Fall Protection and Suspended Access Systems, Nationwide Since 2000
AMERICAN ANCHOR
Fall protection. Façade access.
Design. Manufacture. Install. Inspect.
100 Causeway Street · Boston, MA
FALL PROTECTION & FAÇADE ACCESS
Products
Find the right connections and access systems
for your building.
FROM PLANNING TO ONGOING CARE
Services
Design, fabrication, installation, and support
through the life of your system.
FROM CONCEPT TO CONNECTION
Built around
your building.
Explore the structural connections and design studies behind the systems you see on the roof.
Discuss your buildingThe complete system
Rooftop anchorage, protected access, and suspended work shown in one coordinated building design.
FROM OUR JOBSITES
Real work. Higher standards.
INSPECTIONS &
LOAD TESTS
THE AMERICAN ANCHOR DIFFERENCE
Your building is unique.
Your safety system
should be, too.
American Anchor designs, engineers, manufactures, installs, inspects, load tests, certifies and repairs fall protection, suspended scaffold and elevated walking and working surface systems. Founded in 2000 and rooted in the window cleaning trade since 1975, the Boston-area company has completed more than 50,000 installations, inspections and load tests, employs more than 30 people nationwide, operates offices across the country, and manufactures its equipment in the United States.
American Anchor is a full turnkey fall protection provider. We engineer systems for new construction and for buildings two centuries old with no surviving drawings, manufacture more than 200 anchor models suited to specific building construction types, and service and assess systems from any manufacturer. Because we own every step, there is no gap between the engineer, the manufacturer and the installer. It is also why building owners and contractors regularly bring us in to assess and correct failing or non-compliant systems installed by others.
WHO WE WORK FOR
Trusted at the largest scale.
American Anchor protects workers for some of the largest organizations in the country: Fortune 500 defense contractors, Air Force and Army installations, government facilities, biomedical research facilities in Boston and Cambridge, leading research universities in Cambridge, Massachusetts and nationwide, major hospital systems, theme park and hospitality destinations in Florida and Nevada, and the national general contractors that build for them. Our work ranges from single-building retrofits to multi-million-dollar building maintenance unit installations at flagship casino resorts. We have held continuous contracts with leading research universities in Cambridge for more than fifteen years, covering new construction and retrofit on nearly every project.
LEADERSHIP
Leadership from the trade.
American Anchor's leadership came up through the window cleaning trade and holds leadership roles on the standards committees and industry councils that shape the field. Founder and President Bob Zeolla, a career window cleaner since 1975, is a past president of the International Window Cleaning Association and serves on the ANSI I-14.1 window cleaning safety committee. Vice President Bobby Zeolla chairs the Permanently Installed Equipment Council of the Scaffold & Access Industry Association, is SPRAT and IRATA certified, and has educated more than 1,000 business owners, safety managers and industry professionals nationwide through conference presentations, live demonstrations and published articles. Kevin Todd, who leads new construction, spent ten years as a career window cleaner before joining American Anchor full time a decade ago, and brings deep knowledge of construction bid documents, specifications and new construction projects.
Company factsCOMMON QUESTIONS
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers on inspections, recertification
and working with American Anchor.
Where does American Anchor provide service?
Everywhere in the United States, including Hawaii and Puerto Rico. Our offices and crews are strategically based in the Boston area, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Chicago, Minnesota, Denver, Florida and Texas, within driving distance of most major cities, and we travel wherever the work is.
How often do roof anchors need to be inspected and recertified?
Roof anchors and other permanently installed fall protection anchorages should be visually inspected by a qualified person every year. They must be recertified by load testing at least every 10 years, or every 5 years for adhesive (chemically fastened) anchors, under ANSI/IWCA I-14.1 and ASME A120.1.
Who is responsible for certifying building anchors?
The building owner. Under OSHA 1910.27(b), an employer can't let workers use an anchorage until the building owner has confirmed in writing that each anchorage has been identified, tested, certified and maintained.
How strong does a fall protection anchor need to be?
Personal fall arrest anchors must support at least 5,000 pounds per attached worker, or be designed, installed and used under the supervision of a qualified person with a safety factor of at least two (OSHA 1910.140). Rope descent system anchorages must support at least 5,000 pounds in any direction.
Are American Anchor installations engineered and stamped?
Every suspended access installation is supervised, approved and stamped by a licensed professional engineer. For other systems, such as fall arrest and restraint equipment, American Anchor can provide engineering, stamping and certification when a project requires it.
Can American Anchor inspect and certify anchors made by another manufacturer?
Yes. We inspect, load test, certify and repair fall protection and suspended access systems from any manufacturer, not only our own.
Does American Anchor manufacture its own equipment?
Yes. We manufacture our equipment at a dedicated facility in the USA and produce more than 200 anchor models engineered for specific building construction types.
How long has American Anchor been in business?
American Anchor was founded in 2000 by Bob Zeolla, a career window cleaner since 1975. We have completed more than 50,000 installations, inspections and load tests.
Can you design fall protection for older buildings without drawings?
Yes. Our in-house engineering team designs systems for new construction and for buildings two centuries old with no surviving drawings, and we manufacture custom components when off-the-shelf equipment won't fit.
Do you offer recurring inspection programs?
Yes. More than 3,400 clients rely on American Anchor for recurring inspections. We track when each building's next inspection and recertification is due and reach out well ahead of time.
How long does an anchor inspection or load test take?
A typical inspection takes one day on site. A load test can take multiple days, depending on the number of anchors and the scale of the building.
Do you provide fall protection training?
Yes. We provide on-site training and live load test demonstrations for building owners, safety managers and crews, and our leadership presents regularly for SAIA, SWRI, IWCA and at World of Concrete.
How do I get a quote or site evaluation?
Call 800-371-8221, email anchors@american-anchor.com, or use the contact form. We offer a free, no-obligation site consultation.
Work safe. Stay anchored.
What’s your next challenge?
A new building. An existing system. A better plan for working at height.