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Horizontal lifelines
Your team needs to reach every part of the roof. You need them protected every step of the way. A Kee Line® horizontal lifeline system delivers both: continuous fall protection from the moment they clip on, past HVAC units, gutter lines and solar panels, all the way to the edge. Kee Line is a continuous stainless steel cable, fixed at both ends and carried on intermediate posts. Workers clip on once and remain connected as they move across the roof, with freedom of movement between work areas. On UK commercial roofs, horizontal lifelines are the standard fall protection wherever people need access to the whole roof, including the edge.
The most dangerous moment in traditional fall protection is a worker unclipping from one of several fixed anchor points to reach the next. Horizontal lifelines remove that moment. The lanyard runs along the cable on a traveller that glides past each intermediate post while the user stays attached, giving continuous attachment from the first clip to the last.
Lifeline systems like Kee Line provide two modes of fall protection. As a fall restraint system, the line keeps workers far enough back that they cannot reach the edge. Configured for fall arrest, it allows edge access and stops a fall safely if one happens. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 favour restraint where the task allows it; a Mantech surveyor recommends the mode that fits each work pattern.
Horizontal lifelines are built from a small set of tested components. Kee Line pairs an 8mm grade 316 stainless steel cable, end anchors with tensioning turnbuckles, intermediate posts on base plates, a traveller carrying the lanyard, and the inline energy absorber. Spans of up to 12 metres between posts keep the roofline clear. After an arrest event, the energy-absorbing components are replaced and the system is inspected before it returns to use, keeping downtime short.
Lifeline systems only perform as well as the roof beneath them. Unsure of your roof type? Send a plan or photo and we will confirm the right configuration.
Book a site survey. One visit sets the layout, the spec and the price for your roof.
How it works
01 · SURVEY
FreeA surveyor walks the roof, maps the work positions the system has to reach, and sets the anchor points and span lengths around the roof structure.
02 · QUOTE
Fixed priceThe layout gives an exact component count, so the quotation covers the cable run, the posts, the absorber and the commissioning, with nothing added later.
03 · INSTALL
No hot workInstallation teams fit the end anchors and intermediate posts, tension the cable to specification, and commission the system as Kee Safety certification requires.
04 · HANDOVER
Audit-readyYou receive the commissioning certificate, the system layout drawing, a competent-person handover and the date the first annual inspection falls due.
Standards
Kee Line is engineered and tested to BS EN 795:2012 as a Type C anchor device, the type covering flexible horizontal anchor lines, with multi-user performance covered by CEN/TS 16415:2013 and design, installation and inspection in line with BS 7883:2019. Every fall protection installation is signed off by a competent person under the Work at Height Regulations 2005, with the calculations, certificates and inspection schedule included in the handover pack. Compliance then becomes an annual cycle. All lifeline systems must be inspected by a competent person at least every 12 months, with records kept for the working life of the system and a visual check before each use. Mantech runs scheduled inspection, testing and recertification contracts, booking the next visit during the current one so certification stays current. We also take over and recertify lifeline systems installed by other companies.
BS EN 795:2012
Type C
Flexible horizontal anchor lines
CEN/TS 16415:2013
Multi-user
Up to three users on one run
BS 7883:2019
Design & inspection
Of anchor devices
WAHR 2005
12-month cycle
Competent-person sign-off and inspection
Ready to hand straight to an HSE inspector or insurer.
Inspection & recertification
All lifeline systems must be inspected by a competent person at least every 12 months, with records kept for the working life of the system and a visual check before each use. Mantech runs scheduled inspection, testing and recertification contracts, booking the next visit during the current one so certification never lapses. We also take over and recertify lifeline systems installed by other companies.
30-second check
Answer two questions and we'll point you to the right system. Your survey confirms it on site.
We have designed, installed and serviced lifeline systems on commercial and industrial roofs across the UK for over 25 years. Installation teams hold Safe Contractor accreditation, and Mantech is certified by Kee Safety to commission Kee Line systems, keeping the manufacturer warranty intact. Because we also install guardrails, anchors and fragile roof protection, one survey can produce a complete fall protection plan for the whole building.
FAQs
Can't see yours? Our team answers on the phone, no sales pitch.
Book a free survey and we will answer it on your roof, or call and ask now.
A horizontal lifeline system is a continuous cable or rail, anchored at both ends and supported by intermediate posts, that lets workers remain connected to one line while moving across a roof, walkway, bridge or other elevated area. Kee Line uses an 8mm stainless steel cable spanning up to 12 metres between posts, supports up to three users, and provides fall protection in both restraint and arrest modes.
It must be designed, installed and certified by a competent person, engineered to BS EN 795:2012 Type C, covered for multiple users by CEN/TS 16415:2013, and designed and inspected in line with BS 7883:2019. The structure carrying the anchors must be assessed for fall forces, and the system must be inspected at least every 12 months under the Work at Height Regulations 2005.
No. A vertical lifeline is designed for climbing, with a rope grab that locks during a fall. Horizontal use creates different forces, including cable deflection and leverage on the anchors, so horizontal work needs purpose-designed Type C lifeline systems.
Up to three users can share one run. The cable, turnbuckles, posts and base plates are tested so the combined forces of a multi-user fall arrest event stay within the design limits.
On most roofs, Kee Line posts spread load across the structural deck without piercing the membrane, so the roof warranty stays valid. Where fixings are needed, the team uses approved sealed fixings to the roofing manufacturer's detail.
At least every 12 months by a competent person, with records kept for the working life of the system and a pre-use check before each shift. Mantech provides scheduled inspection, testing and recertification for lifeline systems through our inspection service.
When work happens at one fixed location, individual anchor points like Kee Anchor® cost less and install faster. Horizontal lifelines earn their place as soon as users need to move across the roof, because continuous fall protection removes the need to disconnect mid-task. A survey confirms the right mix of anchors and line for the building.
Other fall protection systems for work this one does not cover.
BS EN 795:2012
The Kee Track overhead rigid rail protection system provides a reliable, cost-effective fall protection solution. It offers the safety of short-fall arrest distances with the added bonus of simple and affordable modular installation.
BS EN 353-1
Vertical lifeline systems are an important part of any fall protection solution. These systems provide a secure anchor point for personnel working at height, helping to prevent falls and injury. Vertical lifeline systems are incredibly versatile and easy to install, requiring minimal maintenance and providing up to 5000 lbs of tensile strength.
BS EN 795
Components designed for fall arrest, letting people work safely on systems configured vertically or horizontally, around bends or on inclines.
Book a site survey today and get a lifeline layout designed around your roof, installed by an accredited team and kept certified year after year.
