Temporary lifeline

Temporary lifeline: a mobile anchor for every site

A temporary lifeline is a horizontal anchor line installed for the duration of a job, then dismantled for the next site. It lets one or more users move around while staying connected to a continuous anchor, for example on a flat roof, a roof structure, a container or a steel structure. KRATOS SAFETY offers horizontal lifelines for 1 to 4 users, up to 45 m, as well as temporary anchors suited to each support.

Choosing a temporary lifeline for your site

• Roofs, roof structures and steel structures: a webbing lifeline tensioned between two anchors, with shuttles that let each user move along its full length.
• Containers and transport: a lifeline and anchor posts that fit into the corner castings of an ISO container, completed by a barrier net.
• Flat roofs with no anchor structure: a deadweight anchor, held in place by its own weight without piercing the waterproofing.
• Anchor out of reach: a telescopic pole fitted with a hook, to connect to a high structure from the ground before climbing.
• Retractable line: a cable lifeline that pays out and retracts into its housing, quick to install and to store.

The number of simultaneous users, the length between anchors and the deflection of the line in a fall determine the required clearance. A tension indicator helps set the line to the correct pre-tension.

Standards and regulations for temporary lifelines

Temporary lifelines and anchors are anchor devices certified to EN 795, according to their type:

• type B for transportable temporary anchors,
• type C for flexible horizontal lifelines,
• type E for deadweight anchors.

Use by several people at the same time is also covered by specification CEN/TS 16415. As PPE, these devices fall under Regulation (EU) 2016/425; the Documents tab of each product page gives access to the user instructions, the technical data sheet, the EU type-examination certificate and the declaration of conformity.

Completing your equipment: from lifeline to fall arrest system

Each user connects to the lifeline with:

• a fall arrest harness,
• a self-retracting lifeline or an energy-absorbing lanyard suitable for horizontal use,
• connectors suited to the anchors and shuttles.

Between two jobs, a transport bag protects the lifeline from moisture, UV and impacts.

Maintenance and inspection of a temporary lifeline

• At each installation: check the strength of the end anchors, the condition of the webbing or cable, the tensioner and the connectors, then the line tension.
• Periodic examination at least once a year by a competent person, as required by national regulations, recorded in the inspection log.
• After an arrested fall: withdraw from service immediately.

For a workstation used permanently, a fixed installation is more suitable: see our permanent fall protection systems.