Snap Hooks, Carabiners & Connectors
The hooks and carabiners that tie your fall protection together are small, but they carry the whole load in a fall. A wrong connection can let a hook open by itself, called roll-out, and drop you even though you were “tied off.”
- Construction
- General Industry
What OSHA requires
- Locking only: snap hooks and carabiners must be self-closing and self-locking, so it takes at least two separate actions to open the gate. Non-locking snap hooks are not allowed.
- Strength: connectors must have a minimum breaking strength of 5,000 pounds and be proof-tested to 3,600 pounds. Current ANSI standards also require gates that hold 3,600 pounds.
- Compatibility: connectors must be compatible in size and shape with what they attach to, so they can’t roll out.
Connections that are not allowed
Unless the hook is designed for it, don’t connect a snap hook:
- Directly to webbing, rope or wire rope
- To another snap hook
- To a D-ring that already has another snap hook or connector on it
- Directly to a horizontal lifeline
- To any object where the shape or size could press on the gate and open it (like a small rebar, a thin pipe or a tight eye bolt)
Wrapping a lanyard around a beam and hooking back onto the lanyard is a common illegal connection. Use a beam strap, beam clamp or a lanyard rated for tie-back. See Anchorage Points.
Types of connectors
| Connector | Use | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Locking snap hook | Lanyard ends, harness D-rings, anchor rings | Gate must close and lock fully |
| Auto-locking carabiner | Anchor straps, rescue systems | Cross-loading (load across the gate or sideways) cuts strength a lot |
| Rebar hook (large opening) | Rebar, structural steel, large pipes | Load it along its length, not on the tip or gate |
| Screw-gate carabiner | Some rescue and rope systems | Not self-locking; generally not acceptable as a personal fall arrest connector unless approved |
Inspect before every use
- Gate closes fully and locks by itself when released
- No cracks, bends, sharp edges, rust, pitting or heavy wear
- Rivets, springs and locking parts work and are not loose
- Markings (strength ratings, maker) are readable
- No signs it held a fall, like a bent body or gate
Check the click. After clipping in, look and listen to make sure the gate closed and locked. Then pull on it. Gates can hang open on clothing, webbing or a misaligned anchor.
Mixing brands
Fall protection parts should be compatible, and many manufacturers want their own components used together. Check that every connection in the system is approved by the maker or a competent person.
Standards & references
- 29 CFR 1926.502(d)(4)–(6): Connectors and snap hook rules
- 29 CFR 1910.140(c): Connector requirements (general industry)
- See also: Shock-Absorbing Lanyards · Harness Inspection & Fitting
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