This part of ISO 10333 specifies requirements, test methods, instructions for use and maintenance, marking, labelling and packaging, as appropriate, for connectors with self-closing and self-locking gates made from metallic materials.

Connectors are used in personal fall-arrest systems (PFAS), which will be specified in a future International Standard (see ISO 10333-6 in the Bibliography), such that, if an arrest takes place, the arresting force will not exceed 6 kN. This part of ISO 10333 is applicable only to connectors limited to single person use of a total mass not exceeding 100 kg.

The scope of this part of ISO 10333 does not extend to:

• attachment elements, fastening buckles, adjusting buckles and other metallic fittings used in the manufacture of full-body harnesses, which are specified in ISO 10333-6;
• connectors used for material-lifting purposes;
• connectors used in special techniques or situations, e.g. rescue, or rope access.

This part of ISO 10333 does not specify those additional requirements that would apply when connectors are subjected to special conditions of use (where, for example, there exist unusual limitations concerning access to the place of work and/or particular environmental factors). Thus, treatments to ensure the durability of the materials of construction (such as heat treatment, anti-corrosion treatment, protection against physical and chemical hazards) are not specified in this part of ISO 10333, but should comply with appropriate International Standards or, failing that, with national standards and other specifications dealing with relevant physical characteristics and/or the safety of users. In particular, when it is considered necessary to test the corrosion resistance of metallic parts of the equipment, reference should be made to ISO 9227.