HSENI Safety Alert – Product Recall for Unbranded Twistlok Carabiners, Rope Pulleys and Swing Swivels presenting a serious risk of injuries
Date published:
Introduction
HSENI have received a Product Recall for unbranded Twistlok Carabiners, Rope Pulleys and Swing Swivels (2604-0075) presenting a serious risk of injuries.
Issue
The products present a risk of serious injury because:
- these products are classified as Category III personal protective equipment (PPE), failure of such equipment may expose users to serious injury or death, particularly when used for protection against risks such as falls from height
- there has been one reported instance of mechanical failure involving a carabiner of this type, in which the turn lock sleeve spring failed to engage properly, allowing the gate to open during equipment set up - this creates a risk of unintended detachment during use, which could result in a fall from height
- the supplier has been unable to provide a valid declaration of conformity for these products, furthermore, the EC type examination certificates provided have been confirmed by the named notified body to be counterfeit, as the original certificates were issued to a different manufacturer and expired in 2024
Due to the reported mechanical failure, the use of counterfeit certification, and the absence of evidence of a valid conformity assessment, the products cannot be relied upon to provide the level of protection required for Category III PPE, posing a serious risk to users.
The product does not meet the requirements of the Regulation (EU) 2016/425 on Personal Protective Equipment.
Affected products
As the affected products are not labelled or branded, please find images of affected products below:
Action required
Check
The products have been withdrawn from the market and recalled by Securit Ropes & Packaging Limited.
However, anyone who has purchased any of the pieces of equipment highlighted in the publication above should review their purchase and are recommended to confirm authenticity of the product with your supplier.
The components must not be supplied or used in applications where they form part of a safety critical connection system, including connection systems used for safety harnesses and fall arrest equipment until verified.
Corrective action
Suppliers and distributors of similar CE marked components are urged to verify the authenticity of the conformity documentation accompanying those products. Any supplier that has been provided with the EU type examination certificates shown in the photographs attached to this alert should immediately withdraw the affected products from sale and recall all supplied items from their customers.
In this case, the certificates accompanying the product were found to be counterfeit, despite referencing a legitimate Notified Body. The Notified Body concerned confirmed that it did not issue the certificates.
Suppliers of similar CE marked components should:
- verify the authenticity of the certificate directly with the issuing Notified Body where there is any doubt
- check that the Notified Body/Approved Body named on the certificate is appropriately designated and acting within its scope
To verify the designation and scope of the body, the following resources can be used:
- for EU Notified Bodies: Notified Bodies (NANDO) - (European Commission Official Website)
- for UK Conformity Assessment Bodies: Find a UK Market Conformity Assessment Body (GOV.UK Official Website)
Additional information
PSD notification number: 2604-0075.
Notified by: Health and Safety Executive