ISO 16024:2005

Overview

ISO 16024:2005 - Personal protective equipment for protection against falls from a height - Flexible horizontal lifeline systems - specifies design and performance requirements, test methods, user instructions, marking and labelling for flexible horizontal lifeline systems. The standard applies to systems intended for use by up to three persons simultaneously and covers the system from end anchor connector to end anchor connector (it does not cover the end anchors themselves). It is focused on flexible lifelines (wire rope, fibre rope, webbing) and excludes rigid rail systems, flexible guardrails, hand lines and work‑positioning anchor lines.

Key topics and requirements

• Scope and intended use: Systems exclusively for attachment of personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect against falls from height; ergonomic and operational limits defined.
• Design requirements: Criteria for layouts, configurations and traceability of design to test results; limitations on designs necessary for safe, durable service.
• Performance limits: System shall limit maximum arrest force transmitted to the harness attachment to 6 kN (or national values where applicable) and ensure a minimum post‑fall clearance of 1.0 m.
• Components covered: Flexible horizontal lifelines, in‑line fittings, anchor connectors, intermediate anchor connectors, mobile attachment devices and lifeline energy absorbers.
• Testing and verification: Dynamic performance, static residual strength, in‑line fitting and intermediate connector strength, corrosion resistance and traceable verification tests (including sample procedures in Annex A).
• User information: Required user instructions, marking and labelling to ensure safe installation, use, inspection and maintenance.
• Environmental and compatibility considerations: Operation at site environmental conditions, compatibility with other personal fall protection components (see ISO 10333 series); some mobile attachment devices are not interchangeable between systems.

Applications and users

Practical applications include temporary and permanent fall‑protection installations where safe access cannot be provided-such as building maintenance, roofing, industrial plant work and short‑duration access tasks. Primary users of ISO 16024:2005:

• Manufacturers and designers of flexible horizontal lifeline systems
• Safety engineers, specifiers and system installers
• Certification and testing laboratories
• Occupational safety managers and procurement teams
• Training providers and facility owners implementing rescue and inspection procedures

Related standards

• ISO 10333 series (personal fall‑arrest systems: harnesses, lanyards, energy absorbers, connectors, system tests)
• ISO 9227 (salt spray corrosion testing)
• ISO 9000 (quality management guidance referenced)

ISO 16024:2005 is essential when specifying, manufacturing, testing or installing flexible horizontal lifeline systems to ensure compliance, traceable performance and safe fall‑protection outcomes.