Kernmantle Rope
Product Safety Advisory
13mm Yellow & Orange Kernmantle Rope
As part of 3M Personal Safety Division's ongoing commitment to delivering high-quality safety equipment we are providing this Product Advisory to notify our customers of the following information related to certain lanyard and pole strap assemblies that include 13mm yellow and/or orange kernmantle rope certified to AS/NZS 1891.1:2007.
During an internal review, 3M found our supplied 13mm yellow and orange kernmantle ropes, pictured below, are not meeting the "knotability" performance requirement for synthetic fibre ropes in section 2.4.2 (a)(ii-sub-clause AS 4142.3) of AS/NZS 1891.1:2007. Knotability refers to the flexibility of the rope and is measured by making an overhand knot in the test specimen and inserting a tapered rod through the knot whilst the sample is under a given tension, while measuring the diameter to which the tapered rod can be inserted. Lanyard and pole strap assemblies with 13mm yellow and/or orange kernmantle rope certified to AS/NZS 1891.1:2007 exceed the 1.1 ratio requirement which is the maximum diameter of the conical test rod which could past through the knot, to the nominal diameter of the rope being tested but continue to meet all other functional performance requirements as marked.
This Product Advisory does not affect any lanyard or pole strap assemblies produced with 13mm yellow and/or orange kernmantle rope certified to the latest AS 1891.5:2020 which supersedes the standard requirements of AS/NZS 1891:1:2007.
3M Personal Safety Division does not believe there is a safety concern with the certified products to the AS/NZS1891.1:2007 standard requirements when used as nominated in the product specific Instruction for Use (IFU) manual which prohibits the tying of any knots as outlined in the product specific.
We are not aware of any accidents of injuries related to the use of any 3M Fall Protection products containing the kernmantle rope. We have not received any customer complaints regarding this but have identified it through an internal review.
