A fall-arrest system for a person climbing a ladder 7 comprises an elongate track, provided as a flexible belt 8, securable to the ladder. In one embodiment a sliding device 13 is coupled to the track. The sliding device incorporates a locking mechanism configured to allow the device to freely slide along the track during normal ascent/descent of the ladder and to automatically lock the device to the track in the event of the person falling from the ladder. Alternatively, the track may be provided as a continuous loop (34, Fig 10) disposed around pulleys (36, 37, Fig 10) rotably mounted at the upper and lower ends of the ladder. A coupling device (35, Fig 10) is attached to the continuous belt, with movement of the device during normal ascent/descent of the ladder driving rotation of the belt about the pulleys. One of the pulleys incorporates a braking mechanism which is configured to automatically stop rotation of the continuous belt around the pulleys in the event of a fall from the ladder. A safety line 12 extends from the sliding/coupling device for attachment to a harness worn by the person climbing or descending the ladder.
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