Personal fall arrest distances
Used on the ASP, CSP and CHST. The worked example below is computed by code and checked against the source.
Free fall ≤ 6 ft
Deceleration distance ≤ 3.5 ft
Limits for personal fall arrest systems in construction, 29 CFR 1926.502(d)(16).
Worked example
The longest fall the two limits allow before the worker stops.
6 ft + 3.5 ft = 9.5 ft
Clearance below must also cover the worker's height below the D-ring, harness stretch and a margin. 1926.502 doesn't set those as numbers; use the equipment maker's figures.
Where it appears on the exam
ASP: ASP11 Domain 1, Mathematical Calculations
Blueprint: ASP11 Domain 1, task 7: fall protection parameters (free-fall distance, clearance)
Practice: Fall Distance and Clearance Calculations
CSP: CSP11 Domain 1, Advanced Application of Safety Principles
Blueprint: CSP11 Domain 1, task 3: common workplace hazards (falls)
Practice: Rigging and Fall Clearance Calculations
CHST: CHST5 Domain 1, Hazard and Risk Identification and Control
Blueprint: CHST5 Domain 1, knowledge 5: fall protection, arrest, and restraint equipment
Practice: Fall Distance and Clearance Calculations
Source
The formula comes from
29 CFR 1926.502(d)(16)(iii)-(iv)(opens ecfr.gov in a new tab)“(iii) be rigged such that an employee can neither free fall more than 6 feet (1.8 m), nor contact any lower level; (iv) bring an employee to a complete stop and limit maximum deceleration distance an employee travels to 3.5 feet (1.07 m); and,”
Questions
- What is the formula for personal fall arrest distances?
- Free fall ≤ 6 ft; Deceleration distance ≤ 3.5 ft. Limits for personal fall arrest systems in construction, 29 CFR 1926.502(d)(16).
- Will this formula be given on the BCSP exam?
- BCSP says the formula is included in the question whenever one is needed, unless the question is testing whether you know the formula. You can't bring a formula sheet into the exam, so learn what each formula does and when to use it.
BCSP on formulas at the exam
BCSP, What to Expect When Sitting for a BCSP Exam (item 7)(opens bcsp.org in a new tab)“For any question requiring a mathematical formula, the formula will be included within the exam question (unless the question is specifically testing your knowledge of a formula). You will not be provided or permitted to bring a formula sheet.”
Related
- Qualified person
- Excavation sloping (simple slope, 20 ft or less)
- Choker hitch capacity by angle of choke
- Sling tension from the load angle factor
- Secondary containment capacity
- ASP formula sheet
- CSP formula sheet
- CHST formula sheet
Checked 2026-10-16. Spot a problem? Email hello@passcited.com.