TABLE
OF
CONTENTS
1.
DESCRIPTION
2.
APPLICATION
2.1
Purpose
2.2
Fall
Arrest
2.3
Restraint
2.4
Work
Positioning
2.5
Suspension
2.6
Rescue
2.7
Application
Limits
3.
SYSTEM
REQUIREMENTS
3.1
Capacity
3.2
Compatibility
of
Components
3.3
Making
Connections
3.4
Anchorage
Strength
4.
INSTALLATION
AND
OPERATION
4.1
Inspection
4.2
Plan
for
the
Application
4.3
Clear
Fall
Distance
4.4
Swing
Fall
4.5
Captive
Pin
Installation
4.6
Carabiner
Instructions
4.7
Attaching
the
Carabiner
to
Anchorage
4.8
Attach
a
Subsystem
4.8.1
Polyester
Rope
Connections
5.
SPECIFICATIONS
6.
MAINTENANCE
AND
STORAGE
7.
INSPECTION
7.1
Inspection
Procedures
8.
MARKING
APPENDIX
A
–
Table
1,
List
of
Acronyms,
Figures
1
–
9,
Inspection
Record
1.
DESCRIPTION
FallTech®
carabiners
are
forged
steel
or
aluminum
connector
components
with
a
normally
closed
gate
which
is
opened
to
allow
connection
to
other
components.
The
gate
automatically
closes
and
locks
when
released.
The
gate
will
remain
closed
and
locked
until
deliberately
opened.
Some
models
are
equipped
with
an
optional
captive
pin,
to
isolate
attached
hardware
components
and
avoid
contact
with
the
gate.
Carabiners
are
available
in
three
broad
size
categories,
Compact,
Medium
and
Large.
See
Table
1
in
Appendix
A
(all
figure
and
table
references
hereafter
are
to
Appendix
A).
See
Figure
1.
A
list
of
acronyms
used
in
fall
protection
and
fall
arrest
is
provided
in
Appendix
A.
For
purposes
of
this
manual,
the
carabiners
may
be
referred
to
as
the
connector,
the
equipment,
or
the
unit.
2.
APPLICATION
2.1
Purpose:
The
carabiners
covered
in
this
manual
are
intended
as
connector
components
in
Personal
Fall
Arrest
Systems
(PFAS).
Other
applications
are
Restraint,
Work
Positioning,
Personnel
Riding
Systems,
Suspension
and
Rescue
Systems.
See
Figure
2.
2.2
Personal
Fall
Arrest
Systems:
The
carabiner
may
be
used
as
a
component
of
a
PFAS.
A
PFAS
is
an
assembly
of
components
and
subsystems
used
to
arrest
a
person
in
a
free
fall,
and
will
typically
include
an
anchorage,
an
energy
absorbing
connecting
subsystem,
either
a
Shock
Absorbing
Lanyard
(SAL)
or
a
Self
‐
Retracting
Device
(SRD)
or
a
fall
arrestor
(rope
grab)
or
lifeline,
or
any
suitable
combination,
connected
to
the
dorsal
D
‐
ring
on
a
Full
Body
Harness
(FBH).
Maximum
permissible
free
fall
is
6’.
2.3
Restraint:
Restraint
systems
are
designed
to
restrain
the
user
from
reaching
a
fall
hazard
and
typically
include
an
FBH
and
a
restraint
lanyard
or
restraint
line.
Vertical
free
fall
is
not
permitted.
2
