Question 1

Why must the static strength testing requirement for a certified anchor device (commonly 12kN for metallic devices under EN 795) be understood by those planning height work, even if they are not engineers?

Accepted Answer

It establishes a benchmark for what 'sufficiently strong' actually means, so an improvised anchor point can be judged against a known standard rather than guesswork Without a reference figure, 'looks strong enough' becomes a subjective and unreliable judgement. Knowing the certified standard gives the responsible officer something concrete to check an anchor point against, or to recognise when a non-certified point should not be used.

Question 2

What is the fundamental difference between 'fall restraint' and 'fall arrest'?

Accepted Answer

Fall restraint physically prevents the worker from reaching a fall hazard at all; fall arrest allows the worker to fall but stops/arrests that fall before they hit a lower level Restraint is higher in the hierarchy of controls because it removes the possibility of a fall occurring at all — the worker simply cannot get close enough to the edge. Fall arrest accepts a fall may happen and focuses on limiting its consequences, which is why fall arrest (and only fall arrest) requires a rescue plan.

Question 3

Why does a fall restraint system NOT require a rescue plan in the way a fall arrest system does?

Accepted Answer

Because if correctly set up, restraint prevents the worker reaching the fall hazard in the first place, so there is no fall event and no suspended casualty to rescue This is precisely why restraint is preferred wherever the task allows it — it eliminates the suspension trauma/rescue problem altogether rather than managing it after the fact, which is a significant operational and safety advantage on a vessel with limited onboard rescue resources.