What is the difference between fall arrest and fall restraint?

• A. Fall arrest stops a fall after it begins; fall restraint prevents reaching a fall hazard.
• B. Fall arrest focuses on stopping a fall that has already started.
• C. Fall arrest stops a fall after it begins; fall restraint prevents reaching a fall hazard.
• D. Both terms describe the same safety outcome.

Answer: (C)

The main idea is understanding how each approach controls the fall risk in practice. Fall arrest is used when a fall cannot be avoided and must be stopped after it starts. A worker wears a harness with a connection to an energy-absorbing device or lifeline that engages during a fall, bringing the person to a stop and dissipating energy. This requires sufficient clearance below and a rescue plan because the person will still descend before the system arrests the fall.

Fall restraint, by contrast, is about preventing exposure to the fall hazard in the first place. It uses tethers, positioning devices, or barriers that physically keep the worker from reaching an edge or opening, so a fall cannot occur. Think of it as keeping you far enough from the fall zone that you never start to fall.

So the best description is that fall arrest stops a fall after it begins, while fall restraint prevents reaching a fall hazard in the first place.