Inspection and Periodic Examinations

Inspection Frequency

Inspect the lanyard before each use.

Formal Inspection

Periodic examinations shall be completed by a person, other than the user, competent in the examination of the lanyards, in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. The interval will be dictated by the usage, local regulations, and environmental conditions, and will be at least annually. See Table 7 Periodic Examination Interval for more information. A record shall be kept of the results of the examination.

WARNING! 

Only MSA or parties with written authorization from MSA may repair the lanyard. Do not attempt to repair or alter an MSA Lanyard.

Failure to follow this warning can result in serious personal injury or death.

MSA Lanyards are not repairable. Maximum product life: Continued use is dependent upon passing pre-use checks and periodic examinations. Service life may be reduced by frequency and conditions of use or local regulations.

WARNING! 

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MSA Lanyards shall not be altered or added to. No unauthorized repairs, modifications, alterations and/or additions are permitted.

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MSA Lanyards that have arrested a fall or are unable to pass an inspection shall be tagged “UNUSABLE” and disposed of in accordance with local regulations.

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Due to the nature of some fall arrest events, it is possible for the load indicator to not deploy. In the event that an MSA Lanyard is subjected to fall arrest forces and the load indicator does not deploy, the lanyard still must be removed from service and marked as “UNUSABLE” until it has been destroyed.

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If the load indicator is deployed, immediately remove the lanyard from service and mark it as “UNUSABLE” until it has been destroyed.

Failure to follow these warnings can result in serious personal injury or death.

Inspection Procedure

Perform the following steps in order. If in doubt about any inspection point, consult MSA or a competent person qualified to perform formal inspection. Do not use the lanyard if inspection of it reveals an unsafe condition.

1.

Inspect the lanyard labels to verify that they are present and legible. Check the formal inspection grid to be sure a formal inspection has been performed within six (6) months.

2.

Inspect energy absorbers for evidence of deployment. Remove from service and destroy energy absorbers with evidence of deployment.

3.

Inspect for elongation and/or separation of webbing layers and/or appearance of webbing outside the pouch.

4.

Inspect all fabric parts, including webbing and stitching. Remove the lanyard from service if significant fraying, severe wear, cuts, burns, abrasion, discoloration or other damage occurs.

5.

Inspect all metallic parts for evidence of damage, alteration and missing parts.

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Inspect snaphooks for deformation, fractures, cracks, corrosion, deep pitting, burrs, sharp edges, cuts, loose parts, and evidence of excessive heat or chemical exposure.

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Check snaphook function. Unlock, open, close, and lock several times. Gate must automatically close and snugly seat against nose. The locking mechanism must retain the gate tip within 1/8 inch (3 mm) of the nose when firm pressure is applied to the gate.

6.

Inspect all plastic parts for cuts, breaks, alteration, excessive wear, missing and loose parts. Inspect for evidence of burns, excessive heat or chemical attack.

7.

Inspect each component and subsystem of the complete system in accordance with the associated manufacturer’s instructions.

Corrective Action

Damage, excessive wear, and aging are generally not repairable. Tag damaged or excessively worn lanyards “UNUSABLE” and remove from service immediately. Destroy unusable lanyards.