A portable extendable ladder incorporating a fall arrest system that limits the impact forces on the user and the ladder

摘要

A fall arrest system for a ladder 1 that is substantially within the confines of the ladder has an energy absorbing device 5 situated above the user that may be pneumatic or mechanical in operation. A rope 2 extends from the energy absorbing device down the length of one side of the ladder and has a rope grab device 3 to which the users harness is attached. The harness is attached by way of a semi-rigid lanyard, which is preferably constructed of a stiff textile webbing 6 with a stiffening component 7. A further lanyard 8 connects the users harness to the opposite side of the ladder to the rope grab device in order to prevent a falling user from approaching too near that edge of the ladder. The energy absorbing device is preferably a cylinder containing a plurality of elastomeric cushions (12, fig 6) interspersed by spacers (13, fig 6).