What is a retractable fall arrester?

A retractable fall arrester is Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) designed to arrest a fall by shortening the fall distance whilst working at heights. When a fall occurs, the device arrests a fall by locking the line which prevents the worker from falling to the ground.

In combination with a full body harness, the retractable fall arrester serves to protects persons working at heights where a risk of a fall exists, such as scaffoldings, ladders, shafts, roofs, etc.

How does a retractable fall arrester work?

The retractable fall arrester works in a similar way as a car seat belt. The mechanism of re-coiling spring allows the galvanized steel cable or polyamide webbing to extract or to retract while keeping the cable in light tension.

In the event of a fall, the mechanism responds immediately – in case of a sudden extraction of the line, the brake system is activated which stops the fall. In order to prevent injury to the worker, the fall needs to be arrested smoothly and evenly. The disk brake inside the fall arrester helps with this as it absorbs most of the shock and only a small load is transferred to the worker’s body minimizing the risk of an injury during the fall arrest.

IKAR Fall Arresters

Currently, VERX AU offers retractable fall arresters manufactured by IKAR – a brand recognized all over the world in the height safety industry. Their fall arresters are produced for maximum safety and durability while meeting demanding conditions of at height work and complying with EN360:2002 (standard regulating retractable type fall arresters).

The main components of the devices are made from corrosion-resistant material (such as stainless steel and aluminum) and impact-resistant plastic. Because of this method of construction, IKAR’s retractable fall arresters are not just reliable, but also have low maintenance requirements.  

You can choose from two types of retractable fall arresters: with galvanized steel cable or a webbing lifeline. Browse our range of IKAR fall arresters to find the right for you and make your work at height easier and safer.