I fell off a pole once but never hit the ground. We had some telegraph wire below us, and at lunch we came down. I came down last. I unbelted and took a few steps down thru some buck arms. I lost my grip and my hook cut out all at once. I knew I was done for and I'd land in a pile of snow at the base. Suddenly I was just hanging there away from the pole bobbing up and down gently. I grabbed for the pole and belted back in. The snap on my rubber glove bag clipped on to one telegraph wire and that saved my fall. Tele wire. Was 8 copper or smaller.
Our guys using the squeeze and lanyard had to keep the distance to whatever would stop your fall to a short distance. I don't remember that distance but it may have been 3 feet or less.