In the construction industry, working at heights is a standard part of the job. But with increased height also comes an increased risk of falling.
Consequently, falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry, taking the lives of more than 401 construction workers in 2019. Personal fall arrest systems—safety harnesses, self-retracting lanyards, and connectors—are a way of protecting workers from serious injury and death by falls.
Fall arrest systems aren’t foolproof, however. Faulty or misused fall protection harnesses can be just as dangerous as having no fall protection at all. Knowing what to look for when inspecting a fall arrest system, and how to properly strap on a harness, can save your life. Here are steps for inspecting and putting on personal fall arrest harnesses so that you stay safe while working at heights.
How to Inspect a Harness Before Using It
Before each use, you should personally check the safety harness. Check your harness for stitching that is broken, burned, or pulled, as well as stitching or rivets where hardware is attached. Also, check the webbing, belt ends, buckles, and side and back D-rings very carefully. Spending a few minutes performing the following steps could save your life:
Pick up the harness by its back D-ring.
Gently shake the harness to let the straps fall into place.
Make sure the buckles are unfastened.
Look for any damage, such as worn, frayed or missing threads, cracked webbing, or foreign material on the fall harness.
Check the metal strap fasteners and side and back d-rings to make sure they aren’t cracked or deformed.
If your fall harness uses grommets, make sure they are firmly attached and are not deformed or otherwise damaged.
Make sure tongue buckles are firmly attached and not bent.
How to Put on a Fall Arrest Harness
It seems like an easy procedure but putting on a harness correctly can mean the difference between life and death. Knowing how to put a fall arrest harness on correctly is vital.
As listed above, the first step is to look for wear and tear on your safety harness. Ensure that all of the webbings are in good shape and that none of the hardware is broken, cracked, or bent. It's easier to do this without your harness on.
Back D-Ring
Next, grab the back D-ring of your harness (dorsal D-ring). Make sure it’s not a side D-ring. Once you've found it, give your harness a good shake, so all your straps hang down. This will help you get your harness untangled, and you'll start to see how it looks. Unbuckle any of your buckles that are already fastened.
Straps For The Shoulders
Find the shoulder straps and slide your foot into them like you would a pair of pants or suspenders. Make sure there are no twists in the webbing. When worn right, the straps should lie flat, while still allowing full range of motion.
Leg Straps
Then, grab the straps hanging between your legs. Pull each strap between your legs and hook it to the next one. Make sure that the webbing on the leg straps is not tangled. You'll need to tighten your leg straps and tuck the extra webbing into the leg strap holders. You want these out of the way while you work while still allowing full range of motion.
Chest Buckle
Move on to the chest buckle once you're done with the leg straps. You have to buckle it and pull it tight. No more, no less. Just hook it up and move on to the next step.
Waist Buckle (If Applicable)
If your harness has a buckle at the waist make sure to tuck in any extra waist straps and webbing, like you did with the leg straps, so they don't get in the way of your work while still allowing for a full range of motion.
Adjust Fit
Look over your harness now that you're wearing it and the buckles are connected and locked. Make sure that all of the straps are in the right place. The harness should fit snugly but not too tightly. You don't want it to make it hard for you to move. But if your harness is too loose, you could get seriously injured or even die if you fall.
Checking Lifelines and Other Fall Protection Equipment
Most of the time, equipment breaks down because it hasn't been checked or maintained properly. OSHA recommends that lifelines be checked regularly (at least once a year) by a “Competent Person” who is not the user of the system. Checking is required at other times, too—such as after a fall incident occurs.
Self-Retracting Lifelines (SRLs)
Self-Retracting Lifelines (SRLs) need a little more attention during an inspection than other fall protection equipment because many of their parts can't be seen. Inside the housing are the springs, brake pawls, pressure plates, and the cable or web assembly. Make sure all labels and markings are still there and easy to read and look for signs that the housing, lifeline, or connectors have been damaged.
It is highly recommended by OSHA that a Competent Person do a fall protection system inspection at the start of every workday.
Horizontal Lifelines
Horizontal lifelines are often subject to greater loads than the impact load from an attached component, and so might be more prone to breakdown. Thus, horizontal lifeline systems need to be checked and fixed regularly, too, and inspected before each use.
Check every screw and bolt.
Check to see if the metal parts are getting worn down.
Ropes should be checked for broken wires, thread, and any other damage that is easy to see.
Check each sleeve and connector for damage and make sure it was put together correctly.
If the system's impact detection shows that the lifeline fell, take it out of service right away.
Vertical Lifelines
Each employee must have a separate lifeline when the lifeline is vertical. These, too, should be inspected by a Competent Person on a regular basis. Checks of vertical lifeline equipment should include, but are not limited to, the following:
The vertical lifeline, the ladder structure, and the body harness were all checked.
Ensuring that labels and markings are there and can be read
Check any brackets, cables, cable guides, and screws.
Inspection of the safety sleeve
Inspections Of Rigid Lifelines
Fall arrest systems that use rigid rails should be checked annually. In addition, the system must be locked out and checked immediately after a fall, just like vertical and horizontal lifelines. The trolley, welds, bolt connections, and any signs of impact are checked.
Proper use of protective equipment and regular inspection can have a big impact on safety. You should always follow the instructions for your harness and make sure it is properly inspected and maintained. This will ensure that you are using it correctly, not only for your own safety but to ensure that you are doing everything you can to keep your employees safe too.
The Best Performance Starts with Safety Training
OSHA requires employers to train employees on the proper use of fall protection equipment. Go over these tips regularly with your employees and consider taking safety management a step further by partnering with HSI. We provide tools for engaging your employees in training and making safety top-of-mind at your company.
Check the adjustment of each leg strap by placing your hand flat and sliding your fingers beneath the strap.Your fingers should fit snugly between the strap and your leg. You should not have to force your fingers to fit beneath the leg straps.
Check the adjustment of each leg strap by placing your hand flat and sliding your fingers beneath the strap.Your fingers should fit snugly between the strap and your leg. You should not have to force your fingers to fit beneath the leg straps.
OSHA requires that fall protection be provided at elevations of four feet in general industry workplaces, five feet in shipyards, six feet in the construction industry and eight feet in longshoring operations.
Slip the harness on your shoulders, the D-ring should be between your shoulder blades. Pull each leg strap up and fasted the buckles. Stand up and adjust the side straps eliminating any slack that may be left. Fasten the chest strap.
When a worker wears the harness, the dorsal D-ring should sit between the shoulder blades in the center of the back. An improperly fitting harness can present a serious hazard because the position of the dorsal D-ring when the harness is in use is key to its effectiveness.
In general, a dog harness should fit snug, but not too tight. It should be tight enough that your dog can't back out of it, and the ring (that you clip the leash to) should sit higher on their chest. Just like with a collar, you should be able to fit two fingers (but only two!) between the harness and your dog.
Stand up straight and adjusting the length of the shoulder straps to ensure there is no slack. Position the chest strap at mid chest. The harness should feel snug while still allowing full range of motion. Your harness should either be all the way on, or all the way off.
Insert your (flat) hand between your thigh and the webbing.If you can make a fist – it is too loose.Get a second person for a buddy check. They can help you make sure your harness is sitting correctly and firmly, with no twists in the webbing and that all buckles are closed correctly.
A properly-fitted 5-point harness gives the best possible protection for your child. A 5-point harness has straps that go over both shoulders and both hips and then buckles at the crotch. The car seat label will tell you the weight and height range of the harness.
Two basic types of fall protection are travel restraint and fall arrest. Both involve wearing a full-body harness. A travel restraint system keeps you from getting too close to an unprotected edge.
Every harness must have a legible tag identifying the harness, model, date of manufacture, name of manufacturer, limitations and warnings. Check tag for date of manufacture and remove from service if past adopted service life policy •If tagging system is missing or not legible remove harness from service.
Look for fall hazards such as unprotected floor openings/edges, shafts, skylights, stairwells, and roof openings/edges. Inspect fall protection equipment for defects before use. Select, wear, and use fall protection equipment appropriate for the task. Secure and stabilize all ladders before climbing them.
As a general matter, each worker on a walking or working surface 6 feet or more above a lower level must be protected from falling by a guardrail system, a safety net system, or a personal fall arrest system.
Prior to putting on any harness, it must be inspected. Not just the new employee, but the employee who has been wearing the same harness and lanyard since the job started. Yes, this means all harness users must perform a daily inspection.
The employer must ensure each employee on a runway or similar walkway is protected from falling 4 feet (1.2 m) or more to a lower level by a guardrail system. Each employee is provided with and uses a personal fall arrest system or travel restraint system.
In healthcare settings PPE include the use of surgical gowns, surgical masks, respirators, goggles, face shields, and gloves. D. All of the above are correct.
When doffing PPE, it is important to take precautions and follow the proper procedure to ensure contaminants are not carried or spread off of the premises.
Put on the gown, with the opening in the back. Tie gown securely at neck and waist. Put on the mask or respirator over your nose, mouth, and chin. secure ties or elastic bands at the middle of the head and neck.
Do not leave your harness in direct sunlight or lying around on the floor. Keep it away from damp places where mould may develop. If you wish to mark your harness for identification purposes, make sure you only mark the labels and/or the comfort parts of the harness.
For years, folks in the fall protection industry have preached the ABC's of personal fall arrest systems: Anchorage, Body Support, and Connecting Devices.
The front part of a climbing harness usually has a belay loop and two tie-in points. These parts provide a place to attach a lanyard, a belay device and a rope.
The extra d-ring feature allows you to keep your collar "forward facing" while using a leash. This means you do not have to spin the collar around to use a leash, the buckle will stay down under your dog's chin and the bling will stay on top where you can show it off!
If the harness has a belt, unbuckle it too. Slip the straps over the shoulders, so the back D-ring is located in the middle of the back between the shoulder blades. Pull the end of one leg strap between the legs and secure to the opposite end.
A correct fitting, comfortable harness is just as important for safety, as the components and hardware contained within the device. Safety mechanisms are useless if the harness is worn incorrectly or too loose.
There is no such thing as a predetermined or mandated expiration date on fall protection harnesses. Neither OSHA nor ANSI have current codes or standards that set a specific time period for taking a harness out of service. Even most manufacturers will not suggest how long a harness will last.
Harnesses can become deadly whenever a worker is suspended for duration over five minutes in an upright posture, with the legs relaxed straight beneath the body. This can occur in many different situations in industry.
Pull the end of the webbing to make it tight. For proper operation, the “tail” of the webbing must extend at least three inches past the buckle. Pass-style buckles – Push the male buckle through female buckle and pull the free end of the webbing to tighten.
The harness waistband ideally sits on your waist, above your hipbones, around your belly button area (could be above or below, whatever is more comfortable). The important part is that when the harness is tightened, the harness should not be able to be pulled down over your hipbones.
A properly-fitted 5-point harness gives the best possible protection for your child. A 5-point harness has straps that go over both shoulders and both hips and then buckles at the crotch. The car seat label will tell you the weight and height range of the harness.
to control something, usually in order to use its power: There is a great deal of interest in harnessing wind and waves as new sources of power. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases. Fastening and tying. bale.
The sternal D-Rings on a harness are placed at the front so that a worker can be tied off at chest level to a fall protection system while they climb a ladder.
The sequence for removing PPE is intended to limit opportunities for self-contamination. Sequence of removal: (1) Gloves, (2) Gown, (3) Face shield or goggles, (4) Mask or respirator*. Perform hand hygiene after PPE removal, preferably after each step.
The harness is secured at either end so that it sits over the strongest points of a child's body – their hips and shoulders. The hip straps on the harness are attached to the seat by metal hooks (picture below) which slot through a specific gap in the seat shell.
Every harness must have a legible tag identifying the harness, model, date of manufacture, name of manufacturer, limitations and warnings. Check tag for date of manufacture and remove from service if past adopted service life policy •If tagging system is missing or not legible remove harness from service.
Personal fall protection systems must be worn with the attachment point of the body harness located in the center of the employee's back near shoulder level. The attachment point may be located in the pre-sternal position if the free fall distance is limited to 2 feet (0.6 m) or less.
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