Fall protection slings EN 795 – anchor straps for reinforced concrete
A fall protection sling is an anchor device made from heavy-duty polyester webbing and finished with a steel D-ring, so that the personal protective equipment (PPE) of operatives working at height can be clipped on safely. The fall arrest sling creates a temporary anchor point on site wherever collective protection cannot be installed – at lift shaft openings, balconies, terraces or material loading platforms. It is fixed directly to the reinforced concrete structure: cast into the concrete before pouring, or bolted to a finished slab or wall with a mechanical anchor. Once the work is over, the webbing is simply cut through. Fall protection slings are tested and certified to Class A1 of EN 795 and are designed for one person at a time. In building and industrial construction, keeping people safe at height – temporarily and permanently – calls for solutions that are reliable, certified and quick to install.
Where fall protection slings are used on site
A fall arrest sling is a temporary solution, intended to last for the duration of the works. The webbing is flexible: once the slab or column has been struck, the anchor loop hangs freely at the operative’s hand height and does not obstruct the trades that follow. The end loops are fitted with heavy-duty steel D-rings or reinforced protective sleeves that resist abrasion and weathering. The sling suits work involving little movement and short exposure to the risk of a fall from height. Typical installation points are:
- doorway openings of lift shafts and stairwells,
- balconies, loggias and terraces during finishing works,
- material loading platforms and crane unloading zones,
- slab edges and service openings in floor slabs,
- flat and pitched roofs, bridge and viaduct decks,
- roof voids and high loft spaces.
Where the works run for a long time, or where several operatives are exposed at once, collective protection is the better answer – safety nets. A fall protection sling is used only where such a solution cannot be installed.
Our range of fall arrest slings
Depending on the stage of the construction site and the nature of the structure, we supply three main series of fall protection slings:
Cast-in fall arrest slings – T65 and T90HD series
This version is installed before concreting. The webbing loop is passed around the reinforcing bars and the rest of the device is led out beyond the formwork. Once the concrete has set, only the steel D-ring protrudes from the structure:
- T65 series is fixed to the soffit and hangs downwards, so that the D-ring sits at the operative’s hand height – this gives an attachment in fall factor 0;
- T90HD series is cast into the floor and protrudes above its surface – the solution intended for work on roofs, pitched surfaces and bridge decks. Very high working load of 2500 daN. The protruding loop allows a harness snap hook or a self-retracting lanyard to be clipped on in seconds.
A cast-in fall arrest sling requires no drilling into the finished structure and does not breach the insulation or the watertightness of the slab. To protect an entire formwork area, where a horizontal lifeline is needed for several operatives, we recommend our MARCELINO system.
Mechanically fixed anchor sling – TAC 35 series
Where the structure has already been concreted, or an anchor point turns out to be needed somewhere that was not planned for, the mechanically fixed version is used. The webbing ends in an eye that screws into an expansion anchor set in the slab or the wall. The manufacturer’s certificate covers the complete assembly – the sling together with its fixing – and that matters in practice: a certificate for the device alone, without a certified anchor, does not confirm the load capacity of the whole set. When fixing to a wall, the plane of the eye must be set vertically.
How a fall arrest sling works – installation and removal
The device has two ends. The first is a loop without a D-ring; this end stays inside the structure. The second is the steel D-ring, to which the user clips the snap hook of a safety harness or a self-retracting lanyard conforming to EN 360. A plastic capsule protects the webbing where it meets the steel: the capsule may be scuffed but must not be cracked – otherwise the device has to be replaced. Knots must never be tied in the webbing.
Installation rules that determine safety:
- the supporting structure is always reinforced concrete: minimum 200 kg/cm² for the T65 series and minimum 175 kg/cm² for the T90HD and TAC 35 series;
- the device must not be used until the concrete has reached that strength;
- the recommended position is 1–1.5 m behind the operative approaching the slab edge;
- after installation on a mechanical anchor, the fixing should be checked with an axial load of 5 kN for at least 15 seconds;
- the month and year of installation must be punched on the label – a device without that date has to be removed from site immediately.
Removal is just as simple: a sharp knife and a cut through the webbing at the concrete surface. Nothing is left protruding that would later have to be made safe. Where devices are cast into a roof deck or a bridge deck, the need to reseal the installation point should be assessed once they have been removed.
Models and lengths of fall protection slings
The webbing length is matched to the storey height, so that the steel D-ring sits at the operative’s hand height rather than above their head:
| Model | Webbing length | Installation | Typical application |
|---|---|---|---|
| T65S | 85 cm | cast in, to the soffit | residential buildings – floor-to-floor up to 270 cm |
| T65L | 131 cm | cast in, to the soffit | hotels and offices – floor-to-floor up to 300 cm |
| T65XL | 232 cm | cast in, to the soffit | roof voids – floor-to-floor up to 425 cm |
| T65XXX | made to measure | cast in, to the soffit | non-standard heights, no floor-to-floor limit |
| T90HD | 50 cm | cast into the floor | roofs, bridge and viaduct decks |
| TAC 35 | 75 / 150 / 250 cm | mechanical anchor | slab or wall, material loading platforms |
Intermediate lengths are available to order.
Legal basis – Class A1 anchor device to EN 795
The standard EN 795 “Personal fall protection equipment – Anchor devices” divides anchor devices into six classes. Cast-in fall protection slings belong to Class A1: structural anchor points, permanently fixed to the structure, with a minimum strength of 10 kN in the direction of a possible fall. The remaining classes – from A2 through to E – are described in full in our guide to EN 795 anchor devices.
The anchor point is only one component of the system. It works together with:
- a full body harness to EN 361,
- a self-retracting lanyard to EN 360, or a guided type fall arrester on a flexible anchor line to EN 353-2,
- an energy absorber to EN 355, where the configuration calls for one.
AITANA SAFETY – complete fall protection and anchor systems
For more than ten years we have supplied anchor devices tested by independent notified bodies to EN 795. Alongside fall arrest slings, our range includes:
- Class A anchor points – for concrete, timber, steel and trapezoidal sheeting,
- MARCELINO temporary horizontal lifeline – AEM-04 posts with a horizontal webbing line for formwork areas,
- counterweight roof anchors – Class E, for flat roofs,
- rigid rails – Class D,
- ground anchoring points – for embankments and work on soil.
We match the solution to the individual project: the type of structure, the number of operatives and the duration of the works.
FAQ – Frequently asked questions about fall protection slings
What standards must fall protection slings meet?
The basis is EN 795 “Personal fall protection equipment – Anchor devices”. Fall arrest slings cast into a reinforced concrete structure are certified to Class A1, that is, as structural anchor points with a strength of not less than 10 kN in the direction of a possible fall.
The mechanically fixed version (TAC 35) holds an EN 795 Type A certificate that covers the fixing itself as well. That is an important difference: a certificate for the device without a certified anchor does not confirm the load capacity of the whole set.
An anchor point does not work on its own. The equipment clipped to it has standards of its own: EN 361 for full body harnesses, EN 360 for self-retracting lanyards, EN 353-2 for guided type fall arresters on a flexible anchor line and EN 355 for energy absorbers. Selection, use and inspection of the complete system are governed by EN 365.
Council Directive 89/391/EEC gives priority to collective protective equipment over personal protective equipment, so anchor points are used only where collective protection cannot be installed. National construction regulations apply on top of that and differ from country to country – in Poland, for example, guardrails are named as the primary protective measure. The classification of all six classes is set out in our guide to EN 795 anchor points.
Do fall protection slings require periodic inspection?
Yes. As personal protective equipment they must be inspected by a competent person at least once every 12 months, in accordance with EN 365. On site, a visual check before every use applies as well. What is checked: abrasion, any reduction in the cross-section of the webbing, loose stitching threads and the condition of the plastic capsule.
Is a fall protection sling single-use once it has arrested a fall?
Yes. After a fall has been arrested the device must be withdrawn from site immediately and must not be repaired. The same rule applies to a device with no label, with no punched installation date, with abraded webbing or with a cracked protective capsule. A fall arrest sling is single-use in a second sense too: once it has been removed – that is, once the webbing has been cut – it cannot be installed again.
Can one fall arrest sling be used by several operatives at the same time?
No. In line with EN 795 Class A1 / Type A and with the manufacturer’s instructions, both the cast-in series (T65, T90HD) and the mechanically fixed version (TAC 35) are intended to protect one user only at any one time.
How long can a fall protection sling stay in service?
The manufacturer sets two limits and whichever expires first applies. For the T65 series and TAC 35 it is 24 months from installation and 48 months from the date of manufacture. For the T90HD series it is 18 months from installation and 4 years from the date of manufacture. That is precisely why the month and year of installation are punched on the label; a device without that date must be removed from site immediately. The working temperature range is –30 °C to +50 °C for the T65 series, up to +45 °C for the T90HD and up to +35 °C for the TAC 35.
Are anchor slings suitable for rope access and work in suspension?
No. Fall protection slings are fall arrest devices – they are designed to stop a fall from height. They are not stable support points for sustained work in suspension or for rope access.
Do you need a complete fall protection system for your site?
Fall protection slings are only one part of protecting workstations at height properly. See every solution and device available in our main guide, Roof anchoring devices certified to EN 795 – it covers all six classes of the standard and how to choose between them.
Need help choosing the fall protection system best suited to your site? Get in touch. Where the job calls for it, we will propose a solution for a larger number of operatives.