Importance of inspecting fall protection equipment
- Safety Flash
- Published on 23 October 2009
- Generated on 20 February 2026
- IMCA SF 15/09
- 1 minute read
IMCA has been made aware of a number of examples of fall protection equipment failing owing to poor or sub-standard equipment.
- Safety Alert 09-17 – Near Miss – New Fall Protection Equipment Failure, published by the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) (see below), notes that a new ‘pass-through tie-off adapter’ was only hot-glued and did not have the required stitching.
- Whilst teaching a fall protection class, an instructor found a new piece of fall protection equipment that was not properly sewn. This equipment was brand new, still in the bag and made by a reliable manufacturer. One of the lanyards was improperly sewn and the webbing could be pulled apart by hand.
improperly sewn fall protection equipment
- In another similar instance, it was discovered that the rivet from the secondary lock on the snap hook of a lanyard had become damaged and allowed the secondary lock to come free from the hook. The hook was not involved in a fall event.
Members are encouraged to re-emphasise to their personnel the importance of thorough inspection of all fall protection equipment before and after use.
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