Fall Protection

Understanding Fall Protection Systems

Fall protection systems fall into three categories, each addressing different risk scenarios. Fall arrest stops a fall in progress using a harness, lanyard, and secure anchorage—designed to limit fall distance and reduce impact forces to survivable levels (typically below 6kN). Work positioning supports you at height while leaving both hands free for tasks; it's not fall arrest, so you need a backup system. Restraint prevents access to fall hazards entirely by limiting your range of movement—no fall occurs if the system is correctly set up.

The UK Work at Height Regulations 2005 define 'work at height' as any place where a person could fall and be injured. That includes ladders, scaffolding, roofs, and even ground-level openings like skylights. Employers must prevent falls through collective measures first (guardrails, scaffolding), but individual fall protection gear becomes essential where collective protection isn't feasible.

Key Selection Criteria

Choosing fall protection equipment requires a competent assessment of your specific work scenario. Consider these factors:

• Fall clearance distance—will the lanyard length and energy absorber deployment allow arrest before you hit a lower level or obstruction?
• Anchorage strength and location—anchorages must support at least 15kN (roughly 1,500kg) and be positioned to minimise swing fall risk
• Compatibility—harness, lanyard, and connector must work together as a system; mixing incompatible components can compromise safety
• Task duration and mobility—self-retracting lifelines offer freedom of movement; fixed-length lanyards restrict range but are simpler

Common mistake: specifying a lanyard based solely on length without calculating total fall distance. An energy absorber can extend up to 1.75m during deployment, and you need to account for harness stretch, worker height, and safety margin. Insufficient clearance means you hit the ground or a lower structure before arrest completes.

Standards and Certification

This collection includes products certified to EN 361 (full-body harnesses), EN 355 (energy absorbers), EN 360 (retractable fall arresters), and EN 354 (lanyards). EN 361 harnesses undergo a 15kN static strength test and a 4m drop test with a 100kg dummy to verify they can withstand real arrest forces without critical failure. Energy absorbers (EN 355) are designed to limit peak forces transmitted to the body during fall arrest—typically keeping forces below 6kN, the threshold above which serious internal injuries become likely.

Check each product listing for exact certification and performance specifications. Not every item in this collection carries the same standard or performance level.

Inspection, Training, and Rescue

Pre-use checks are mandatory before every shift: inspect webbing for cuts, abrasion, or UV damage; check stitching isn't frayed; confirm connectors lock positively and show no deformation. Formal inspections by a competent person are required at intervals specified by the manufacturer (commonly every 6–12 months). Any equipment involved in a fall arrest must be withdrawn from service immediately—energy absorbers are single-use components.

Users must receive comprehensive training covering equipment selection, donning and adjustment, pre-use inspection, and emergency procedures. Suspension trauma—where a worker hangs motionless in a harness after a fall—can be fatal within minutes, so rescue plans must be in place before work begins.