Falls from height remain the leading cause of fatal injuries at work in the UK.
For sites where workers need to move across a roof, elevated structure or exposed working area, a single fixed anchor point often isn’t enough. That’s where a horizontal lifeline system comes in.
This guide explains how horizontal lifeline systems work, when they’re required, how they differ from other fall protection options and what UK regulations say about their use, installation and inspection.
Horizontal Lifeline Systems: An Overview
A horizontal lifeline system (sometimes called a mansafe system or safety lifeline) is a fall protection solution that allows workers to move across a horizontal working area whilst remaining continuously attached to a fixed structure.
It typically consists of a stainless steel cable tensioned between two or more engineered anchor posts, with workers connecting via a lanyard and a travelling device (known as a shuttle or traveller) that slides along the cable as they move.
Unlike a single anchor point, which protects a worker at one fixed location, a horizontal lifeline provides continuous protection along an entire route. The worker can traverse the full length of the line without ever needing to disconnect, which is critical where a brief moment of being unattached presents a fall risk.
How Does A Horizontal Lifeline System Work?
The core components of a horizontal lifeline system are:
- Anchor posts: Engineered steel posts fixed to the roof structure or building fabric, designed to withstand the load forces generated during a fall arrest event
- Lifeline cable: Typically 8-12mm stainless steel wire rope tensioned between the posts
- Intermediate supports: Used on longer runs to prevent excessive cable deflection
- End anchors: Fixed to walls or structural steelwork at each end of the run
- Traveller/shuttle: The device the worker’s lanyard clips to, which moves freely along the cable
When a worker falls, the cable deflects under load and the energy is distributed across the system, including the anchor posts and end terminations. This is why the system must be engineered specifically for the site as the forces involved in a fall arrest are significant. Therefore, an undersized or incorrectly installed system will not perform safely.
Horizontal Lifeline Vs Fall arrest Vs Fall Restraint
It is worth clarifying where horizontal lifelines sit within the wider fall protection hierarchy, as the terms are sometimes used loosely.
A horizontal lifeline can function as either a fall restraint or a fall arrest system, depending on how it is configured and used:
- Fall restraint: The lanyard length is set so the worker physically cannot reach the fall edge. No fall occurs; the system prevents approach to the hazard. This is the preferred configuration where geometry allows.
- Fall arrest: The worker can reach the fall edge and the system arrests a fall once it begins. The system must be designed to handle the higher dynamic load of a fall event and there must be sufficient clearance below the worker for the system to arrest the fall before they strike a lower level.
A horizontal lifeline differs from a vertical lifeline, which is used for work on ladders or vertical structures and restricts movement to a single vertical plane. Horizontal lifelines are specifically designed for lateral movement across a working area.
When Is A Horizontal Lifeline System Required?
A horizontal lifeline is appropriate wherever workers need to move across an elevated area and where collective protection (i.e. edge protection, guardrails or barriers) is not practicable.
Common applications include:
- Roof access for inspection, maintenance or installation work (solar panels, HVAC, skylights)
- Maintenance work on elevated gantries or walkways in industrial facilities
- Building maintenance on facades, gutters or edge details
- Warehouses and manufacturing facilities where work takes place at height across a wide area
- Crane manufacturing and processing environments
Under the Work at Height Regulations 2005, a horizontal lifeline falls into the personal protection category. It should only be used where collective protection is genuinely not practicable, not simply where it would be less convenient.
Temporary Vs Permanent Horizontal Lifelines
Horizontal lifeline systems are available in both permanent and temporary configurations.
Permanent systems are engineered, installed and certified for a specific structure. They are typically used where roof or elevated access is required on a regular, ongoing basis. For example, facilities with rooftop plant that requires routine maintenance. A permanent system is designed by a competent engineer to account for the structural loading capacity of the building, the number of users, the working route and the required fall clearance.
Temporary systems are portable and can be deployed and removed as required. They are suited to construction sites or one-off access requirements, but must still comply with EN 795 and be installed by a competent person. Temporary systems require careful consideration of anchor point suitability, as they rely on the structural integrity of whatever they are connected to on site.
For most commercial and industrial facilities where access is frequent, a permanent engineered system is the appropriate solution.
How Many Users Can A Horizontal Lifeline Accommodate?
The number of users a horizontal lifeline can accommodate depends on the system design and certification.
Single-user systems are the most common configuration. However, multi-person systems (collective horizontal lifelines) also exist. They are designed to accommodate two or more workers simultaneously and are subject to additional engineering requirements, including compliance with CEN/TS 16415:2013.
It is critical that the number of users never exceeds the system’s certification. The forces generated by multiple simultaneous falls can be significantly higher than a single-fall event and an undersized system may fail. The system’s design documentation will specify the maximum number of users and this must be communicated to anyone accessing the system.
Who Can Install A Horizontal Lifeline System?
Installation must be carried out by a competent person, which is someone who has the necessary skills, knowledge and experience for the task. In practice, this means a specialist fall protection contractor with demonstrable competence in the design and installation of the specific system being used.
The system should be designed by a qualified engineer who has assessed the structural capacity of the anchor points, calculated the required fall clearance and produced a site-specific design drawing and installation certificate. The installation itself should be inspected and signed off before the system is put into use.
Selecting a contractor who is a member of a recognised trade body, such as the FASET (Fall Arrest Safety Equipment Training) Association or IPAF, provides an additional layer of assurance that installation standards are being met.
Inspection And Maintenance Requirements
Like all personal fall protection equipment, horizontal lifeline systems must be subject to regular inspection. The requirements include:
- Pre-use checks by the user each time the system is accessed, which involves checking the cable for kinks, corrosion or damage, checking the traveller mechanism and confirming anchor posts are secure.
- Periodic inspection by a competent person, typically at least annually, in line with the manufacturer’s recommendations and the employer’s risk assessment.
- Post-incident inspection following any fall arrest event the system should be taken out of service immediately and inspected before being returned to use, as the forces involved may have caused hidden damage.
Records of inspection should be retained. Under LOLER, thorough examination records for lifting equipment must be kept for a defined period (at minimum until the next examination, or longer where a report has identified defects).
Want To Know More About Fall Protection For Your Site?
Metreel’s fall protection team designs and installs fall arrest and fall restraint systems for industrial and commercial environments across the UK.
If you have any questions about horizontal lifelines or any similar equipment, please get in touch.
Or, if you are ready to place an order please call us on 0115 932 7010.