Why Doesn’t Skyline Test Manufactured Systems?

Many manufacturing systems have built-in shock absorbers. They’re designed to deploy, stretch, absorb that energy when a fall occurs. And most of these devices — when they deploy — destroy themselves. When a fall occurs, shock absorber springs, cables, lanyards, and harnesses can all stretch.

It’s important to know that when we install these fall systems, we conduct rigorous fall protection equipment testing that includes pull tests on cables to make sure the cables are installed correctly. Skyline will also check that the bolts are tight, torque is to spec, and conduct pull tests on concrete wedge anchors to make sure that they’re tight. 

The Skyline technician will not test the anchor that lifeline is connected to, because doing so would destroy the product. If you were to use the product after it shows that the fall has occurred, it’s not safe. It needs to be taken out of service. Newly installed engineered systems cannot do a pull test, but we’ll make sure that the connections are tight and everything is installed to the manufacturer’s specifications.