Person fell after safety lanyard failed
Information has been passed to IMCA regarding the possible failure of a certain kind of safety lanyard owing to manufacturing defects.
The working at height equipment manufacturer, Petzl, reported that a climber fell to the ground while recreational climbing in France. According to the latest information available, the accident appears to have been the result of a manufacturing defect of the Petzl SCORPIO lanyard. The defect consisted of a missing safety stitch (bar tack) on the attachment loop.
Equipment of this sort is used by some IMCA member’s. All Members are encouraged to pass this information to the appropriate personnel and instigate appropriate checks of any similar equipment.
Further information is available from:
petzl.com/en/security-alert-0/2011/05/19/request-immediate-self-inspection-all-absorbica-energy-absorbers
An inspection procedure has been developed by the manufacturer and can be found from:
petzl.com/files/fckfiles/image/news/sport/produits/scorpio/ABSORBICA-VERIFICATION-PROCESS-EN.pdf
Safety Event
Published: 14 July 2011
Download: 
IMCA SF 06/11
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