Fall prevention and lowering system, methods of use and body engagement means utilizable therewith

An integrated, self-operated, safety system for protecting a person located at an elevated position from falling from said position while enabling such person to safely descend to a lower position without assistance from another person, wherein said system comprises rope grab means, body engagement means, lanyard means and lowering means, said body engagement means being arranged to be worn by said person and comprising storage means for said lowering means, first connection means, and second connection means, said rope grab means being arranged for mounting on a rope extending from said elevated position to said lower position and comprising first support means and first actuable gripping means, said lanyard means being securable to said first connection means of said body engagement means and to said first support means to enable said person to be suspended by said rope grab means from said rope adjacent said elevated position, said first gripping means being releasably actuable for securely grasping said rope to prevent said rope grab means from sliding down said rope when said person is suspended by said rope grab means, said lowering means being arranged to be removed from said storage means and to be mounted on said rope by said person while said person is suspended on said rope by said rope grab means, said lowering means comprising second support means and frictional engagement means, said second connection means of said body engagement means being arranged to be readily connected to said second support means by said person as said person is suspended by said rope grab means, said rope grab means being arranged to be disconnected from said body engagement means as said person is suspended from said lowering means, said frictional engagement means of said lowering means being actuable by said person in a self-controlled manner without intervention by another person to enable said lowering means with the person supported thereby to-slide down said rope, thereby safely lowering said person.