Publishing and copyright information

The BSI copyright notice displayed in this document indicates when the document was last issued.

© The British Standards Institution 2024

Published by BSI Standards Limited 2024

ISBN 978 0 539 21436 9

ICS 13.340; 13.340.60

The following BSI references relate to the work on this document:
Committee reference PH/5
Draft for comment 24/30452842 DC

Foreword

Publishing information

This British Standard is published by BSI Standards Limited, under licence from The British Standards Institution, and came into effect on 30 November 2024. It was prepared by Technical Committee PH/5, Personal Fall Protection. A list of organizations represented on this committee can be obtained on request to the committee manager.

Information about this document

Audit. Users of this British Standard are advised to consider the desirability of third-party auditing of processes specified in this British Standard. Users seeking assistance in identifying appropriate conformity assessment bodies or schemes may ask BSI to forward their enquiries to the relevant association.

This publication can be withdrawn, revised, partially superseded or superseded. Information regarding the status of this publication can be found in the Standards Catalogue on the BSI website at knowledge.bsigroup.com, or by contacting the Customer Services team.

Where websites and webpages have been cited, they are provided for ease of reference and are correct at the time of publication. The location of a webpage or website, or its contents, cannot be guaranteed.

Presentational conventions

The provisions of this document are presented in roman (i.e. upright) type. Its requirements are expressed in sentences in which the principal auxiliary verb is “shall”.

Commentary, explanation and general informative material is presented in smaller italic type, and does not constitute a normative element.

Where words have alternative spellings, the preferred spelling of the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary is used (e.g. “organization” rather than “organisation”).

Contractual and legal considerations

This publication has been prepared in good faith, however no representation, warranty, assurance or undertaking (express or implied) is or will be made, and no responsibility or liability is or will be accepted by BSI in relation to the adequacy, accuracy, completeness or reasonableness of this publication. All and any such responsibility and liability is expressly disclaimed to the full extent permitted by the law.

This publication is provided as is, and is to be used at the recipient’s own risk.

The recipient is advised to consider seeking professional guidance with respect to its use of this publication.

This publication is not intended to constitute a contract. Users are responsible for its correct application.

Compliance with a British Standard cannot confer immunity from legal obligations.

Section 1 General

0 Introduction

1 Scope

This British Standard specifies provider competencies in manufacturing, fabricating, specifying, designing, installing, maintaining, inspecting and training on PFPS in order to verify competence in carrying out specific roles.

NOTE 1 A person might hold more than one role, e.g. system designer and installer.

NOTE 2 Relevant standards for the manufacture of anchor systems include BS EN 795, PD CEN/TS 16415, BS EN 353‑1, BS EN 353‑2, BS EN 17235, BS EN 50308 and BS 8610.

NOTE 3 Recommendations and guidance for the selection, use and maintenance of PFPS and equipment for use in the workplace is given in BS 8437; recommendations and guidance on the use of rope access methods for industrial purposes are given in BS 7985.

NOTE 4 Relevant standards for the manufacture of personal fall protection equipment (PFPE) which are specified and sometimes supplied as part of a PFPS include BS EN 353‑1, BS EN 353‑2, BS EN 354, BS EN 355, BS EN 358, BS EN 360, BS EN 361, BS EN 362, BS EN 795.

NOTE 5 Relevant standards, guidance, etc. for the design, installation and inspection of PFPS include BS 7883, Industrial Rope Access Trade Association (IRATA) ICoP [5], including relevant annexes, such as Annex F.

This British Standard is intended for use by the duty holder and is relevant to providers involved with PFPS, including:

manufacturers and fabricators;
system designers;
installers;
inspectors;
trainers; and
other interested parties, e.g. architects and structural engineers, and those responsible for the design of safe access and egress on buildings and structures.

NOTE 6 As other systems, e.g. fixed ladders, edge protection systems (fixed or counterweighted), gantries, etc. might be provided in conjunction with PFPS to form safe access strategies, this British Standard is also relevant to providers in other similar industry sectors. Relevant standards for the manufacture of fixed ladders, edge protection systems, gantries, etc. include BS 4211, BS 13700, BS EN 13374, BS EN ISO 14122‑1, BS EN ISO 14122‑2, BS EN ISO 14122‑3, BS EN ISO 14122‑4.

2 Normative references

3 Terms and definitions

Section 2 Duty holder

4 Duty holder

Section 3 Provider – General requirements

5 General

6 Management system

Section 4 Provider – Role-specific requirements

7 Trainer

8 Manufacturer and/or fabricator

9 Contractor

10 System designer

11 Structural engineer

12 Installer

13 Inspector

Section 5 External audit

14 External auditor

15 Auditing process

Bibliography

BS 8681:2024

Personal fall protection equipment. Anchor systems. Specification for provider competence

Current

Published:

30 Nov 2024