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NFPA 1983: Standard on Life Safety Rope and Equipment for Emergency Services

2017 NFPA 1983 Standard - Current Edition
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  • Description

    Protect responders during emergency operations -- insist on top-quality gear as specified by the 2017 edition of NFPA 1983.

    Completely reorganized for easy referencing and updated for today's challenges and current equipment, NFPA 1983: Standard on Life Safety Rope and Equipment for Emergency Services specifies current minimum requirements for the design, performance, testing, and certification of life safety rope and associated equipment used to support emergency services personnel and civilians during rescue, fire fighting, or other emergency operations, or during training evolutions.

    Provisions address each individual piece of auxiliary equipment, including:

    • Life safety rope
    • Personal escape rope
    • Harnesses
    • Belts
    • Throwlines
    • Hardware

    Where the manufacturer produces a "system" combining specified rope and equipment items, that combination is tested and certified as a system. Items of equipment not assembled as a system are certified individually.

    The 2017 edition of NFPA 1983 aligns requirements for easier access:

    To make the Standard easier for members of the fire service to follow and understand, changes in this edition matched up the requirements in:

    • Chapter 5: Labeling and Information
    • Chapter 6: Design and Construction Requirements
    • Chapter 7: Performance Requirements 

    Corresponding changes in Chapter 1 address the scope and purpose of the Standard, paving the way for proposed NFPA 1858, an all-new selection, care, and maintenance Standard directly related to 1983.

    Update to the latest NFPA 1983 and ensure responders are properly equipped for safe and successful emergency operations. (Print, 90 pp., 2017)

     

    Interested in other editions of NFPA 1983? Use the drop down menu above to select the edition year you need.

  • Table of Contents (2017 Current Edition)

    NFPA® 1983 Standard on Life Safety Rope and Equipment for Emergency Services, 2017 Edition

    Chapter 1 Administration
    1.1 Scope.
    1.2 Purpose.
    1.3 Application.
    1.4 Units.
    Chapter 2 Referenced Publications
    2.1 General.
    2.2 NFPA Publications.
    2.3 Other Publications.
    2.4 References for Extracts in Mandatory Sections. (Reserved)
    Chapter 3 Definitions
    3.1 General.
    3.2 NFPA Official Definitions.
    3.3 General Definitions.
    Chapter 4 Certification
    4.1 General.
    4.2 Certification Program.
    4.3 Inspection and Testing.
    4.4 Recertification.
    4.5 Manufacturer’s Quality Assurance Program.
    4.6 Hazards Involving Compliant Product.
    4.7 Manufacturers’ Investigation of Complaints and Returns.
    4.8 Manufacturers’ Safety Alert and Product Recall Systems.
    Chapter 5 Labeling and Information
    5.1 Life Safety Rope.
    5.2 Escape Rope.
    5.3 Escape Webbing.
    5.4 Fire Escape Rope.
    5.5 Fire Escape Webbing.
    5.6 Throwlines.
    5.7 Moderate Elongation Laid Life-Saving Rope.
    5.8 Manufacturer-Supplied Eye Termination.
    5.9 Life Safety Harnesses.
    5.10 Belts.
    5.11 Victim Extrication Devices.
    5.12 End-to-End Straps.
    5.13 Multiple Configuration Straps.
    5.14 Belay Devices.
    5.15 Carabiners and Snap Links.
    5.16 Descent Control Devices.
    5.17 Escape Anchors.
    5.18 Litters.
    5.19 Portable Anchors.
    5.20 Pulleys.
    5.21 Rope Grabs and Ascending Devices.
    5.22 Other Auxiliary Equipment.
    5.23 Escape Systems.
    5.24 Fire Escape Systems.
    5.25 Manufactured Systems.
    Chapter 6 Design and Construction Requirements
    6.1 Life Safety Rope.
    6.2 Escape Rope.
    6.3 Escape Webbing.
    6.4 Fire Escape Rope.
    6.5 Fire Escape Webbing.
    6.6 Throwlines.
    6.7 Moderate Elongation Laid Life-Saving Rope.
    6.8 Manufacturer-Supplied Eye Termination.
    6.9 Life Safety Harnesses.
    6.10 Belts.
    6.11 Victim Extrication Devices.
    6.12 End-to-End Straps.
    6.13 Multiple Configuration Straps.
    6.14 Belay Devices.
    6.15 Carabiners and Snap Links.
    6.16 Descent Control Devices.
    6.17 Escape Anchors.
    6.18 Litters.
    6.19 Portable Anchors.
    6.20 Pulleys.
    6.21 Rope Grabs and Ascending Devices.
    6.22 Other Auxiliary Equipment.
    6.23 Escape Systems.
    6.24 Fire Escape Systems.
    6.25 Manufactured Systems.
    Chapter 7 Performance Requirements
    7.1 Life Safety Rope Performance Requirements.
    7.2 Escape Rope Performance Requirements.
    7.3 Escape Webbing Performance Requirements.
    7.4 Fire Escape Rope Performance Requirements.
    7.5 Fire Escape Webbing Performance Requirements.
    7.6 Throwline Performance Requirements.
    7.7 Moderate Elongation Laid Life-Saving Rope Performance Requirements.
    7.8 Manufacturer-Supplied Eye Termination Performance Requirements.
    7.9 Life Safety Harness Performance Requirements.
    7.10 Belt Performance Requirements.
    7.11 Victim Extrication Device Performance Requirements.
    7.12 End-to-End Strap Performance Requirements.
    7.13 Multiple Configuration Strap Performance Requirements.
    7.14 Belay Device Performance Requirements.
    7.15 Carabiner and Snap-Link Performance Requirements.
    7.16 Descent Control Device Performance Requirements.
    7.17 Escape Anchor Device Performance Requirements.
    7.18 Litter Performance Requirements.
    7.19 Portable Anchor Performance Requirements.
    7.20 Pulley Performance Requirements.
    7.21 Rope Grab and Ascending Device Performance Requirements.
    7.22 Other Auxiliary Equipment Performance Requirements.
    7.23 Escape System Performance Requirements.
    7.24 Fire Escape System Performance Requirements.
    7.25 Manufactured System Performance Requirements.
    Chapter 8 Test Methods
    8.1 Sample Preparation Procedures.
    8.2 Rope Breaking and Elongation Test.
    8.3 Static Test.
    8.4 Drop Test.
    8.5 Carabiner and Snap-Link Tensile Test.
    8.6 Manner of Function Tensile Test.
    8.7 Breaking Strength Test.
    8.8 Corrosion Resistance Test.
    8.9 Floatability Test.
    8.10 Product Label Durability Test.
    8.11 Holding Test.
    8.12 Litter Strength Test.
    8.13 Payout Test.
    8.14 Escape Descent Control Device and Systems Drop Test.
    8.15 Elevated Temperature Rope Test.
    8.16 Flame Resistance Test.
    8.17 Heat Resistance Test.
    Annex A Explanatory Material
    Annex B Guide to Revised Chapter Order
    Annex C Informational References
  • Prior Editions

    2012 Edition

     

    Protect responders -- insist on top-quality gear as specified by the 2012 edition of NFPA 1983.

    Updated for today's challenges and current equipment, NFPA 1983: Standard on Life Safety Rope and Equipment for Emergency Services specifies current minimum requirements for the design, performance, testing, and certification of life safety rope and associated equipment used to support emergency services personnel and civilians during rescue, fire fighting, or other emergency operations, or during training evolutions.

    Provisions address each individual piece of auxiliary equipment, including:

    • Life safety rope
    • Personal escape rope
    • Harnesses
    • Belts
    • Throwlines
    • Hardware

    Where the manufacturer produces a "system" combining specified rope and equipment items, that combination is tested and certified as a system. Items of equipment not assembled as a system are certified individually.

    The 2012 NFPA 1983 includes revised definitions and technical changes including:

    • A new label requirement for moderate elongation laid life saving rope
    • A new high-temperature test requirement for fire escape webbing and fire escape rope

    Update to the latest NFPA 1983 and ensure responders are properly equipped for safe and successful emergency operations. (Softbound, Approx. 56 pp., 2012)

     

    Interested in other editions of the NFPA 1983? Use the drop down menu above to select the edition year you need.

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