The vertical lifeline is a fall arrest system installed on a fixed structural element or on a sailor-type ladder and similar equipment; it is a fall arrest system that allows the user to make safe and comfortable descent / ascent by providing mobility along the lifeline without interfering with the system manually. According to European Union norms, vertical lifelines are personal protective equipment and must be CE certified as well as tested and certified according to EN 353-1:2014+A1:2017.

Vertical lifelines should be used with a carriage that operates without the need for manual adjustment, moves up and down, should not be unintentionally separated from the system, and in the event of a fall, automatically locks and stops the worker from falling.