ISO 10333-3:2000

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 10333-3
First edition
2000-04-15
Personal fall-arrest systems —
Part 3:
Self-retracting lifelines
Systèmes individuels d'arrêt de chute —
Partie 3: Cordes d'assurance autorétractantes
Reference number
©
ISO 2000
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ii © ISO 2000 – All rights reserved

Contents
Foreword.iv
Introduction.v
1 Scope .1
2 Normative references .1
3 Terms and definitions .2
3.1 Self-retracting lifeline .2
3.2 General terms and definitions.4
4 Requirements.5
4.1 General.5
4.2 Lifeline .5
4.3 Design .6
4.4 Integral-rescue-facility design.8
5 Apparatus .9
6 Test methods.11
6.1 Corrosion resistance.11
6.2 Locking tests after conditioning .11
6.3 Locking reliability test.12
6.4 Retraction test.12
6.5 Dynamic performance test at full lifeline extraction .12
6.6 Dynamic performance .13
6.7 Static strength.13
6.8 Lifting test for SRL with lift only integral-rescue facility.14
6.9 Lowering and lifting test for SRL with lift and lower integral-rescue facility .15
6.10 Static strength test (rescue facility engaged).15
7 Instructions for general use, maintenance, marking and packaging.16
7.1 Instructions for general use and maintenance.16
7.2 Marking .17
7.3 Packaging.17
Bibliography.18
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies
(ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through ISO technical
committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been established has
the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in
liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical
Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 3.
Draft International Standards adopted by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting.
Publication as an International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this part of ISO 10333 may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
International Standard ISO 10333-3 was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 94, Personal safety —
Protective clothing and equipment, Subcommittee SC 4, Personal equipment for protection against falls.
ISO 10333 consists of the following parts, under the general title Personal fall-arrest systems:
� Part 1: Full-body harnesses
� Part 2: Lanyards and energy absorbers
� Part 3: Self-retracting lifelines
� Part 4: Vertical rails and vertical lifelines which incorporate a sliding-type fall arrester
� Part 5: Connectors
The system performance tests will be the subject of a future part 6 to ISO 10333.
iv © ISO 2000 – All rights reserved

Introduction
In cases where the hazard of falling from a height exists and where, for technical reasons or for work of very short
duration, safe access cannot be otherwise provided, it is necessary to consider the use of personal fall-arrest
systems (PFAS). Such use should never be improvised and its adoption should be specifically provided for in the
appropriate formal provisions for safety in the work place.
PFAS complying with this part of ISO 10333 should satisfy ergonomic requirements and should only be used if the
work allows means of connection to a suitable anchor device of demonstrated strength and if it can be implemented
without compromising the safety of the user. Personnel should be trained and instructed in the safe use of the
equipment and be observant of such training and instruction.
This part of ISO 10333 is based on current knowledge and practice concerning the use of PFAS that incorporate a
full-body harness as specified in ISO 10333-1.
This part of ISO 10333 presumes that the manufacturer of the PFAS, subsystems or components will, for the sake
of consistency and traceability, operate a quality management system which will comply with national and regional
regulations in force at the time. Guidance on the form this quality management system may take can be found in
ISO 9000 (all parts), Quality management and quality assurance standards.
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 10333-3:2000(E)
Personal fall-arrest systems —
Part 3:
Self-retracting lifelines
1 Scope
This part of 10333 specifies requirements, test methods, instructions for use and maintenance, marking, labelling and
packaging, as appropriate, for self-retracting lifelines, including self-retracting lifelines that have an integral-rescue
facility.
Self-retracting lifelines are used as a connecting sub-system in personal fall-arrest systems (PFAS), which will be
specified in a future International Standard (see ISO 10333-6 in the Bibliography), and are attached to anchor devices
that are above the work place.
This part of 10333 is applicable only to self-retracting lifelines limited to single-person use of a total mass not exceeding
100 kg.
NOTE Users of PFAS whose total mass (which includes attached tools and equipment) exceeds 100 kg are advised to
seek advice from the equipment manufacturers regarding the suitability of the equipment, which may need additional testing to
take into account the larger mass.
This part of 10333 does not specify those additional requirements that would apply when self-retracting lifelines are
subjected to special conditions of use (where, for example, there exist unusual limitations concerning access to the
place of work and/or particular environmental factors). Thus treatments to ensure the durability of the materials of
construction (such as heat treatment, anti-corrosion treatment, protection against physical and chemical hazards) are
not specified in this part of 10333, but should comply with appropriate International Standards or, failing that, with
national standards and other specifications dealing with relevant physical characteristics and/or the safety of users.
2 Normative references
The following normative documents contain provisions which, through reference in this text, constitute provisions of
this part of ISO 10333. For dated references, subsequent amendments to, or revisions of, any of these publications
do not apply. However, parties to agreements based on this part of ISO 10333 are encouraged to investigate the
possibility of applying the most recent editions of the normative documents indicated below. For undated
references, the latest edition of the normative document referred to applies. Members of ISO and IEC maintain
registers of currently valid International Standards.
ISO 1140:1990, Ropes — Polyamide — Specification.
ISO 1141:1990, Ropes — Polyester — Specification.
ISO 1834:1999, Short link chain for lifting purposes — General conditions of acceptance.
ISO 1835:1980, Short link chain for lifting purposes — Grade M (4), non-calibrated, for chain slings etc.
ISO 2307:1990, Ropes — Determination of certain physical and mechanical properties.
ISO 3108:1974, Steel wire ropes for general purposes — Determination of actual breaking load.
ISO 4878:1981, Textiles — Flat woven webbing slings made of man-made fibre.
ISO 9227:1990, Corrosion tests in artificial atmospheres — Salt spray tests.
1)
ISO 10333-1:— , Personal fall-arrest systems — Part 1: Full-body harnesses.
ISO 10333-5, Personal fall-arrest systems — Part 5: Connectors.
ISO 14567:1999, Personal protective equipment for protection against falls from a height — Single-point anchor
devices.
EN 892:1996, Mountaineering equipment — Dynamic mountaineering ropes — Safety requirements and test
methods.
EN 1891:1998, Personal protective equipment for prevention of falls from a height — Low stretch kernmantel
ropes.
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this part of ISO 10333, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1 Self-retracting lifeline
3.1.1
self-retracting lifeline
SRL
connecting subsystem which is anchored above the work place, incorporating a tensioned lifeline, which is extracted
and automatically retracted in response to the normal movements of a worker, and a braking means which
automatically locks and holds the lifeline in response to the sudden motion of a fall, in a similar fashion to the operation
of a motor car inertia reel seat belt
SeeFigure1.
3.1.2
integral-rescue facility
mechanism which is completely integral to the SRL and cannot be removed without dismantling the SRL
NOTE It can be used by a rescuer to recover a worker who, being connected to the SRL, is in post fall-arrest suspension,
or has become incapacitated. This may involve the rescuer raising or lowering the worker as appropriate.
3.1.3
energy absorbers integral to the lifeline
component designed to dissipate the kinetic energy generated during a fall, which limits the arresting forces applied
to the SRL, anchor device and faller, the mechanism of which is completely integral to the lifeline and cannot be
removed without mutilating the product
3.1.4
fall indicator
mechanism which gives visual confirmation to a user whether or not the self-retracting lifeline has been subjected
toafallarrest
3.1.5
maximum working length
maximum length of extracted lifeline available, when me
...