A remote overhead anchor for use at an elevated overhead position and adapted to be secured to a horizontally extending structural member. The anchor includes first and second substantially half ring members that are hinged together at their bottoms. The members can move between a closed position wherein they lie in substantially the same plane and an open position wherein the tops are separated from each other so that they lie in different planes. A spring biases the members into the closed position. The tops of the members include cam surfaces arranged such that when said first and second half ring members are moved upwardly and engage a horizontal structural member, the structural member causes the cam surfaces to move away from each other to move the half ring members into the open position. A spring biased lock prevents the half ring members from opening but can be deactivated remotely so that the anchor can be removed by a worker standing on the ground. A conically shaped receiver adjacent the bottom of the anchor receives the upper end of an elongated vertically extending pole for attaching and detaching the anchor to and from the overhead support.