28.03.2006

HSE issues retractable lanyard warning

The Health and Safety Executive has issued a “reminder” of the dangers of misusing retractable (inertia reel) type fall arresters following the interim findings of a research project it has commissioned.

The findings reveal that retractable type fall arresters are commonly being used in circumstances that they have not been tested or designed for, creating safety hazards and an increased risk of fatality.

David Thomas, Principal Specialist Inspector and HSE's technical lead on fall protection issues, said " Employers and workers need to ensure that retractable type fall arresters are only used in the vertical plane with an overhead anchor unless the manufacturer's instructions clearly state otherwise. If this equipment is used in any other way, or combined with other components in a fall arrest system, it may be unsafe and could result in injury or fatality."

The findings also indicate that some manufacturers and suppliers in the UK are failing to provide adequate instructions and information to use the products safely, which is adding to the problem.
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Retractable lanyards

"The European Standard does not cover retractable type fall arresters being tested for use over edges - which is sometimes how they are used. In a fall over an edge the retractable lanyard may break, the braking system might be overloaded to failure, or the fall might not be arrested in the distance available. There is a test used by some manufacturers - known as the VG11 test - but we have concerns over its intent and adequacy and will be considering this over the next few months." He continued.