Guidance Notes

WAHSA has produced a series of Technical Guidance notes to assist specifiers, managers and end users of fall protection equipment.

The WAHSA Technical Guidance Notes are a free resource, provided and maintained by WAHSA and its member companies for reference.

Please use this section of our website as a library and refer to them online whenever you need.

We recommend that you avoid downloading or printing them to ensure you always access the most up to date information.

  • Technical guidance notes

    • tng-01

      TGN01 (formerly TGN02)
      GUIDANCE ON THE SELECTION, USE, MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF RETRACTABLE TYPE FALL ARRESTERS

      This guidance note gives guidance on the selection, use, maintenance and inspection of retractable type fall arresters for work at height. These products are commonly known as ‘fall arrest blocks’ in Europe and ‘self retracting lifelines’ (SRLs) in North America. Another term often used is ‘inertia reels’.
      > Download

      tng-02

      TGN02 (formerly TGN04)
      GUIDANCE ON THE USE OF SINGLE AND TWIN ENERGY ABSORBING LANYARDS

      This guidance note gives guidance on the selection, use, maintenance and inspection of energy absorbing lanyards for work at height. Fatalities have occurred in the UK and elsewhere owing to the failure of energy absorbing lanyards. As is the case with most accidents, the failures could be attributable to a failure of the product, a failure of the user to use the product correctly, or a combination of both.
      > Download

      tng-03

      TGN03 (formerly TGN06)
      GUIDANCE ON INSPECTING EYEBOLTS FOR PERSONAL FALL PROTECTION

      This guidance note gives guidance on carrying out periodic examinations on Class A1 Anchor Devices in accordance with BS EN 795: 2012 and by the recommendations of BS 7883: 2005. It offers general advice about the types of issues which should be considered but does not give detailed guidance on specific procedures or indicate whether individual methods might be preferable.
      UNDER REVIEW – please use the “Ask and Expert” feature for any assistance

      tng-04

      TGN04 (formerly TGN08)
      GUIDANCE ON THE SELECTION, USE, MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF ANCHOR DEVICES

      This guidance note gives guidance on the selection, use, maintenance and inspection of anchor devices for work at height that meet the requirement for PPE to be subjected to a prescribed assessment procedure and CE marked as contained in the Council Directive 89/686/EEC (The Personal Protective Equipment Directive) which was enacted in UK law by The Personal Protective Equipment Regulations (the PPE regulations).
      UNDER REVIEW – please use the “Ask and Expert” feature for any assistance

      tng-05

      TGN05 (formerly TGN09)
      GUIDANCE ON THE SELECTION, USE, MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF CONNECTORS

      This guidance note gives guidance on the selection, use, maintenance and inspection of connectors for work at height. These products are commonly known as karabiners or snaphooks.
      > Download

      tng-06

      TGN06 (formerly TGN10)
      GUIDANCE ON THE USE AND INSPECTION OF MOBILE MAN ANCHORS TO BS EN 795 CLASS E

      This leaflet is designed to give guidance on deadweight anchors certified to BS EN 795 Class E:2012 and in accordance with the recommendations of BS 7883: 2005.
      > Download

      tng-07

      TGN07
      GUIDANCE ON THE SUITABILITY OF ABSEIL RAILS. DESIGN, SELECTION, USE, MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION

      This guidance note gives advice on the design, selection, use, maintenance and inspection of abseil rails for use with abseiling/rope access techniques. These rails are designed to provide an unquestionably reliable anchor to allow abseil access from a structure.
      > Download

      tng-08

      TGN08
      GUIDANCE ON CONNECTOR SAFETY

      An industrial near miss occurred in which a double action snap hook disconnected from the safety system. The gate locking mechanism was depressed against the users body, allowing the main gate to open and release the rope.
      > Download

  • Practical guidance notes

    • png-01

      PGN01 (formerly TGN01)
      CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE USE OF PERSONAL FALL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT

      This information sheet gives very brief guidance on points to consider when selecting and using personal fall protection equipment such as anchor devices, harnesses and lanyards.
      > Download

      png-02

      PGN02 (formerly TGN03)
      GUIDANCE ON INSPECTING PERSONAL FALL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT

      This guidance note gives guidance on the interpretation of Regulation 12 of the Work at Height Regulations, 2005 (WAHR) which sets out duties for the inspection of work equipment.
      > Download

      png-03

      PGN03 (formerly TGN05)
      GUIDANCE ON RESCUE DURING WORK AT HEIGHT

      This guidance note gives guidance on the interpretation of Regulation 12 of the Work at Height Regulations, 2005 (WAHR) which sets out duties for the inspection of work equipment.
      > Download

      png-04

      PGN04 (formerly TGN11)
      GUIDANCE ON BASIC CASUALTY HANDLING

      This guidance note gives guidance to those personnel who may find themselves the senior person (Manager) at a location following an incident resulting in a medical emergency. It is intended to give some basic understanding of the systems and the competence required to control the situation in the best way following an injury to a person. This technical guidance note does not give sufficient detail to be used in any way as a replacement for a medical qualification and should only be used a reference document.
      > Download

      png-05

      PGN05 (formerly TGN12)
      GUIDANCE ON THE RISKS OF WORKING IN CONFINED SPACES

      This guidance note give guidance on the dangers and risk consideration, regulations, training, selection of equipment and required procedures related to working or accessing a confined space.
      > Download

      png-06

      PGN06
      GUIDANCE ON CE MARKING

      This guidance note gives guidance to users and specifiers on why some equipment is CE Marked whilst other equipment is not.
      > Download

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      PGN07
      GUIDANCE ON USING AND SPECIFYING TOOL LANYARDS FOR WORK AT HEIGHT ACTIVITIES

      This guidance note gives guidance to users and specifiers in the selection and use of tool lanyards for work at height activities.
      > Download

      png-08

      PG08
      GUIDANCE ON PERSONAL FALL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT AND USER BODY MASS

      This guidance note gives guidance to users and specifiers in the selection and use of FPFE when taking user body mass into consideration.
      > Download

      png-09

      PG09
      GUIDANCE ON INSTRUCTION FOR USE _ FALL PROTECTION / RESCUE EQUIPMENT

      This information sheet is intended to give a brief overview of the main types of rope used for fall arrest and work positioning.
      > Download

      png-10

      PG10
      GUIDANCE ON SELECTION, USE, MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF ROPES FOR WORK AT HEIGHT

      This information sheet gives very brief guidance on points to consider once equipment has been selected and prior to undertaking any specific task.
      > Download

  • Reference guidance notes

    • rng-01

      RGN 1
      REFERENCE INFORMATION FOR WORK AT HEIGHT – REGULATIONS

      This information sheet is a reference guide to sources of information relating to work at height and rescue in a wide range of industries.
      > Download

      rng-02

      RGN 2
      REFERENCE INFORMATION FOR WORK AT HEIGHT – HSE RESOURCES

      This information sheet is a reference guide to sources of information relating to work at height and rescue in a wide range of industries.
      > Download

      rng-03

      RGN 3
      REFERENCE INFORMATION FOR WORK AT HEIGHT – EUROPEAN AND BRITISH STANDARDS

      This information sheet is a reference guide to sources of information relating to work at height and rescue in a wide range of industries.
      UNDER REVIEW – please use the “Ask and Expert” feature for any assistance

      rng-04

      RGN 4
      REFERENCE INFORMATION FOR WORK AT HEIGHT – EUROPEAN DIRECTIVES AND GUIDANCE

      This information sheet is a reference guide to sources of information relating to work at height and rescue in a wide range of industries.
      UNDER REVIEW – please use the “Ask and Expert” feature for any assistance

      rng-05

      RGN 5
      REFERENCE INFORMATION FOR WORK AT HEIGHT – INDUSTRY GUIDANCE

      This information sheet is a reference guide to sources of information relating to work at height and rescue in a wide range of industries.
      > Download

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