Abstract: An energy absorbing device for safely arresting moving bodies. Applications of the device include fall protection systems that protect workers on elevated structures from accidental falls. The energy absorbing device includes a coiled strip capable of dissipating energy when a tensile force applied across the device generates an internal bending strain that exceeds the elastic limit of the material. The tensile load developed on the safety track during an accidental fall unwinds the strip, thus progressively taking-up the kinetic energy of the moving body.