Check your lanyards; recall issued

Petzl America is recalling approximately 375,000 shock-absorbing lanyards that it has sold since 2002 because of a problem that could cause a lanyard to separate from a climbing harness, posing a fall hazard.

The Scorpio and Absorbica lanyards are missing a safety stitch on the attachment loop, according to an announcement last week by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

While no fall injuries have been reported in the United States, there has been one in France, the announcement said. The Commission said that the lanyards should be withdrawn from use immediately.

The lanyards were made in France and all Scorpio and Absorbica lanyards manufactured before May 2011 are included in the recall.

The recalled Scorpio lanyards are in two main categories:

Those made between 2002 and 2005 carry model numbers L60 and L60 CK and are yellow and blue, Y-shaped lanyards with yellow stitching on both ends, connected by a metal O-ring to one end of a blue pouch containing the tear-webbing shock absorber. The pouch has a tag on it with the word “PETZL” in white letters, and the other end of the blue pouch has a blue and yellow webbing attachment loop that connects to the climbing harness.

Scorpio lanyards manufactured between 2005 and 2011 are model numbers L60 2, L60 2CK, L60 H, and L60 WL. They are red, Y-shaped lanyards connected by a black metal O-ring to one end of a grey zippered pouch containing the tear-webbing shock absorber. The other end of the pouch has a black webbing attachment loop that connects to the climber’s harness.

Absorbica lanyards included in the recall have model numbers L70150 I, L70150 IM, L70150 Y, L70150 YM, L57, L58, L58 MGO, L59, and L59 MGO. They have a black zippered pouch with yellow trim and the Petzl logo on the side and a tear-webbing shock absorber accessible through the zippered pouch. The pouch has a connector attachment on one end and a connector attachment, a single lanyard, or a Y-shaped lanyard on the other end.

For a free inspection and replacement of any non-conforming product, contact Petzl America Inc. at 877-740-3826 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mountain Time weekdays or visit www.petzl.com.