[Introduction] Section 1 ①

1. After the enforcement date, the term “safety belt” was changed to “fall arrest equipment” in laws and regulations, and the scope and standards for the applicable equipment were also changed.

Acceptability as fall arrest is indicated as follows.

① Body belt type (single suspension): 　　〇Acceptable	② Full harness type: 　　〇Acceptable
③ Body belt (U-shaped suspension) 　　Not acceptable because it has no functionality to arrest a fall

※According to ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and other standards, there are several types of fall prevention methods (systems). Among these, there is “fall arrest,” signifying the function of the conventional safety belts and harnesses.

The “work positioning” approach such as the U-shaped suspension is a system of a different nature, so it is no longer considered as fall arrest equipment, and when used, must be used together with fall arrest equipment.

[Reference] Types of fall prevention system

※Although the term “fall arrest equipment” has come into use as the legal term, there is no problem with the use (including in posters, slogans, and the like) of the terms “safety belt,” “body belt” or “harness type safety belt” that people are accustomed to using at constructions sites, etc.

2. As a general rule, the full harness type should be used as fall arrest equipment

It has been pointed out that the “body belt type,” which has been used for a long time, carries risks such as severe shock in case of a fall. In addition, ISO and EN standards (uniform European Union Standards) generally already require the use of the full harness type, so Japan has decided to use the full harness type as a general rule in order to arrest falls.

[Standards for impact loads in fall arrest]

・Old: Safety Belt Standards ➡ 8 kN or less (Body belt type and full harness type)

・New: Fall Arrest Equipment Standards ➡ Full harness type: 6 kN or less
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 Body belt type: 4 kN or less

(In ISO, EN and other standards, the standard for the full harness type is 6 kN or less)

In addition, even if the height is 2 m or more, which is regarded as “work at a high place,” a body belt may be more advantageous at a relatively low location due to factors like the difference in the height of the D-ring with respect to collision with the ground. Therefore, as a standard unique to Japan, it has been stipulated that the body belt type (single suspension) can also be used at a height of 6.75 m or less.