Technical bulletin

EN 795 Personal fall

protection equipment
Anchor devices
The European standard relating to the
testing of personal fall protection
equipment Anchor Devices EN 795
has been updated. The revised standard
gives far greater detail on testing and a
greater onus on the test method.

An overview of the key changes from the 1996 version of the standard are as follows:

EN 795:2012

CEN TS 16415

1. Deals specifically with single-user anchor devices.

In recognition that horizontal lifelines frequently need to

accommodate multiple users a technical specification
(CEN TS 16415) has been written to support the new
EN 795:2012 standard.

2. BS EN 795: 2012 states, Requirements and test methods for

multi-user anchor devices, i.e. anchor devices that allow more
than one user to be attached at any one time, are provided
in a separate CEN Technical Specification. This Technical
Specification is CEN/TS 16415: 2012 (see right).
3. States that in recognition of foreseeable misuse, anchor devices
intended for fall restraint must be tested for fall arrest.
4. States that U-Bolt clamps shall not be used to form
cable terminations.
5. States that static strength requirements have increased:
Metallic anchor devices now 12 kN (previously 10 kN)
Non-metallic anchor devices now 18 kN* (previously 10 kN).
*unless evidence of durability is provided.

The technical specification states:

1. Anchor devices must be compliant with EN 795: 2012.
2. Multi-user devices must now be tested to simulate a minimum of
two users falling simultaneously.
Latchways philosophy of testing products beyond the minimum
standard remains and we welcome the development of the
revised EN 795 standard and CEN TS 16415.
A copy of the new EN 795:2012 standard can be purchased
from the BSI Group website: http://shop.bsigroup.com/ or your
local standards organisation.

6. States that the anchor device shall be tested using

construction fixing(s) (e.g. clamp) and construction material(s)
(e.g. a roofing system) as recommended in the information
provided by the manufacturer.
7. Clarifies the requirements for testing a Type C horizontal flexible
anchor line (ManSafe Horizontal Cable System) which includes
the requirements to test in the longest and shortest spans, at
intermediate and corner brackets, at a joint in the line and at an
entry/exit line fitting.

EN 795 testing of a Constant Force post on a membrane roof

Constant Force is a registered trademark of Latchways plc.