lifelines

Lifelines are safety devices or systems designed to provide security and access in environments where there is a risk of injury, entrapment, or loss of life. They may be physical lines used to tether people, or broader concepts denoting essential services or tools relied upon in emergencies. The term is used across industries to reduce risk and enable safe movement in challenging settings.

In the physical sense, lifelines include fall-protection systems used in construction, maintenance, and industrial work. They typically comprise anchor points, a lifeline rope or cable, a harness or belt, and connecting hardware such as lanyards or deceleration devices. These components allow workers to move along elevated surfaces or along ropes while remaining attached to an anchor. Standards and guidelines govern design, compatibility, inspection, and safe operation to minimize fall hazards.

Lifelines are also used in maritime and rescue contexts. On ships and offshore platforms, lifelines run along rails or edges to prevent people from falling overboard. In rescue operations, fixed ropes and lifelines enable rescuers to access hazardous or confined spaces and to move survivors to safety. In performing arts and other productions, safety lines may be employed to protect performers and crew working at height or in suspended positions.

Beyond physical equipment, lifelines can refer to essential services or resources that sustain a community during emergencies, such as electricity, water, or telecommunications. In data science, Lifelines is an open-source software library for survival analysis, providing tools for modeling time-to-event data, including the Kaplan-Meier estimator and Cox proportional hazards model.