EN 1496 sets the requirements for rescue lifting devices. Where a descender (EN 341) lowers a person, a lifting device raises them — which is decisive in confined-space work.
Classes
- Class A
- Lifting only
- Class B
- Lifting and lowering
Typical configuration
The standard confined-space entry system is a tripod (or portable davit) carrying two devices: a retractable fall arrester (EN 360) with integrated recovery, and a separate winch. The entrant wears a full body harness (EN 361), with an attendant permanently stationed at the top.
A sobering statistic: a large share of confined-space fatalities are would-be rescuers who entered without equipment. That is precisely why a lifting device and training are mandatory — recovery must be possible from outside, without entering.