Truss style trolley beam for a fall protection system

A fall protection system comprising at least two spaced apart support members extending at least partly over a structure to be traversed by a worker, a rail assembly mounted to said support members to be positioned over the structure, a trolley slideable along said rail assembly, a lanyard suspended from said trolley, and a harness connected to an end of said lanyard and adapted to be worn by the worker;

• said support members being spaced at least 10 feet apart and supporting said rail assembly above the structure to be traversed;
• said rail assembly including a truss member mounted to the support members and a beam mounted to an underside of said truss member;
• said truss member extending substantially the full length of said beam;
• said beam having a generally horizontal web;
• said trolley being slideable along said horizontal web;
• said truss member including:
• a first and a second horizontally spaced apart frame members spaced above said beam;
• said frame members comprising angle brackets having a first generally horizontal leg and a second leg depending from said first leg;
• said first and second legs defining an angle of less than about 90°;
• a first set of connecting members extending between said first and second frame members and being fixed to said first legs of said frame members, said connecting members zigzagging between said first and second frame members to define a plurality of triangles;
• a second set of connecting members having a first end fixed to said first frame member second leg and a second end operatively connected to said beam;
• said second set of connecting members zigzagging between said first frame member and said beam to define a plurality of triangles;
• and
• a third set of connecting members having a first end fixed to said second frame member second leg and a second end operatively connected to said beam;
• said third set of connecting members zigzagging between said second frame member and said beam to define a plurality of triangles;
• said truss being capable of withstanding the sudden impact of a worker's fall with substantially no deflection of the truss;
• the truss transmitting the forces from the worker's fall to the support members, and applying the forces to the support members substantially vertically.