Personal fall protection equipment (PFPE) can be set up in various ways to protect the user in different applications. Components are connected to create fall protection systems designed to prevent or arrest falls from height.
The EN 363 standard specifies characteristics and assembly of personal fall protection systems including work restraint, work positioning, fall arrest and rope access.
Work restraint
A work restraint system restricts the user’s movement to prevent them from reaching areas that present a fall risk. The lanyard or fall limiter stops the user before they reach the edge to prevent a fall from occurring.
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1. Limit of user’s movement 2. Harness attachment point 3. Anchor 4. Lanyard 5. Fall risk area
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Work positioning
Work positioning systems enable the user to work supported by PFPE in tension, preventing a free fall. The system can be set up to provide full support or partial support of the user’s weight.
This work positioning system is partially supporting the user who also uses footholds connected to the structure. |
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Fall arrest
A fall arrest system is designed to minimise the distance and consequences of a fall. The user is physically linked to the structure by interconnected fall protection devices intended to:
- Arrest the fall to prevent the user colliding with other hazards
- Absorb energy to reduce forces on the body below 6kN
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When set up correctly, the system arrests the fall within a safe distance and absorbs energy to minimise consequences for the user. |
Rope access – work in suspension
A rope access system allows operatives to safely access to hard-to-reach areas. The user descends, ascends and traverses ropes while suspended by their harness or work seat.
The support of the rope is intended to eliminate risk of a fall, but a fall arrest system should always be used as a backup. A redundancy fall arrest system can be set up by using a second rope as a safety line.
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The user is suspended by their harness with a movement line (front) and a safety line (back). |
Selecting a fall protection system
A full risk assessment is required to identify hazards and select suitable PFPE.
Following the hierarchy of controls, it is best to use a system designed to prevent falls wherever possible. Preventing a fall from occurring is safer than relying on a fall arrest system which may leave the user at risk of injury from impacts.
The type of system you select will depend on the task and work area. Think about how far the user needs to travel in each direction, and the available anchorage points.
It is important to consider the free space available beneath the work area and the position of the anchorage point, plus any risk of swinging and subsequent pendulum effect.
Various components can be connected to create a fall protection system. The JSP Height Safety range uses simple icons to identify suitable products.
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Work restraint |
Fall arrest |
Work positioning |
Rope access |
The icons shown on product packaging link to selection tools, tutorial videos and how-to guides on the JSP-GO™ website, making information about your PPE easy to access and understand.
If you need help selecting products for a fall protection system, contact technical@jspsafety.com.
What is the difference between restraint and fall arrest?
When is fall protection needed in the workplace?