Reference

ANSI/ASSP Z359.14-2021 replaced the Class A and Class B self-retracting lifeline labels with Class 1 and Class 2 on August 1, 2023, and changed what the class measures: anchorage position, not stopping distance. Covers both classes side by side, why Class A does not convert to Class 1, and how edge rating differs from class.

A shock-absorbing lanyard and a self-retracting lifeline both connect your harness to an anchor, but they behave differently in a fall, and choosing wrong can mean too little clearance to stop. This guide compares the two on free-fall distance, clearance, arrest force, and cost, and shows which connector fits each tie-off.