Height safety equipment is designed to reduce or prevent the risk of falls from heights. Being able to properly care for fall protection equipment, including safety harnesses, and recognising the signs when it is time to replace it are key to employee safety.
Safety harnesses come in many shapes and forms. Basic harnesses can be used by employees who occasionally work at height in straightforward applications, and more comfortable premium harnesses for workers who work at height for entire days in a row.
Factors That Affect Fall Arrest Harness’ Usability and Safety
The condition of any height safety equipment including safety harnesses can be altered by several factors including:
- Exposure to UV rays via sunlight can cause the fibres in a safety harness to deteriorate.
- Continuous tearing or stretching of a safety harness can create a weak spot.
- Exposure to paints and other toxic chemicals can weaken synthetic materials of height safety equipment like safety lanyards and harnesses.
- Acids and strong chemicals can cause metal components to lose strength or deteriorate.
- Improper storage of height safety equipment can cause unnecessary stretched causing the equipment to become misshapen and damaged.
- If a safety harness has been involved in a fall arrest, it must be immediately retired. Never use fall equipment after an event, regardless of its age or condition before the impact.
Top Inspection Tips for Fall Arrest Equipment
Safety harnesses and fall arrest systems should be thoroughly inspected to determine their condition before and after use. If there are any signs the safety equipment is damaged, then it is not fit for use. Ignoring these signs during an inspection could have devastating consequences. Below are factors to consider that can help in assessing the condition of a fall safety harness:
- Inspect all metal and plastic components in a safety harness - make sure that all buckles are working correctly and smoothly. Any cracks or corrosion could indicate damage.
- Assess stitched and webbed components - overstretched harnesses, broken threads, tears, UV damage, or abrasions should be thoroughly examined.
- Labels in a safety harness must be legible - when inspecting the labels of any safety harness, first ensure they are attached, and then that they can easily be read.
- Load indicator assessment - look for ripped stitching or separation in the load indicators. If any of these are present, the safety harness should not be used.
- Inspection of documents - once you have assessed a harness, make sure clearly document your inspection. There are ready-made log sheets for specific harnesses that can help you to complete a thorough assessment.
If any damage is present during your inspection, do not use the equipment as its safety could be compromised.
It is recommended that safety harnesses are inspected by a professional every 6 months which should be recorded on the harness itself. Harnesses and other height-safety PPE should be stored in an area free from moisture or extreme temperatures.
When should a Safety Harness be replaced?
A safety harness should not be used and is considered not safe:
- If there is not a legible serial number on the harness. Without a serial number, it is hard to trace the harness or verify if it has been inspected, and therefore cannot be proved that it has been inspected and is safe for use.
- If you cannot find a manufacturing date. If the manufacturing date can’t be found, it is impossible to confirm if the harness is within its working life.
- If there is no inspection date recorded within the last 12 months. It will need to be inspected and documented prior to use.
- If the D ring, fasteners, adjusters, plastic back plate, adjusters or connectors do not look right (check the 'Hardware inspection' question for details).
- If the webbing does not look right (check the 'Webbing inspection' question for details).
Investing in high-quality fall protection equipment has several advantages. These include greater peace of mind, increased employee satisfaction, and longer-lasting PPE. At Southland Supply Group, we stock major reputable brands such as 3M, LINQ, Miller, Spanset & more. Shop for our fall protection harnesses online or call our team at 1800-772-291 to order.
