PM/ 3521/1
April 2020
PRODUCT MANUAL
FOR INDUSTRIAL SAFETY BELTS AND HARNESSES
ACCORDING TO IS 3521:1999
This Product Manual shall be used as reference material by all Regional/Branch Offices & licensees to
ensure coherence of practice and transparency in operation of certification under Scheme-I of Bureau
of Indian Standards (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 for various products. The document
may also be used by prospective applicants desirous of obtaining BIS certification licence/certificate.
1. Product : IS 3521:1999
Title : INDUSTRIAL SAFETY BELTS AND HARNESSES
No. of Amendments : 2
2. Sampling Guidelines:
Raw material Webbing, threads for sewing, rivets and washers, life
a) : line/safety line, metal components shall be as per requirements
given in Cl 5.2 material of IS 3521
Grouping guidelines : Not applicable (Sample of each class as per Cl. 4 of IS 3521 shall
b)
be drawn and tested)
c) Sample Size : 6 Nos
3. List of Test Equipment : Please refer Annex – A
Scheme of Inspection and Please refer Annex - B
4. :
Testing
5. Possible tests in a day :
TEST Cl No. TEST METHODS
1. Performance Test 5.3.2.1 Annex-B of IS 3521
2. Determination of Static Test 5.3.3 Annex-C of IS 3521
3. Determination of Dynamic Test 5.3.4 Annex-D of IS 3521
4. Webbing Width and Thickness 5.2.1 IS 3521
5. No of stitches 5.2.2 IS 3521
6. Breaking Load of Life line/Safety Line, 5.2.4 IS 3521
Hooks and fittings and length of lanyard 5.3.1
7. Metal component and Thickness of Chromium 5.2.5 IS 3521
plating
6. Scope of the Licence :
“Licence is granted to use Standard Mark as per IS 3521:1999 with the following scope:
Name of the product INDUSTRIAL SAFETY BELTS AND HARNESSES
Class A,D,E,L,P
Any other aspect required as Categories of Burning Behaviour , FV-0/FV-1/FV-2
per the Standard
PM/ 3521/1
April 2020
ANNEX-A
LIST OF TEST EQUIPMENTS
Major test equipment required to test as per the Indian Standard
Sl Test Equipment Tests used in with Clause Reference
No.
1 Flammability Fume Hood (cup board), vertical
burning behavior test apparatus
Technical Grade Methane Gas
Ring Stand with clamps
Room air conditioner for maintaining Room
temperature of 27± 2oC and 65 ±5% RH
Humidity Chamber
Flammability Resistance Test Cl.5.2.1,
Stop watch
Annex-A.
Full Draught thermostatic Air circulating oven
(repetition)
Desicators
Steel Scale
Thermometer
Bunsen Burner
Surgical Cottons
Seizure
2 Vernier Calipers Width of the strap, Cl 5.1
Width of webbings, Cl 5.2.1
3 Coating Thickness gauge Thickness of chromium plating,Cl.5.2.5
Thickness gauge Thickness of webbing, Cl.5.2.1
Thickness of strap Cl – 5.1
4 Tensile testing Machine Breaking load of Life line/Safety Line ,
Cl.5.2.4 and Strength of Hooks and load
bearing metal parts and fittings, Cl.5.3.1
5 Static Strength test machine along with rigid test Static Load, Cl. 5.3.3 and Annex-C
frame and a winch
6 Drop testing tower fitted with motorised winch and Performance Test, Cl.5.3.2.1 and Annex-
quick release device,/Harness apparatus (Cl D-3.1) B
Human Dummy Determination Dynamic Load,
Weighing Balance Cl.5.3.4 and Annex-D
Steel Tape Length of Lanyard, Cl – 5.2.4.1
The list above is indicative and may not be taken as exhaustive
PM/ 3521/1
April 2020
ANNEX – B
SCHEME OF INSPECTION AND TESTING
FOR INDUSTRIAL SAFETY BELTS AND HARNESSES
ACCORDING TO IS 3521:1999
1. LABORATORY - A laboratory shall be maintained which shall be suitably equipped (as per the
requirement given in column 2 of Table 1) and staffed, where different tests given in the
specification shall be carried out in accordance with the methods given in the specification.
1.1 The manufacturer shall prepare a calibration plan for the test equipment.
2. TEST RECORDS – The manufacturer shall maintain test records for the tests carried out to
establish conformity.
3. PACKING AND MARKING – The Standard Mark as given in the Schedule of the license and
shall be incorporated clearly and indelibly on each belt and harness, provided always that
the product thus marked and packed conforms to all the requirement of the specification.
3.1 Marking and packing shall be done as per the provisions of the Indian Standard. In
addition In addition, the following details shall be mentioned on each
container/package:
a) BIS Licence No. CM/L ___________.
b) BIS website details i.e –“For details of BIS certification please visit www.bis.gov.in”
3.2 Instructions for general use, marking, packaging and maintenance shall also be
provided as per the provisions of the Indian Standard.
4. CONTROL UNIT – For the purpose of this scheme, the quantity of the belts and harnesses of
the same class, and produced from the same materials in a day shall constitute a single Control Unit.
5. LEVELS OF CONTROL - The tests as indicated in column 1 of Table 1 and the levels of control
in column 3 of Table 1, shall be carried out on the whole production of the factory which is
covered by this plan and appropriate records maintained in accordance with paragraph 2
above.
5.1 All the production which conforms to the Indian Standard and covered by the licence should
be marked with Standard Mark.
6. REJECTIONS – Disposal of non-conforming product shall be done in such a way so as to
ensure that there is no violation of provisions of BIS Act, 2016.
PM/ 3521/1
April 2020
Table 1 LEVELS OF CONTROL
(Scheme of Inspection and Testing)
(1) (2) (3)
Test Details Test equipment Levels of Control
requirement
R:required (or) S:
Sub-contracting
permitted
Clause Requirements Test Method No. of Samples Frequency Remarks
Clause Reference
5 Design & construction Visual R Each belt/harness NA
5.1 Width and Strength of 5.1 IS 3521:1999 R One Each lot See Note 3
strap
a) Width
b) thickness
5.2 Materials
5.2.1 Material of Webbing 5.2.1 IS 3521:1999 S As per Annex E Each lot See Note 3
5.2.1 Flammability test for 5.2.1, -do- S As per Annex E -do- -do-
webbing ANNEX-A
5.2.2 Thread for sewing 5.2.2 -do- S As per Annex E Each lot -do-
-Physical and Chemical
Properties
5.2.2 Thread for sewing 5.2.2 -do- R As per Annex E -do- -do-
-No. of stitches and colour
5.2.3 Rivets and Washers 5.2.3 -do- S As per Annex E -do- -do-
5.2.4 Breaking load of Life 5.2.4 -do- S As per Annex E -do- -do-
Line/Safety Line
5.2.4.1 Length of lanyard 5.2.4.1 -do- R As per Annex E -do-
5.2.4.2 Length of lifeline 5.2.4.2 -do- R As per Annex E -do-
5.2.5 Visual inspection of Metal 5.2.5 IS 3521:1999 R As per Annex E -do-
PM/ 3521/1
April 2020
Components
5.2.5 Thickness of Chromium IS 3203 S As per Annex E -do- -do-
plating or powder coating IS 101 (Pt 3/ sec 2)
5.3 Requirements
5.3.1 Breaking load of metal 5.3.1 IS 3521:1999 R As per Annex E Each control
parts and fittings unit
5.3.2 Attachment means 5.3.2 IS 3521:1999 R As per Annex E -do- Visual
5.3.2.1 Performance tests Annex B IS 3521:1999 R As per Annex E Once in a
month for one
control unit/lot
5.3.3 Static load test ANNEX-C -do- R As per Annex E Each control
unit
5.3.4 Dynamic load test ANNEX-C -do- R As per Annex E Each control
unit
Note-1: Whether test equipment is required or sub-contracting is permitted in column 2 shall be decided by the Bureau and shall be mandatory. Sub-contracting is
permitted to a laboratory recognized by the Bureau or Government laboratories empaneled by the Bureau.
Note-2: Levels of control given in column 3 are only recommendatory in nature. The manufacturer may define the control unit/batch/lot and submit his own levels
of control in column 3 with proper justification for approval to BO head.
Note-3: Sampling of raw materials and components shall be done as per Annex E of IS 3521:1999 (Sample size may be chosen according to table 3 or 4 depending in
whether non-destructive or destructive methods of test are chosen). Conformity of materials and components to the requirement of the specification may be
established through either of the following or a combination of the same (No testing is required if the material is ISI marked):
i. Test report from a laboratory recognized by the Bureau or Government laboratories empaneled by the Bureau
ii. Material manufacturer’s test certificate
iii. In house factory test report
