Height safety equipment is tested and certified to relevant EN standards which cover the minimum requirements for products. However in some cases additional assessments are available to test equipment further. The standard for self-retractable lifelines is EN 360. This standard sets out requirements for retractable fall arresters, with tests for locking, static strength, dynamic performance, and corrosion resistance.
VG11 RFU PPE-R/11.060 outlines additional tests for self-retractable lifelines to assess sharp edge performance. Sharp edges, such as on terraced roofs, can pose a risk of cutting the connection and causing the fall protection system to fail. This optional assessment goes beyond the standard requirements, testing a product’s performance while loaded over a sharp edge to ensure safety in the event of a fall.
Sharp edge tests
For the sharp edge performance assessment, self-retractable lifelines are locked in a horizontal position and loaded over an edge radius of 0.5mm. Testing is carried out to assess locking performance, dynamic performance, dynamic strength, and static strength.
Locking performance
For this first test, the self-retractable lifeline is mounted in a horizontal position and directed vertically downwards using a pulley. A mass of between 5 and 30kg is attached and the self-retractable lifeline must lock within a distance of 2m.
Dynamic performance
Two drop tests are conducted to assess dynamic performance. The first is carried out perpendicular to the edge. The second drop test is carried out with a lateral offset of 1.5m. A test mass is released from a height of 1.5m and at a horizontal distance of 500mm from the edge. In both tests, the retractable fall arrester must hold the test mass and the braking force must not exceed 6kN.
Dynamic strength
Dynamic strength is assessed with a further two drop tests. These tests are conducted in the same arrangements as dynamic performance testing, but the drop height for the test mass is raised to 2m above the edge. In these tests, the self-retractable lifeline must hold the test mass, but arrest distance and braking force are not measured.
Static strength
After dynamic strength, static strength testing is carried out in the same arrangement. The force applied is increased to 3kN for wire lanyards or 4.5kN for textile lanyards, and the product must withstand this force for 3 minutes. JSP offer a range of self-retractable lifelines tested to VG11 RFU PPE-R/11.060 for sharp edge use. These products are suitable for vertical and horizontal use, and available in 2m, 5m and 10m lengths.