Arm Restraint Rule Revision (SCCA)

[JHaydon]

If you have seen the March 2005 (dated 01/28) SCCA FasTrack, you may have noticed some revisions to Section 20, "Driver's Restraint System" (FasTrack p. F-24).

Specifically, the last two sentences of the first paragraph (in parentheses) which read "(Note: SFI requirements for Driver's Restraint System does not include arm restraints at this time. Window nets need not be dated.)" These sentences have been struck.

I have just received a clarification email from Jeremy Thoennes at SCCA Tech, who tells me that these sentences were removed because they are redundant, and that the SCCA still does NOT require SFI tags on arm restraints.

A careful analysis of the rule as it stands now SHOULD lead one to the same conclusion:
-- The subsections following define a 5-point system, a 6-point system, and a 7-point system belt-by-belt and make no mention of arm restraints. (But they aren't specifically excluded either, and arm restraints are mentioned in the Driver's Restraint System section, so a tech inspector could interpret that to mean they're part of the system.)
-- The SFI spec for harnesses (SFI 16.1) does not cover arm restraints. The arm restraint spec is SFI 3.3. Since SCCA specifically requires FIA or SFI 16.1 spec on all harnesses, this could not apply to arm restraints. (But how many people know that without having an SFI tag on your arm restraints? Even with a tag, an inspector who is not intimately familiar with the SFI system could mistakenly believe that 16.1 is better than 3.3, so your arm restraints are no good.)

Since we already have customers asking if SCCA requires an SFI tag -- or if SCCA requires replacement of arm restraints on the same schedule as harnesses -- I believe that the deleted sentence was a very important statement, and deleting it will cause more confusion than it solves. I'd like to recommend some replacement language, and I'd like your input.

For example... Add "20.9: Arm restraints are not required to have SFI certification or FIA homologation." Renumber existing 20.9 & 20.10 to 20.10 and 20.11. That's right where it belongs, and if (when) SFI tags become a requirement, the sentence can be easily changed to reflect that.

Window nets are already covered under 17.30 (though replacement and dating are not mentioned there at all -- maybe that should be added to the appropriate section as well).

[s2scca]

Any chance you could share the original "official communique" with us? I had noticed the same thing, and was concerned as to whether I needed to run out and buy a new pair of arm restraints before next weekend. Thanks!

Dan Brooks

[JHaydon]

It was basically as I summarized above...

(original email from me to Jeremy Thoennes at SCCA Tech)

"Hello,

I noticed in the March 2005 FastTrack that the sentence which specifically excluded arm restraints from an SFI requirement has been deleted (page F-34, Section 20, "Driver's Restraint System"). Unfortunately, the language that remains is unclear.

Does this mean that arm restraints must now bear SFI tags?"

(Jeremy Thoennes's reply)

"The language was removed as it was seen as redundant. We currently do not require SFI certification for arm restraints.

-Jeremy" (with a link to the online 2005 GCR)

I have a copy of that email in my folder of important documents and will bring it with me to tech. I would recommend requesting a similar email from Mr. Thoennes. If enough of us do it, maybe that sentence will find its way back in.

[s2scca]

Thanks for your help.


Dan