Most webbing blocks require an overhead anchor. Real work frequently does not offer one — on a flat roof, a deck, a gantry or a platform, the only available anchor is often at foot level or off to one side. That rules out a standard block entirely.
The **Olympe-S is approved for horizontal as well as vertical use**, which is the whole reason to choose it. It is the webbing equivalent of the Helixon-S wire rope range, and it means you get horizontal capability without the weight of a wire block — which matters when the unit is being carried and repositioned rather than left hanging.
Six metres of travel, or 3.5 metres on the shorter model, with twin swivel rotations so the block follows the user without twisting the webbing.
**Note the 100 kg user limit**, lower than the 140 kg of the standard single blocks. That reflects the 25 mm webbing and the horizontal rating, and it is easy to exceed with a loaded tool belt.
Key Features
- Horizontal and vertical approval: The defining feature. Usable where the anchor cannot be overhead, which no other webbing block in this range permits.
- Light for its capability: Webbing rather than wire rope, so considerably lighter than a Helixon-S of similar travel.
- Twin swivel rotations: Two swivel points rather than one, so the block aligns with the user rather than twisting the webbing.
- Load indicator in the swivel snap hook: Visible at the user's end, showing whether the block has arrested a fall.
- High impact resistant polymer casing.
- Two lengths: 3.5 m and 6 m of travel.
- 25 mm webbing, resistance 15 kN.
Technical Specifications
| Product Code |
Travel |
Use Approval |
Webbing |
Max User |
Cost |
| FA 20 500 03 |
3.5 m |
Horizontal and vertical |
25 mm |
100 kg |
£153.80 |
| FA 20 501 06 |
6 m |
Horizontal and vertical |
25 mm |
100 kg |
£169.37 |
| FA 20 500 02 |
2 m twin |
Vertical only |
25 mm |
100 kg |
see listing |
Both: high impact polymer casing, twin swivel, swivel snap hook with load indicator at the attachment end, karabiner at the anchorage end, resistance 15 kN, EN 360.
EN 360 | HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL APPROVED | Max User 100 kg | Category III PPE
Conforms to EN 360 for retractable type fall arresters, approved for horizontal and vertical use, meaning the anchor need not be overhead. Maximum user weight 100 kg including tools, lower than the 140 kg single webbing blocks. Category III PPE under Regulation (EU) 2016/425. Inspection by a competent person at intervals not exceeding 12 months and immediate withdrawal after arresting a fall.
Suitable Applications
This is the block for work where an overhead anchor does not exist: flat roof and deck work, gantries and walkways, platform and MEWP work, plant rooms with anchors at floor level, and any horizontal lifeline arrangement. The 6 m travel suits a substantial working area, and the light webbing construction suits a block that is carried and repositioned rather than installed. Where the anchor genuinely is overhead and weight is not a concern, the standard blocks cost around a third as much.
More About This Product
A retractable block is the most mechanically complex item in a typical fall protection kit, and the only one the user cannot inspect internally. Everything else — harness, lanyard, connectors — can be examined by eye and hand. A block is a sealed case containing a spring, a drum, a brake and a fall indicator, and the user sees none of it.
That is why the pre-use checks matter so much. Winding the line fully out, feeling it retract, testing the lock with a sharp pull and checking the fall indicator are the only windows into whether the mechanism still works. They take under a minute and they are the difference between a working block and a heavy metal box.
Clearance, Edges and the Horizontal Question
Three things determine whether a block is the right choice, and all three are commonly got wrong.
Clearance. A block arrests in a much shorter distance than a lanyard, which is usually why it is chosen. But the arrest distance is not zero: it is the deceleration distance plus the user's height below the attachment point plus a safety margin. On a short block over a low structure the numbers get tight quickly, and the block's own datasheet gives the figure to work from.
Edges. Where the line can cross an edge in a fall, the edge becomes the failure point. A wire rope line will be cut by a sharp steel edge under fall arrest load as readily as webbing. Blocks specifically rated for leading edge use exist and are constructed differently; a standard block used over an edge is being used outside its approval.
Horizontal use. Most retractable blocks require an overhead anchor and are not approved for horizontal work. On a deck, a roof or a gantry the anchor is often at or below foot level, which changes both the fall factor and the way the line runs. Only a block specifically marked for horizontal use may be used that way, and it is not something to infer from the model name or the supplier's category page.
How to Use the Olympe-S Block
- Confirm the horizontal approval on the unit: The Olympe-S permits it; other webbing blocks in this range do not. Check the marking.
- Assess the edge: Horizontal use means the webbing may cross an edge in a fall. Fit edge protection, since webbing is cut far more easily than wire.
- Check the load indicator before use: Withdraw if it shows the block has arrested a fall.
- Test the locking action: Sharp pull should lock; confirm it retracts cleanly.
- Calculate clearance for the actual anchor position: Horizontal and low-anchor use requires more clearance than an overhead anchor.
- Check the 100 kg limit: User plus tools. Lower than the standard blocks.
Warning: Horizontal use means the webbing may be drawn across an edge under fall arrest load, and webbing is cut far more readily than wire rope. Assess the edge and fit protection. Maximum user weight is 100 kg including tools, lower than most blocks in this range.
Safety Information
- For use only by trained and competent persons within a safe system of work.
- Maximum user weight 100 kg including tools and equipment.
- Confirm the horizontal use approval on the specific unit.
- Fit edge protection wherever the webbing may cross an edge.
- Check the load indicator and test the locking action before every use.
- Calculate clearance for the actual anchor position.
- Withdraw immediately if the load indicator has triggered.
- Do not open the casing or attempt repair.
- Inspection by a competent person required at intervals not exceeding 12 months.
Inspection and Maintenance
Pull the webbing fully out and inspect its whole length on both faces for cuts, abrasion, fraying and staining — and on a block approved for horizontal use, pay particular attention to any section that may have crossed an edge, since that is where webbing takes damage. Let it retract under control and confirm it returns fully and smoothly. Test the locking action several times with a sharp pull. Examine the load indicator in the snap hook, check the casing for cracks and impact damage, and confirm both swivels rotate freely.
Downloads
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What does the S mean in Olympe-S?
Approved for horizontal as well as vertical use, the same convention as the Helixon-S wire rope range. If your anchor cannot be guaranteed overhead, that approval is what you need, and most webbing blocks do not have it.
Q: Olympe-S webbing or Helixon-S wire rope?
Both are approved horizontal and vertical. Webbing is lighter, which matters on a block that is carried and repositioned. Wire rope survives abrasive environments and rough steel far better and takes a 140 kg user against 100 kg. Choose on environment and user weight.
Q: Why is the user limit only 100kg?
100 kg including tools, against 140 kg on the standard single webbing blocks. It reflects the 25 mm webbing and the horizontal rating. A loaded tool belt is easily 10 to 15 kg, so the margin is smaller than people assume — check it against the actual user.
Q: Do I still need edge protection?
Yes, and arguably more than with a vertical block. Horizontal use means the webbing can be drawn across an edge in a fall, and webbing is cut far more easily than wire rope. The approval permits horizontal use; it does not make edges safe.
