Fall arrest
Fall arrest: a personal safety system (harness, lanyard, anchor) that stops a fall in progress. AS/NZS 1891.1:2020. Used when passive edge protection is not practicable.
Ask Chalkline about this →A fall-arrest system is personal protective equipment that stops a fall after it has started. The system typically comprises a full-body harness, a connecting lanyard or self-retracting lifeline (SRL), and an anchor point rated to absorb the arrest load. Unlike edge protection (which prevents a fall from occurring), fall arrest is an active control: the worker must be correctly fitted, connected, and working within the system’s rated range for it to function.
Also known as: fall-arrest system, personal fall arrest, harness and lanyard, inertia reel, self-retracting lanyard (SRL).
Category: WHS / Working at heights
The current Australian standard for full-body harnesses is AS/NZS 1891.1:2020 (verified 2026-05-10). Fall-arrest systems sit below passive fall-prevention controls (guardrails, scaffold, edge protection) in the hierarchy of controls because they rely on correct use. The free-fall distance and arrest force must be calculated before the system is used: an anchor too low or a lanyard too long can allow a worker to strike the surface before arrest occurs. On residential construction sites, fall arrest is used for tasks where passive protection is not reasonably practicable, such as work on pitched roofs and gable-end framing.
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Last updated: 2026-05-10. Verified: 2026-05-10. Quarterly review for currency.