European standards

Does anyone know where we can get the European standards for safety on climbing products? -- Or can clarify the following dilemma?
The reason I ask, which may concern many of us, is that most of Petzl's products are listed as complying with these EN standards, but when you check the particular product instruction brochure it seems that some products will not meet the ANSI standards. I was told by many climbers and arbos that the EN or Euro standards were much stricter than ours, so what gives?
In particular, for example, both the Grillon positioning lanyard (which is supposed to be Petzl's answer to industrial work positioning) and also the new Petzl sidestraps which converts harnesses to floating D's, both are listed in their brochure as meeting EN358 Euro standards, but when you read further in the instruction booklet it also clearly states that the maximum upward force load is 15Kn on both these products.
If I calculate correctly, 15Kn X 225 = 3,375lbs, which does not meet the ANSI minimum breaking strength of 5400 lbs.
Am I missing something??
Is the EN358 standard perhaps using different criteria or type of measurement than ANSI?? Otherwise, could so many of Petzl's products be sub-standard to the Ansi standards?
Can anyone shed some light on this ??

Good question. Double standards? I personally do not have a clue. I go by ANSI standards. I did not know that European standards fall below our standards. This is disquieting.

Now is the time for our overseas climbers to tell us about their standards.

This question was recently debated to death in the Treebuzz site. Read over and see what they agree to disagree. There are not that much differences between the 22Kn European standards the ANSI Standard. (4950 lbs vs 5000lbs). BUT the American ISA does not allow the European Standards material to be used in their competitions in the USA. We apparently like to be differrent ... you know. ( Metric vs US Standard kind of thing!) . Those rules are under review now and this is the time to send comments to the review committee. The proposed Standards links was posted somewhere here by Tom Dunlap. Here is the link:
ANSI Z133 is on-line for public comment

The latest draft of the Z133 is now online for public review and comment. You can download a pdf at www.isa-arbor.com (click through the Welcome screen to get the the main page, and look under the "announcements' column).

Let the dilemma be clarified:

I received this confirmation today from a major U.S. distributor of arborist supplies:
"Today the rep. at Petzl confirmed the 15 KN rating of both the sidestraps and the grillon. Apparently, because Petzl is a French company, their products conform to the European standard, which is 15 KN(which equals 3,375lbs.) and not 5400 lbs(under ANSI). Bummer. However, this certainly does leave the door wide open for American manufacturers like Buckingham and New Tribe to come up with their own products comparable to Petzl’s so maybe this won’t be a bad thing in the end. I am going to start reading the little technical spec sheets that Petzl includes with all their stuff. I hope I don’t find out that I am using something that is not as strong as I thought."

The point here is to make anyone aware of the products' specs, so that no one is fooled inadvertently into thinking that they are using a product that is stronger than it really is. Also, to get distributors to clarify the specs., before they sell you a product that you may not want to use. And finally, to hopefully get the ANSI standards changed, especially since the new draft is being negotiated very soon.

So the dilemma has been confirmed, but again the point is to be aware of the products specs. and to then make an accurate and well informed decision as to whether or not to use these products.

One practical suggestion toward helping a person decide whether or not to use the Grillon lanyard or Sidestraps or any product under EN358 dealing with work positioning, is this: since the ANSI standards are voluntary, and the 3,375lb. max.load limit is still within a 10:1 safe working load limit of 338lbs. for the average person (3,375 x 10% = 338lbs), then a person may still safely be able to choose and to use this equipment if they desired. However, they should of course be aware of all this.

And sorry Oldtimer, the differnces are much more significant as stated above.

Be careful out there!!