Horizontal lifeline energy absorber

An energy absorber for a horizontal lifeline protection system, the energy absorber comprising a pair of independent shock absorbing units of similar construction including corresponding ends, each unit comprising a strip of woven webbing material and a strip of tear-ply webbing material, wherein the corresponding ends of the strip of woven webbing material and the strip of tear-ply webbing material of each unit are secured to each other and to a ring for securing to a portion of the horizontal lifeline fall protection system, the ring at each corresponding end of the units being secured to each other and the pair of units being folded and encased within a single tearable envelope, the absorber constructed to be secured to a horizontal lifeline within a fall protection system so that when a predetermined force is applied to the rings, the envelope tears and the tear-ply webbing separates, resulting in an overall elongation of the absorber, and, in the event the tear-ply webbing separates completely, the remaining force is applied to the woven webbing.