Abstract: The portable fall protection device essentially comprises a force reduction device that gradually absorbs a tensile force created within a safety line as a user falls from a height. One aim of the portable fall protection device is to gradually arrest the descent of the user falling in a gradual controlled manner to prevent injury to the user. Furthermore, the portable fall protection device is compact such that it can be constantly worn and carried on the back of the user without impinging on the tasks of the user. As a result of the structure of the portable fall protection device, each portable fall protection device can be individually tested prior to use and can be re-used (and/or reset), if necessary after a fall. In addition, the capacity of the portable fall protection device is adjustable and can be set by a manufacturer and/or operator to produce a bespoke device.

Abstract: A descender device for manually raising and lowering an object or person on a rope has a housing (which has opposing first and second ends and opposing side walls), an attachment means (provided at the first end of the housing and configured for attachment to an anchor point or to the object or person to be raised or lowered), rope entry and exit ports (at the second end of the housing), a drive pulley (around which the rope may be engaged), a centrifugal brake (configured to limit the speed of rotation of the drive pulley), a gear assembly, a wheel (arranged to be gripped by a user of the device), and a rope retaining means provided on an outside of the housing. The wheel is connected to the gear assembly. The rope retaining means comprises a projection and at least one groove.

Abstract: A support post assembly for a safety line system for a workman at a height above the ground. The assembly comprises a support post, a safety line mount to which a safety line may be secured, and a shock absorber. The support post has opposite first and second ends, a post axis extending therebetween, and at the first end, a base portion for fixing the assembly to a supporting surface. The safety line mount extends away from the second end of the support post. The shock absorber is within the support post between the ends of the support post, the shock absorber comprising a pivot, such that in the event of a fall by a worker secured to the safety line, lateral forces imparted to the safety line mount by the fall are transmitted to the shock absorber, causing the shock absorber to deflect laterally relative to the post axis.

Abstract: A safety anchor device for limiting movement of a person or arresting a fall of a person working at height, and in particular to an inflatable safety anchor device that may be positioned at a high point and then inflated with a liquid to provide a dead-weight anchor device. A dead-weight anchor device for securing a line to a person working at height comprises an attachment for a line that is provided on a top surface of a flexible-walled container. The container has an internal volume that may in use be inflated with a quantity of water to provide an anchoring dead-weight and subsequently deflated by letting water escape. The container has a plurality of flexible walls, including a pair of walls that are internally connected by drop threads that limit the separation between said pair of walls when the internal volume is inflated by water.

Abstract: A fall arrest block has a drum (40) on which a lifeline is wound and from which the line can be drawn off or drawn back on, as the work man moves towards and away from the block. One end of the lifeline is permanently secured to the drum, and the drum has sockets (50) for securing ends of more than one different type of lifeline. The block also has a brake (24) in the form of a sealed unit which can be removed and replaced with a fresh unit, when servicing of the brake is required.

Abstract: A fall arrest block 10 has a spindle on which a length of lifeline 14 is wound. In normal use, the lifeline (preferably webbing) retracts onto and extends from a drum housing 12, as the workman moves towards and away from a secure point to which the housing is attached. In the event of a fall, an inertia mechanism sensitive to acceleration of the spindle operates to lock a locking mechanism to hold the spindle against further rotation. An energy absorbing link 18 is built into the webbing, close to a hook 16 to which the workman is attached. The energy absorbing link 18 includes a section of lifeline that is stretchable, but non-elastic. The locking mechanism includes a toothed ratchet wheel that is engaged by a pawl in order to lock the spindle rotation. The toothed ratchet wheel is part of a unitary body with the spindle.

Abstract: A fall arrest apparatus comprising a brake assembly (comprising a main body and a clamping mechanism) and a lifeline comprising an elongate first lifeline member and an elongate second lifeline member, the lifeline members overlapping with each other along a section of the lifeline. The main body has a passage extending therethrough, the overlapping section of the lifeline extending through the passage. The configuration is such as to provide from opposite sides of the passage a clamping force to compress together opposed surfaces of the two overlapping lifeline members to prevent these from moving with respect to each other until pulled in relatively opposite directions by a fall of the worker, causing the compressed overlapping members to slidingly contact each other so that energy of the fall is dissipated by sliding friction between said opposed surfaces. The main body has first and second portions on opposite sides of the passage.

Abstract: A support post assembly for a safety line system for a workman at a height above the ground. The assembly comprises a support post, a safety line mount to which a safety line may be secured, and a shock absorber. The support post has opposite first and second ends, a post axis extending therebetween, and at the first end, a base portion for fixing the assembly to a supporting surface. The safety line mount extends away from the second end of the support post. The shock absorber is within the support post between the ends of the support post, the shock absorber comprising a pivot, such that in the event of a fall by a worker secured to the safety line, lateral forces imparted to the safety line mount by the fall are transmitted to the shock absorber, causing the shock absorber to deflect laterally relative to the post axis.

Abstract: A safety anchor device for limiting movement of a person or arresting a fall of a person working at height, and in particular to an inflatable safety anchor device that may be positioned at a high point and then inflated with a liquid to provide a dead-weight anchor device. A dead-weight anchor device for securing a line to a person working at height comprises an attachment for a line that is provided on a top surface of a flexible-walled container. The container has an internal volume that may in use be inflated with a quantity of water to provide an anchoring dead-weight and subsequently deflated by letting water escape. The container has a plurality of flexible walls, including a pair of walls that are internally connected by drop threads that limit the separation between said pair of walls when the internal volume is inflated by water.

Abstract: A fall arrest block has a drum (40) on which a lifeline is wound and from which the line can be drawn off or drawn back on, as the work man moves towards and away from the block. One end of the lifeline is permanently secured to the drum, and the drum has sockets (50) for securing ends of more than one different type of lifeline. The block also has a brake (24) in the form of a sealed unit which can be removed and replaced with a fresh unit, when servicing of the brake is required.

Abstract: A fall arrest block 10 has a spindle on which a length of lifeline 14 is wound. In normal use, the lifeline (preferably webbing) retracts onto and extends from a drum housing 12, as the workman moves towards and away from a secure point to which the housing is attached. In the event of a fall, an inertia mechanism sensitive to acceleration of the spindle operates to lock a locking mechanism to hold the spindle against further rotation. An energy absorbing link 18 is built into the webbing, close to a hook 16 to which the workman is attached. The energy absorbing link 18 includes a section of lifeline that is stretchable, but non-elastic. The locking mechanism includes a toothed ratchet wheel that is engaged by a pawl in order to lock the spindle rotation. The toothed ratchet wheel is part of a unitary body with the spindle.