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Health, Safety and Environment

Use of the Safety Belt No 11 and Fall Arrest Lanyard

Three specific areas of concern have been identified with the use of the Safety Belt No 11 and associated equipment.

  1. MK 1 KARABINER DISC RETAINING - Item Code 022073

    2. It has been identified when using the Fall Arrest Lanyard Mk1 only, that it is possible for the karabiner to travel over the energy absorber and potentially trap behind it. The solution is to fit the Mk1 Karabiner Disc Retaining (a black plastic disc) that the user connects on to the webbing end of the absorber, effectively making it impossible for the Karabiner to slide over the absorber (see Fig 1). The item is made of 3mm thick rigid plastic material, 90mm in diameter slotted to allow fixing on the webbing of the rope end of the energy absorber.

    It is mandatory that the Mk1 Karabiner Disc Retaining is used with the Fall Arrest Lanyard Mk1's as soon as they are available and no Mk1 Lanyard is to be used without the disc after 30 June 2004.

    These discs will be supplied through normal supply chain channels (issued as a single item).

    Note: The Fall Arrest Lanyard MK1 can be identified by the use of spliced rope terminations and a larger Karabiner. The later MK2 Lanyard uses sewn nylon rope terminations and a smaller Karabiner (see Fig 2).

    Fig 1. Mk1 Karabiner Disc Retaining fitted to Fall Arrest Lanyard Mk1 Fig 2. Mk2 Fall Arrest Lanyard with sewn nylon rope and smaller Karabiner

    Fig 1. Mk1 Karabiner Disc Retaining fitted to Fall Arrest Lanyard Mk1

    Fig 2. Mk2 Fall Arrest Lanyard with sewn nylon rope and smaller Karabiner
  2. LANYARD TOO SMALL TO FIT AROUND POLE AND LIFT OVER STEPS

    3. There have been situations identified when climbing bigger, stout poles, where the lanyard is too small to fit around the diameter of the pole and allow the lanyard to be raised/lowered over the step during the climb. In such instances the pole must NOT be climbed with this lanyard and an alternative means of access used (Platform Elevating, Scaffolding etc). In situations where poles are still inaccessible, please contact Keri Thomas on (01908) 699029.

  3. USE OF BELTS POCKET WITH SAFETY BELT No 11

    4. When climbing poles with the Safety Belt No 11, the belts pocket must be positioned correctly to prevent obscuring of the 'D' ring on the Safety Belt 11. The strap of the Belts Pocket must pass under the strap of the harness such that the belt cannot come forward and obscure the 'D' ring. (See Fig 3).

    Belts Pocket strap under Safety Belt 11 strap to stop pocket obstructing D ring.

    		 Fig 3. Belts Pocket fitted correctly with Safety Belt No 11

    Fig 3. Belts Pocket fitted correctly with Safety Belt No 11
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