HSE Press Release: E074:04 - 1 June 2004

Safety warning: BS EN 353-1 2002 Part 1 Fall Arrest Equipment

A number of recorded incidents in Europe coupled with interim findings of ongoing research by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have raised concerns with certain fall arrest equipment usually found attached to or integrated in fixed ladders on permanent structures.

The interim findings of the research were formally reported to the British Standards Institution (BSI) technical committee, PH/5 (Industrial Safety Belts and Harnesses), which is responsible for the UK’s input to the European Standards for Personal Protective Equipment against Falls from Height. PH5 has prepared two alerts – attached here as annexes - in relation to the safety in performance of BS EN 353-1 2002 Part 1 fall arrest equipment. HSE agreed to issue the alerts to bring this matter to the attention of all those involved with such equipment.

Martin Holden, Principal Specialist Inspector in HSE’s Construction Corporate Topic Group, said:

“All those manufacturing, installing, using or having responsibility for any of these types of fixed rail or guided wire fall arrest equipment need to be aware of these important alerts. HSE advises that all relevant parties heed the warnings they contain and follow the recommendations in them. If end users are unable to follow the recommendations then we advise that alternative means of fall protection be used until such time that the equipment can be modified or replaced.”

“HSE inspectors will further publicise these warnings to trade associations and other relevant industry bodies.”

Problems associated with these particular devices have been reported in the Netherlands, Austria and Germany, as follows:

• three cases (one fatal) involved the arrester running off the end of the rigid rail anchor lines, even though there had been an end stop fitted.
  
• In two cases falls occurred with little injury although the devices failed to operate properly.
  
• In a further two case the devices failed to operate properly resulting in serious/fatal injuries.

In one case the fall arrester arrested the fall but the connector failed resulting in serious injuries.

ANNEX 1

BSI Technical Committee, PH/5 ‘Industrial Safety Belts and Harnesses’ February 2004

SAFETY WARNING - VERTICAL RIGID RAIL FALL-ARREST SYSTEMS

Following a number of serious accidents (including fatalities) within the European Union, concerns have been expressed by users, safety professionals and enforcing authorities about the design and use of vertical rigid rail fall-arrest systems¹. In addition, similar issues have been identified during research being undertaken currently for the UK's Health and Safety Executive².

There are four areas of concern:

(a) The existing product Standard, BS EN 353-1:2002³ , was prepared on the assumption that a user attaches/detaches to the vertical rigid rail from a place of safety, e.g. at ground level or from a working platform, and remains connected to it during use and possible deployment. This is not always the case, for example:

• systems on a pylon or mast that start at a raised level, to prevent unauthorised access; or
• suspended ladders, used to clean windows and external building fabric.

WARNING:

Where it is possible to fall from the bottom of a rigid rail, the manufacturer should be consulted and an end stop designed and fitted to prevent, whether under load or not under load, the guided type fall arrester from running off the rigid anchor line unintended, or the use of other fall protection measures considered.

(b) Part of a vertical rigid rail system comprises the connection between the rail and the user, e.g. a fall arrester , lanyard and connector. There are safety concerns associated with:

• the use of the fall arrester4 for work positioning, where the user leans back and relies it for support; and
• the position of the harness attachment point, when different from that recommended by the manufacturer.

In both cases, the fall arrester's locking mechanism may be adversely affected.

WARNING:

A vertical rigid rail fall-arrest system should not be used for work positioning unless the manufacturer, in the advice given within their user instructions, permits this. The connection between user and rail should not be extended in length, e.g. with an additional connector or lanyard. The manufacturer and/or supplier should indicate the requirements for the attachment to a full body harness, e.g. high or low relative to the sternum, and the user should adhere to this advice.

(c) If horizontal loading is applied to the connection at the fall arrester in the situation when a fall occurs, e.g. when a worker falls backwards, this may prevent engagement of the locking pawl at the moment that it is required to lock on to the vertical rail, and may lead to excessive fall distances.

WARNING:

The dynamic testing that underpins BS EN 353-1: 2002 was prepared on the assumption that if a worker falls they will fall wholly downwards, with no interference with the fixed ladder or other structure to which the vertical rail is attached. In a real fall situation, if a worker falls backwards before falling wholly downwards they may fall further than the 1.0 m fall distance limit imposed in the dynamic test in BS EN 353-1: 2002. Where it is possible to fall backwards from the ladder, the manufacturer should be consulted as to the performance of the fall arrester in such a situation and, if necessary, testing should be carried out to establish that performance. Such a test method was previously adopted in the UK in BS 5062 Pt. 1 (clauses 7.5.3 and E.2.1.2, “System operational test”) but was withdrawn on the introduction of BS EN 353-1: 1993.

(d) Some fall arresters are fitted with an over-ride or release facility to deactivate the locking function. The release facility should only be activated when there is no danger of the user falling. The fall arrester should not require manual adjustment during normal use.

WARNING:

Engaging a fall arrester's release function, or handling it during ascent/descent, can hinder the safe operation of the braking mechanism.

BS EN 353-1:2002 is due to be revised by CEN Technical Committee, TC160/WG2 and will take account of the concerns raised. However, this process is likely to take some time, and may require additional research.

ANNEX 2

BS EN 353-1 Additional text for inclusion in the National Foreword

VERTICAL GUIDED TYPE FALL ARRESTERS - TESTING

Information reported to Technical Committee PH/5 has indicated that the test procedures specified in EN 353-1 clause 5.3 and prescribed in EN 364 clause 5.6.2.2 Test Method B, may not be considered satisfactory proof of dynamic performance for a guided type fall arrester with a wire rope anchor line. Test results have shown that unmeasured forces (unmeasured at type test) at the structural anchor may far exceed the measured forces at the test mass in such circumstances. The phenomenon may be explained by the application of ‘standing wave’ theory.

WARNING:

It is recommended that the testing of guided type fall arresters including rope anchor lines should forthwith include the use of force measurement instruments at both the structural anchor and the test mass to ensure that all forces remain within acceptable limits. Designers, manufacturers and installers of guided type fall arresters including a rigid anchor line (whether rail or wire rope) should be alert to the implications that this information may have for their products.

¹. A guided type fall arrester is part of a fall-arrest system that includes a vertical rigid anchor line, usually attached to or integrated in fixed ladders.

²'Preliminary investigation into the fall-arresting effectiveness of ladder safety hoops' (Safety Squared). The draft report for this work is due to be completed in June 2004.

³The applicable European Standard is BS EN 353-1:2002, 'Personal protective equipment against falls from a height. Part 1 - Guided type fall arresters including a rigid anchor line', which specifies the requirements, test methods, marking, information supplied by the manufacturer and packaging. Systems are generally for single person use, unless advised otherwise by the manufacturer.

⁴Sometimes referred to as a mobile anchor point.