Sealed self-retracting lifeline

A self-retracting lifeline assembly comprising:

• a housing;
• a housing cover piece;
• a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, the shaft fixed at the proximal end to the housing such that rotation of the shaft relative to the housing about a central axis of the shaft is prevented;
• a spring carried on the shaft;
• a drum comprising a pawl mechanism, the drum supported upon the shaft at a position distal the spring, the drum configured to retain a lifeline for selective deployment and retraction, the spring configured to apply a rotational force to the drum relative to the shaft;
• and
• a brake module carried on the shaft at a position distal the spring and distal the position at which the drum is supported on the shaft, the drum extending radially from the shaft and axially towards the distal end of the shaft such that the drum extends substantially about the brake module, the brake module being configured to be slidably removed from the distal end of the shaft, wherein the brake module can be disposed to and removed from the shaft via the distal end without moving the spring relative to an axial direction of the shaft, and wherein the brake module comprises:
• a disc mount removably receivable on the shaft and fixed against rotation relative to the shaft;
• and
• a first rotatable frictional element a second rotatable frictional element, both mounted on the disc mount and rotatable relative to the shaft, wherein the first rotatable frictional element is fixed for rotation with the second rotatable frictional element via axially extending flanges provided on the first rotatable frictional element that extend into receiving openings on the second rotatable frictional element, and wherein the second rotatable frictional element is a pawl engagement disc for selective engagement with the pawl mechanism.