QSI Height Safety Catalogue 2015

Key Differences between EN and AS/NZS Height Safety Standards
Test Criteria AS/NZS 1891.1:2007 Standard EN Standard
UV Testing and
Lifespan
Dynamic Drop
Testing
Marking and
Labelling
We are required to conduct a determination of
resistance of webbing to light test as per Appendix
A of AS/NZS 1891.1:2007. This gives us our 10-year
life span on webbing products certified to the AS/NZS
1891.1:2007 standard. Actual certificate is needed on
the webbing, not the thread.
The AS/NZS 1891.1:2007 dynamic drop test is
conducted on a 2m x 12mm diameter, three-strand,
polyester hawser-laid rope. Each harness will have
a ‘head-up’ and ‘head-down’ drop on the fall arrest
attachment points. On a head-up drop it will generate
over 12kN of force during the drop and the headdown
could be as much as 16kN to 18kN. The AS/
NZS standard does not specify a force requirement
that the harness needs to be exposed to, but the force
generally exceeds the 12kN load due to the lack of
stretch in the polyester rope. Thus, most of the energy
ends up in the harness.
The marking and labelling requirements as per AS/
NZS 1891.1:2007 section 6.1 (Instructions for use)
and section 6.2 (marking) are very specific on font
size, label layout, and details that need to be included
in the warning labels as well as the instruction book.
The AS/NZS 1891.1:2007 product needs a clear date
of withdrawal.
EN standards do not require UV testing as the product
is only required to last 5 years.
The EN 364 standard requires a single
mountaineering rope of 11mm diameter. This is known
as kernmantle rope and has more stretch in it than
the 12mm polyester rope. The EN test also requires
a head-up and head-down drop on the fall arrest
attachment points.
If the testing facility uses dynamic mountaineering
rope, this has a lot of stretch to allow for some shock
absorption during a climber’s fall, this is why the EN
standard specifies a minimum force requirement of
7.5kN that needs to be achieved on the first drop.
The EN requirements are vastly different in terms of
labelling and instructions for use, even to the point
of using an “A” symbol to indicate the fall arrest
attachment point.
The EN product only requires a date of manufacture.
The 5 year life is standard unless specified differently
by the manufacturer on the basis of a UV certificate.
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