If you or your employees work at height, then you will almost certainly be used to operating mansafe systems. These horizontal safety line systems are designed and fitted to prevent contractors from falling from a height, which is one of the most common reasons for serious and fatal injuries within the construction industry. This makes mansafe systems one of the most important pieces of equipment for any application that requires people to work on rooftops or other multi-storey platforms.

Fitting a mansafe system is one crucial task, but making sure the equipment is inspected and maintained regularly is another essential part of keeping yourself and your employees safe. Here’s why mansafe system testing is so important and what you need to know to stay compliant with the appropriate standards and regulations.

What does mansafe system testing include?

Under BS 795:2012, all mansafe systems must be subjected to pre-use inspections, interim inspections and detailed inspections. During these examinations, a competent person must check over the anchor device and anchor strop to ensure there are no signs of deformation, corrosion or kinking. Every component must be positioned correctly and must comply with the appropriate ISO standards.

You also need to make sure that inspections are conducted by someone who has had the correct training and is well-equipped to identify potential risks according to the appropriate British Standards. The details of these inspections will need to be recorded and kept on file, so make sure you work with accredited inspectors (such as the team at A1 Height Safety) who will help you remain compliant.

How often are safety line inspections required?

Employers are advised to make sure all fall arrest systems are examined thoroughly by trained inspectors at least once a year. This will not only minimise the risk of height-related accidents but also keep you compliant under The Work at Height Regulations 2005 (WAHR).

As stated by the WAHR, every employer (or anyone responsible for managing a project that requires working at height) must keep their employees safe against falling from any platform. Whether you manage a team of roof maintenance workers or solar panel installation contractors, you are responsible for ensuring a safe working environment at all times. This includes making sure all employees have access to a well-maintained roof safety line system, mansafe system and the relevant personal protective equipment (PPE) to get the job done securely.

In addition to scheduling annual mansafe system testing, all employers managing work at height projects must make regular visual inspections part of their maintenance routine.

This includes making sure that all fall arrest systems are checked over by a competent person before they are first used. Following this, all equipment must be subject to interim inspections (the frequency of interim inspections will depend on how often the system is used) and must be checked over thoroughly after any circumstances that might affect its performance. For instance, you must inspect every fall arrest system following a fall or adverse weather conditions, such as a storm.

Why is mansafe testing so important?

Checking the integrity of any fall arrest system regularly is a key part of managing a safe and successful working at height project. Here’s why you need to prioritise mansafe system testing and why it’s important to find an accredited fall arrest system inspection manager.

Employee safety

Of course, the most important reason to keep up to date with mansafe system testing is to keep your employees safe. As one of the most reliable and efficient personal fall protection solutions, they should be used whenever working at height is unavoidable and must be maintained to the highest possible standards.

They are designed to prevent workers from falling from a height and work by harnessing the individual to a bolted roofline system. If a worker slips, the arrest system will engage to stop them from falling. It will also absorb the shock of the fall to prevent the risk of impact-related injuries.

After every use, the pressure put upon the anchor devices and strops can contribute to wear and tear and severe deterioration. Regular testing and maintenance could prevent fraying rope or deformed eye bolts from causing the fall arrest system to fail when in operation.

The importance of well-maintained fall protection equipment cannot be understated. The Health and Safety Executive recently released its 2020 report detailing the most common types of accidents experienced by workers in Britain, showing that falling from a height still claims the most lives.

To avoid this, contact the A1 Height Safety team to discuss our mansafe testing solutions. A member of our specialist team will be happy to run through our inspection services in more detail.

Site compliance

In addition to keeping your employees safe, testing your fall arrest systems regularly will also help to protect you against the legal consequences of breaking WAHR. As an employer or company’s dedicated competent person, it is your responsibility to make sure all contractors are adhering to the regulations set out by HSE guidance for working at height, including wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment and using fall protection systems correctly.

Keeping your contractors safe is more than just good business practice; if you fail to comply with the regulations, you could find yourself facing serious legal action. To avoid this, make sure you conduct pre-use and interim examinations frequently and hire a trained professional to carry out a detailed inspection at least once a year.

Remember - scheduling an annual inspection is a minimum requirement. To ensure system integrity, we recommend booking detailed inspections more than once a year. Please don’t hesitate to discuss this with our testing experts by giving us a call today.

System integrity

 There are also many business and financial incentives for testing your mansafe systems regularly. After all, the more you inspect fall protection equipment, the quicker you can act if you notice the signs of wear and tear. Checking the condition of your equipment before and after use will help you become accustomed to what a structurally sound system looks like and recognise when repairs need to be made.

This will benefit your company significantly in two major ways. Firstly, you can proactively avoid business downtime as a result of faulty equipment. Instead of waiting until your next detailed inspection to find out that you need new equipment, you can put measures in place to replace the damaged components before your next big project.

Secondly, regular equipment maintenance will save you money in the long-term. By acting quickly to identify and repair the faulty components within an overused system, you can expand the lifespan of your fall protection equipment and avoid replacing entire safety lines.

A1 Height Safety: Mansafe testing services for clients across the UK

If it’s time to have your horizontal safety line systems tested by the professionals, then you needn’t look further than A1 Height Safety. As leading specialists in height safety systems, we are well-equipped to design, install, test and maintain a variety of safety line solutions for clients across the UK. We offer installation services for horizontal and vertical safety lines, flat roof safety lines and roof walkway systems to keep our UK-wide clients secure at height.

We also recognise the importance of regular maintenance and testing work, which is why we are proud to offer comprehensive mansafe testing services. The A1 Height Safety team is committed to helping clients stay compliant, so you can rest assured that all installations and inspections adhere to the relevant rules and regulations.

To learn more about the importance of mansafe testing or to discuss your horizontal and vertical lifeline requirements in more detail, please don’t hesitate to contact our team of specialists today. We’re based in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan but are pleased to serve clients across the country.