| PRESS RELEASE Second wave of via ferrata set recalls within six monthsConsiderable deficiencies found in many via ferrata sets25 February 2013, BERN, Switzerland: A group of manufacturers has issued a recall of certain via ferrata sets following a meeting of the UIAA (International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation) Safety Commission in Munich, Germany.Following a comprehensive test programme conducted on used or aged rope friction based via ferrata sets, the climbing industry has found that some of these sets can fail in a fall situation.The testing showed that the impact force in a fall may be increased and that the tensile strength of the lanyards may also be reduced in such a way that it could result in a full failure of the via ferrata set.
Severe injury or death may be the consequence.
The level of the risk is dependent upon the specific model. Therefore each rope friction based via ferrata set owner should consult the information provided by the manufacturer of the set.
Rope-friction based via ferrata set (Source: Deutscher Aplenverein DAV)
Please Click Here to View List of Affected Models
The recall is the second alert about via ferrata sets in the past six months.
There was a worldwide warning issued by the the UIAA on 13 September 2012. It followed a fatal accident on 5 August 2012 on a via ferrata in the vicinity of Walchsee in Tirol, Austria where a climber fell several meters and both lanyards on the energy-absorbing devices (EAS), also known as klettersteig sets, broke.
Changes have now been proposed to UIAA standard 128 for via ferrata sets. These will be up for a discussion and approval at the next UIAA Safety Commission meeting in May 2013. |
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