Published on: September 15, 2026
Safeguarding Exterior Maintenance Crews and Gable-End Operations
Hazard: Contracted maintenance crews servicing flags at exposed gable ends over 50 feet high frequently bypassed tie-off protocols or exited scissor lift platforms directly onto steep roof pitches without fall protection.
Solution: A turnkey 255.1-linear-foot Kee Line horizontal lifeline network divided across lower-roof valley navigation and upper-ridge gable access.
Benefits: Eliminated high-risk mobile equipment reliance, provided 100% continuous tie-off from roof hatch to gable edge, and allowed internal staff to safely perform routine flag maintenance in-house.
The Challenge: Elevated Gable Risks and Non-Compliant Maintenance Practices
The signature cabin-like architecture of Bass Pro Shops retail storefronts includes soaring gable ends fitted with prominent flagpoles that require recurring servicing, damage inspection, and weather-driven retraction. At the Destin, Florida location, this routine work previously required contracted labor operating from scissor lifts at heights exceeding 50 feet. Although standard safety protocols mandated 100% tie-off inside the lift basket, workers were repeatedly cited for failing to anchor and for stepping outside the lift platform onto unanchored roof surfaces. Bass Pro Shops required an engineered fall arrest asset that would eliminate unstable lift operations, enforce continuous tie-off, and resolve recurrent safety non-compliance on pitched metal standing-seam profiles.
The Process: Multi-Elevation Engineering and Architectural Integration
Building on an enterprise relationship established in 2008, which encompasses system design, hazard assessments, and lifecycle re-certifications across multiple national properties, FLS conducted site evaluations to address the complex roof geometry. Rather than relying on a single compromise line, engineering teams mapped out a two-tiered fall arrest route configured to follow the architectural contours of the retail building.
Field technicians installed top-fixing surface anchor assemblies suited directly to the standing-seam metal roofing profile. The layout was segmented to grant technicians seamless transitions: guiding users safely out from the roof access portal, traversing the lower roof valley, and providing safe ascent along the higher pitched gable ridge all the way to the flagpole terminal.
The Solution: Two-Stage Kee Line Horizontal Lifeline Network
FLS engineered and installed a comprehensive, single-user Kee Line rooftop cable system totaling 255.1 linear feet:
- System 1 (Roof Access & Valley): Connects technicians directly from the roof access hatch and provides continuous guided restraint/arrest along the lower roof valley.
- System 2 (Ridge & Gable): Secures maintenance personnel ascending the upper sloped roof, running along the ridge line directly to and from the exterior flagpole.
- Profile-Specific Surface Anchors: Top-fixed base plates mounted securely across the standing-seam ribs to preserve roof integrity and water tightness.
- Integrated Shock Absorption: In-line coiled energy absorbers engineered to mitigate dynamic arrest forces on the building structure and user in the event of a slip or fall.
Summary: Operational Efficiency Through Engineered Fall Arrest
By transitioning from temporary mobile access machinery to a dedicated Kee Line cable system, Bass Pro Shops introduced structural fall protection controls where none previously existed. The installation eliminates hazardous aerial lift maneuvers, ensures comprehensive OSHA compliance, and enables in-house maintenance teams to conduct flag operations safely and autonomously.
To protect structural integrity and maintain worker safety standards over time, the installation is supported through recurring annual inspections, engineering reviews, and certification services.
Ready to enhance safety and efficiency at your facility? Contact Flexible Lifeline Systems for a comprehensive safety audit and let our team of experts help you find the perfect solution for your work at height.
