Height Rescue Apparatus

Height rescue apparatus having both a fall arrest function and a lowering function, the apparatus comprising:

• an elongate safety line which in use has one end secured with respect to a secure anchorage device;
• a friction device for effecting the fall arrest function and mounted on a bracket having harness attachment means, which friction device acts upon a portion of the safety line towards the other end thereof remote from said one end in order to reduce tension in the end of said portion of safety line by at least 50% in a fall arrest situation;
• an elongate lowering line which has a first end attached to said other end of the safety line and which has a lower tensile strength than the safety line;
• a drum mounted on the bracket for rotation relative thereto, around which drum the lowering line is wound and to which drum the second end of the lowering line is secured, said drum being independent of said friction device,
• at least one speed control means for controlling the speed of rotation of the drum, one of the drum or the speed control means being releasably held in a first position which prevents rotation of the drum,
• release means for releasing the drum or the at least one speed control means from said first position to allow the drum to effect said lowering function by rotating at a controlled speed in a lowering situation thereby allowing lowering line to be deployed to provide a controlled speed of descent.