Fall Protection Equipment Inspection and Fall Arrest Testing
Periodic examination and testing of harnesses, lanyards, inertia reels, fall arresters and anchorages by a competent person to EN 365 and ANSI Z359.
Fall protection equipment is the last defence between a worker and the ground, and it fails without warning. Webbing degrades from UV and chemical exposure long before it looks damaged, an energy absorber that has arrested one fall is retired immediately, and a harness stored badly can be unserviceable while appearing new. itmad provides periodic examination and testing of harnesses, lanyards, inertia reels, fall arresters and anchorage devices by a competent person, to EN 365 and ANSI Z359. itmad operates across the Middle East, Asia and Europe.
Equipment inspected
Full body safety harnesses; work positioning and restraint belts; webbing, rope and elasticated lanyards, and energy absorbing lanyards; fall arrest blocks and self-retracting lifelines (inertia reels); guided type fall arresters on rigid and flexible anchor lines; derrick clamp assemblies and anchor lines; horizontal and vertical lifeline systems; anchorage devices and eyebolts; connectors, karabiners and scaffold hooks; rescue and evacuation equipment; and tripods and confined space retrieval systems.
What the examination covers
Each item is identified by manufacturer, serial number and date of manufacture, and the certification and conformity marking must be present and legible. Webbing and stitching are examined for cuts, abrasion, fraying, chemical attack, heat damage and UV degradation, and load indicators and energy absorbers are checked for deployment, because a deployed energy absorber retires the item at once. Metal components are examined for corrosion, distortion, cracking and wear, and connector gates and locking mechanisms are function tested.
Retractable blocks are tested for lock-up under a sharp pull, for retraction and for full line extension, and anchorage devices and structural anchor points are examined for security and condition. The inspector reviews the service history and earlier examination records, and verifies each item against the manufacturer's stated service life: most textile equipment carries a maximum of 10 years from manufacture.
Standards applied
Examination follows EN 365, which sets the general requirements for periodic examination of personal fall protection equipment, together with the product standard for each item: EN 361 for full body harnesses, EN 354 and EN 355 for lanyards and energy absorbers, EN 353 for guided type fall arresters, EN 360 for retractable devices, EN 362 for connectors and EN 795 for anchorage devices. ANSI Z359 applies where equipment is supplied to American standards, and the manufacturer's inspection instructions are applied alongside.
Examination intervals and service life
Fall protection equipment needs pre-use inspection by the user before every use and periodic examination by a competent person at intervals not exceeding twelve months under EN 365. Harsh conditions shorten this considerably: frequent use, UV exposure, heat, chemicals, salt and abrasive environments all accelerate degradation, and six-monthly or quarterly examination is common in offshore and heavy industrial environments. Equipment must also be examined after any fall arrest event, after prolonged storage and where its history is unknown.
Most textile equipment carries a manufacturer-set maximum service life, commonly 10 years from the date of manufacture, after which it must be withdrawn regardless of condition or apparent serviceability. itmad verifies each item against that limit and flags equipment that is approaching it, so that replacement is planned and not discovered at the point of use.
Equipment found unserviceable
An item that fails is identified and reported for immediate removal from service. Fall protection equipment that has failed cannot be repaired back into service unless the manufacturer specifically permits it, and the report is written to support physical withdrawal and disposal, since defective equipment left in a store will find its way back onto a worker.
What the client receives
An inspection certificate for the equipment examined, and a report that lists each item by serial number with its individual result. Every item has a clear pass, quarantine or withdraw status with the reason recorded, and defects are shown with photographic evidence. Equipment is tagged on site with colour coding showing the examination and due dates, the equipment register is updated with due dates and service life expiry where itmad holds it, and notice is given ahead of the next examination. Examination can be scheduled alongside lifting gear and lifting equipment inspection in a single attendance.
Frequently asked questions
What is fall arrest testing and why is it required?
It is the periodic examination and functional testing of fall protection equipment by a competent person to verify that it is safe for continued use. EN 365 requires examination at intervals not exceeding twelve months, and equipment that has arrested one fall is retired immediately.
What fall protection equipment is inspected?
Harnesses, positioning and restraint belts, lanyards and energy absorbers, inertia reels, guided fall arresters, lifeline systems, anchorage devices, connectors and rescue and confined space retrieval systems. Each item is identified by serial number and examined individually.
Which standards apply?
EN 365 for periodic examination, with EN 361 for harnesses, EN 354 and EN 355 for lanyards and energy absorbers, EN 353 for guided arresters, EN 360 for retractable devices, EN 362 for connectors and EN 795 for anchorages. ANSI Z359 applies where equipment is supplied to American standards.
How often must fall protection equipment be inspected?
At intervals not exceeding twelve months under EN 365, and far more often in harsh conditions, where six-monthly or quarterly examination is common. Textile equipment also has a manufacturer-set service life, commonly 10 years, after which it must be withdrawn.
What happens to equipment that fails?
It is quarantined and reported for withdrawal from service. It cannot be repaired back into service unless the manufacturer specifically permits it, and the report supports physical disposal.
Why can a harness be unserviceable while looking new?
Webbing degrades from UV and chemical exposure before it looks damaged, and poor storage can also make a harness unserviceable. Independent periodic examination finds those conditions before they matter.