What it is
A ladder fall arrest system is a vertical anchor line installed alongside a fixed ladder, allowing the user to clip a sliding arrester to the line before they begin to climb. If the user slips, the arrester locks onto the line and arrests the fall before it develops. Modern systems use a rigid anchor line (BS EN 353-1) running the full height of the ladder, with a sliding arrester that the user attaches to their harness.
Current HSE guidance recommends fall arrest systems over safety cages for ladders over 6 metres in height. Cages were historically considered to provide fall protection, but in practice a fall inside a cage results in injury from impact against the cage itself, while still allowing the climber to fall the full height. Fall arrest systems address the actual fall, not the perception of containment.
Retrofit installations to existing ladders require an assessment of the ladder’s structural capacity to take the additional fixings. New installations are specified alongside the ladder design from the outset. The system can be installed to vertical or near-vertical ladders, and can be configured to allow continuous travel without the user needing to detach and reattach at intermediate points.
When it applies
- On any new fixed ladder installation over 6 metres in height
- As a retrofit to existing caged or uncaged ladders, particularly where cages are deteriorating
- Following a compliance check that has identified ladder access as a residual risk
- Where existing ladders need to be brought up to current standards as part of a wider compliance programme
The process
- Site survey. Existing ladder structure surveyed for retrofit suitability. New ladder access surveyed for new installation.
- Specification. System type, anchor line, intermediate guides, and arrester specified.
- Quotation. Fixed-price quotation covering design, supply, and installation.
- Installation. Carried out by our own engineers, with structural fixings to manufacturer specification.
- Certification and first inspection. Installation certificate plus the first 12-month inspection cycle established.
What you receive
- Installation certificate to BS EN 353-1
- Design drawings and structural fixing schedule
- Manufacturer’s product warranty
- Photographic record of installation
- Inclusion in the next annual compliance check
- User training on the system on request