Effect of Mechanical Factors on the Protective Parameters of Textile Elements in Personal Equipment Protecting Against Falls from a Height

Assurance of consistent protective parameters throughout the whole period of use is one of the more important problems associated with personal equipment containing textile elements that protects against falls from a height. The most important factors causing mechanical damage to such equipment are indicated in the paper, which also presents the methods and test stands used for conducting tests involving the application of loads to the equipment under static and dynamic conditions with simultaneous exposure to additional mechanical factors. Such factors comprised friction against steel and concrete elements of specially devised shapes, simulating the effect of the worksite edge during a fall arrest. The results obtained demonstrated that an additional factor such as friction against an obstacle significantly decreases the mechanical strength, creating unfavorable conditions for a fall arrest. Thus, it can be concluded that if personal protective equipment protecting against falls from a height is to be used under conditions including potential exposure to additional mechanical factors, it must be characterised by special protective properties.