Locking of retractable type fall arresters--test method and stand.

Retractable type fall arresters are very effective personal equipment protecting against falls from a height. These devices are used under different atmospheric conditions and in the presence of various types of industrial pollution. For this reason appropriate locking after conditioning simulating extreme conditions of a worksite is one of the essential characteristics of retractable type fall arresters. This article presents the requirements for locking of the devices. A previously used locking test method and its disadvantages are discussed. The article suggests an improved test method and test equipment. Measurement of the test mass acceleration is the most important improvement introduced into the test method. The article shows laboratory tests used to verify the method, which turned out to be a valuable source of information concerning the performance of retractable type fall arresters.