overhead of the work you are performing and at least as high as the D-ring on your harness. Doing so will minimize free-fall distance and prevent swinging from a fall (also known as "pendulum swing").

Understanding anchor points and properly setting them up is vital to working safely at heights and keeping yourself and your co-workers safe at the job site.