Sloped roof fall arrest system and brace

Abstract

A slip-on eave brace and a system incorporating the same for providing fall arrest on a sloped roof is disclosed. The slip-on eave brace has a soffit load distributing member, a vertical member coupled to the soffit load distributing member at one end portion thereof, and a sloped roof engaging member coupled to an opposite end portion of the vertical member. A safety line attachment member is fixed to an opposite end portion of sloped roof engaging member to the coupling with the vertical member. In a fall arrest event, fall forces are transferred via the safety line into the slip-on eave brace and into the eave of a sloped roof. A sloped roof fall arrest system can use one or more slip-on eave braces to provide fall protection to one or more workers on a sloped roof.

1 . A slip-on eave brace for providing fall protection on a sloped roof, the brace comprising:
 a soffit load distributing member;   a vertical member coupled to the soffit load distributing member; and   a sloped roof engaging member coupled to the vertical member at an end portion of the sloped roof engaging member; and   a safety line attachment member fixed to an opposing end portion of the sloped roof engaging member.   
     
     
         2 . The slip-on eave brace of  claim 1 , wherein the sloped roof engaging member is hingedly coupled to the vertical member to allow an angle between vertical member and sloped roof engaging member to be adjusted, and the slip-on eave brace further comprising a position lock to fix the angle between vertical member and sloped roof engaging member. 
     
     
         3 . The slip-on eave brace of  claim 2 , wherein the position lock is a locking swivel. 
     
     
         4 . The slip-on eave brace of  claim 2 , wherein the position lock further comprises a compressive adjustment mechanism to apply a compressive force between sloped roof engaging member and soffit load distributing member. 
     
     
         5 . The slip-on eave brace of  claim 3 , wherein the compressive adjustment mechanism comprises at least one straight line clamp having a plunger that engages an outwardly curved portion of the vertical member. 
     
     
         6 . The slip-on eave brace of  claim 1  further comprising at least one friction member on a lower surface of the sloped roof engaging member. 
     
     
         7 . The slip-on eave brace of  claim 1  further comprising a compressive adjustment mechanism. 
     
     
         8 . The slip-on eave brace of  claim 7 , wherein the compressive adjustment mechanism is a screw plunger that engages a threaded bore in the sloped roof engaging member. 
     
     
         9 . The slip-on eave brace of  claim 1 , wherein the soffit load distributing member has a width of at least 32 inches. 
     
     
         10 . The slip-on eave brace of  claim 1 , wherein the soffit load distributing member has a shock absorber. 
     
     
         11 . The slip-on eave brace of  claim 1 , wherein the safety line attachment member comprises a travel restraint sling for attaching the safety line thereto. 
     
     
         12 . The slip-on eave brace of  claim 1 , wherein the vertical member has an adjustable height. 
     
     
         13 . A sloped roof fall arrest system to provide fall protection to a user on a sloped roof having eaves using the slip-on eave brace device of  claim 1 , the system comprising:
 the slip-on eave brace device coupled to one of the eaves;   a safety line coupled to the safety line attachment member, and the safety line provided to a sloped roof surface opposing the eave; and   a rope grab to fixedly couple the user to the safety line to provide fall protection on the sloped roof surface opposing the eave.   
     
     
         14 . A sloped roof fall arrest system to provide fall protection to a user on a sloped roof using the slip-on eave brace device of  claim 1 , the system comprising:
 at least two slip-on eave brace devices for coupling to opposing eaves of the sloped roof;   a safety line connected between the safety line attachment members of the at least two slip-on eave brace devices; and   a coupling mechanism to couple the user to the safety line to allow the user to have fall-protected travel on the sloped roof between the at least two slip-on eave brace devices.   
     
     
         15 . The sloped roof fall arrest system of  claim 14 , wherein the safety line is tautly connected to secure the at least two slip-on eave brace devices to the opposing eaves. 
     
     
         16 . The sloped roof fall arrest system of  claim 15  further comprising a tensioning device to apply tension to the safety line. 
     
     
         17 . The sloped roof fall arrest system of  claim 14 , wherein the coupling mechanism comprises a carabiner.