The third connector variant of the standard 2.5 metre webbing block. Where the FA 20 300 02 has a karabiner and the FA 20 301 02 a snap hook at the user end, this version puts a **scaffold hook at the anchorage end** — so it clips straight onto scaffold tube or a structural member without needing a sling or additional connector.
On scaffolding that saves a component and a step. Everything else matches the standard blocks: 2.5 metres of travel, 50 mm webbing, 140 kg maximum user, swivel fall indicator, and **vertical use only** — the anchor must be overhead.
Key Features
- Scaffold hook at the anchorage end: Clips directly onto tube and structural members. No sling or extra connector needed.
- Snap hook at the attachment end: Connects quickly to a harness dorsal D-ring.
- Swivel fall indicator: Shows whether the block has arrested a fall.
- 140 kg maximum user: Higher than the Olympe-S range.
- 50 mm webbing: Wider than the 25 mm on the Olympe range.
- Protective polymer casing with a single swivel rotation.
Technical Specifications
| Code |
Attachment End |
Anchorage End |
Max User |
Use |
| FA 20 300 02 |
Karabiner |
Swivel fall indicator |
140 kg |
Vertical only |
| FA 20 301 02 |
Snap hook |
Swivel fall indicator |
140 kg |
Vertical only |
| FA 20 302 02 |
Snap hook |
Swivel fall indicator |
140 kg |
Vertical + factor 2 |
| FA 20 303 02 |
Snap hook |
Swivel fall indicator + scaffold hook |
140 kg |
Vertical only |
All four: 2.5 m travel, 50 mm polyester webbing, protective polymer casing, single swivel, resistance 15 kN, BS EN 360.
BS EN 360 | VERTICAL USE ONLY | Max User 140 kg | Category III PPE
Conforms to BS EN 360 for retractable type fall arresters. Vertical use only: the anchor must be overhead. Not rated for fall factor 2 use — for that, the FA 20 302 02 is required. Category III PPE under Regulation (EU) 2016/425, covered by EU Type-Examination certificate 2777/10835-01 E02-01. Inspection by a competent person at intervals not exceeding 12 months.
Suitable Applications
Scaffolding work where an overhead tube provides the anchor: scaffold erection and dismantling, work from scaffold platforms, and any structure offering suitable tube overhead. The integral scaffold hook makes rigging quicker where the block is moved between positions repeatedly through a shift. Where the anchor cannot be overhead, this block is not suitable — use the factor 2 version or the Olympe-S range.
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 Block
- Anchor overhead: Vertical use only.
- Check the scaffold hook has locked: Clip onto the tube and confirm the gate has closed and locked.
- Confirm the tube is sound: The scaffold must be capable of withstanding fall arrest forces, which is not the same as being safe to stand on.
- Check the fall indicator before use.
- Test the locking action with a sharp pull.
- Guide the webbing back rather than releasing it.
Warning: Vertical use only. This block must not be used where the anchor is at or below the attachment point. Scaffold tube must be assessed as capable of withstanding fall arrest forces, which is a different question from whether the scaffold is safe to work from.
Safety Information
- For use only by trained and competent persons within a safe system of work.
- Vertical use only. Anchor must be overhead.
- Maximum user weight 140 kg including tools.
- Confirm the scaffold hook has closed and locked on the tube.
- The anchor structure must withstand fall arrest forces.
- Check the fall indicator and test locking before every use.
- Withdraw immediately if the fall 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, inspect its whole length on both faces, and let it retract under control confirming smooth full return. Test the locking action repeatedly. Check the fall indicator, the casing for cracks and impact damage, and both connectors — the scaffold hook in particular for gate operation, positive locking and throat wear, since a hook clipped and unclipped onto galvanised tube dozens of times a day wears quickly at the throat.
Downloads
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Which of the four 2.5m blocks do I need?
They differ only in connectors and use approval. This one has a scaffold hook at the anchorage end for clipping straight onto tube. The FA 20 302 02 is the only one rated for fall factor 2, where the anchor is at foot level. The other two differ by karabiner or snap hook at the user end.
Q: Can I use it on scaffolding with the anchor at my feet?
No. This block is vertical use only and the anchor must be overhead. An anchor at foot level is a fall factor 2 situation requiring the FA 20 302 02, which is the only block in the webbing range rated for it.
Q: Is scaffold tube a suitable anchor?
Sometimes. The scaffold must be capable of withstanding fall arrest forces, which is a different and higher requirement than being safe to stand on. That assessment is separate and it is yours to make.
