CSA Preface
This is the third edition of CAN/CSA-Z259.2.3, Descent devices, which is an adoption, with Canadian deviations, of ISO (International Organization for Standardization) Standard 22159 (first edition, 2007-05-15), entitled Personal equipment for protection against falls — Descending devices. The title has been changed for the CSA Group Standard to ensure continuity with previous editions of this Standard. This Standard supersedes the previous edition published in 2012 as CAN/CSA-Z259.2.3 (adopted ISO 22159:2007).
The ISO Standard was developed by ISO/TC 94/SC 4. The adoption of this ISO Standard as a National Standard of Canada is an important step in the acceptance of design data for safety equipment traded on a worldwide basis. The CSA Technical Committee on Fall Protection determined that ISO 22159 could be used as the basis of the new edition of CAN/CSA-Z259.2.3 as it most closely reflected the committee’s perspective on descent control devices and it fosters international harmonization.
In the second edition of CAN/CSA-Z259.2.3, only Type 1 and Type 3 descending devices, as classified by ISO 22159, were deemed suitable for use in the Canadian marketplace. In this, the third edition of the Standard, the CSA Technical Committee on Fall Protection has recognized the increasing use of all 6 types of descending devices in Canada and is accepting Types 1 through 6 for the Canadian marketplace.
This Standard has been developed in compliance with Standards Council of Canada requirements for National Standards of Canada. It has been published as a National Standard of Canada by CSA Group.
Scope
This International Standard specifies requirements, test methods, marking and information to be supplied by the manufacturer for descending devices. It also specifies some basic requirements for the descent lines to be used with the descending devices.
This International Standard is applicable to automatic and manually operated descending devices intended for use in the workplace in access, egress, work positioning and rescue systems. Various types and classes of descending devices are defined according to function and performance. These descending devices can be used in situations other than the workplace if adequate training and/or supervision are provided.
This International Standard is not intended to apply to descending devices used in leisure activities such as recreational climbing and caving, although its requirements can be useful in specifying such equipment.
NOTE Descending devices conforming to this International Standard can be designed for use by one or two persons simultaneously.
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