What is PPE verification and how do you go about it?

The PPE check — do you have to do it? While you might have other things on your to-do list, the indoor climbing season is underway and it’s a good opportunity to sort and inspect your gear. Most climbers' protective equipment (helmet, harness, carabiners, rope, etc.) is personal protective equipment (PPE). This means that it helps protect you against risks that could threaten your safety. Part of being a climber is being responsible and knowing your gear. So, here are some tips to make inspecting your gear a little more fun.

PPE verification is a regulatory requirement and is imposed by the French Labor Code. We care about you and your safety. That’s why we provide important information and tips that will get you on the right track.

If you own PPE, you must understand the importance of managing and inspecting its condition and proper functioning. To do this, there are two types of inspection: 

- Inspection before each use 
- Thorough inspection recommended by Petzl at least every 12 months (except in the case of an exceptional event that may warrant additonal inspection)

Checking your equipment before each use may seem obvious, but it’s important enough that we like to give you a little reminder every once in a while.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is susceptible to damage, degradation, soiling and also wears out depending on the intensity and conditions of use and environment. That’s why, before each use, they must be visually and functionally checked. By frequently inspecting the visual condition of your equipment, as well as its function, you will be able to detect wear and tear and thus anticipate the risk of an accident.

Inspection should be done before each use according to the guidelines indicated in the Instructions For Use,  which can be found on all the product pages on petzl.com.

A thorough inspection is a complete and detailed check of your equipment by a competent person at least every 12 months or following any exceptional event that could affect the reliability of the equipment.

In addition to inspection before each use, it is important to have a thorough check of your PPE performed by a competent auditor at least every 12 months. These checks are in addition to the inspections you perform before using your equipment. 

Some aspects or elements of your gear may wear out faster than others, depending on use. The most commonly noted is the wear on harness attachment points. Additionally, repetitively falling on the end of a rope can cause wear over time. And of course, carabiners and quickdraws wear out from the rope running through them over and over.  It is therefore important to check and monitor your equipment to see if it is possible to carry out repairs, if it needs to be monitored, or if it is time to retire your PPE.  

Here are some examples of wear and tear that are quite common, leading to either maintenance, monitoring, or retirement:

These examples, even if they are frequent, are not the only ones to look out for. That’s why we provide the official verification procedure, as well as a PPE inspection form for each of our products on petzl.com. These documents are there to make your task easier (which can be a bit daunting, we admit) and to help you make sure that you don't leave anything out.

The official PPE verification procedure provides instructions for the verification of each product. The PPE tracking sheet allows you to verify each step of the procedure with 5 possible product conditions: 
- Good condition 
- Condition to be monitored 
- Action to be taken 
- Do not use, retire
- Not concerned 

In order to keep a history and make sure your products are traceable, you should then record the PPE checks you perform in a safety log. Create a folder on your computer to easily find the history of your equipment. Or write it down on a piece of paper (for the purists, but not very environmentally friendly).

Retiring gear is a moment we all dread, but it's crucial to know: 

As much as we'd love for every piece of gear to last forever, some products are not eternal and have a limited lifespan. For plastic and textile products, the maximum lifespan is 10 years from the date of manufacture. Please note that the date of manufacture does not correspond to the date of purchase, you can find it using the serial number of your PPE. Here are some clues:

How can I find out the age of my Petzl PPE?

The lifespan is not limited for metal products. However, as mentioned above, an exceptional event can lead you to retire a product after only one use. This can be related to the type and intensity of use, or to the environment of use: harsh environments, sharp edges, extreme temperatures, chemicals. 

For those who would like to know more about the lifespan of equipment, do not hesitate to watch this video:

PETZL GUIDANCE FOR MAINTAINING PPE

It's very important to maintain your equipment to extend its life as much as possible. But when PPE needs to be retired, it is also important to follow certain rules. For safety reasons, PPE must be rendered unusable before disposal. For example, helmet chinstraps and harness bridges should be cut before disposal. Then, you can sort it for disposal according to the materials it is made of (textile, metal part, plastic, etc.). To learn more, read our Guidelines for retiring your equipment.

In conclusion, personal protective equipment (PPE) allows us to practice our outdoor activities and can help us increase safety when used correctly. Logically, it is up to each of us to be aware of and responsible for checking our equipment. Whether it's a routine check before each use, a thorough check every 12 months, or following an exceptional event — inspecting and monitoring your equipment is essential to the safety of all. So take a little time, and give yourself the peace of mind!