Full-Body Harness Inspection

Overview

Full-Body Harness Inspection should be managed through a planned system of work: identify the task-specific hazards, eliminate exposure where practical, use engineered or collective controls before relying on PPE, verify critical safeguards before starting, and stop the task when controls are missing or conditions change. This guide applies those principles specifically to pre-use inspection, fit and removal-from-service criteria for full-body harnesses.

Main Hazards

• • Cut, burned, chemically damaged or degraded webbing
• • Loose fit, incorrect buckling or damaged hardware
• • Falls to a lower level
• • Dropped objects striking people below
• • Unsafe access or unstable working position

Essential Controls

1. 1Inspect webbing, stitching, labels, D-rings and buckles before every use.
2. 2Remove any harness involved in a fall or showing uncertain damage from service pending competent evaluation.
3. 3Eliminate work at height where the task can be completed from a safe level.
4. 4Prioritize guardrails, platforms and other collective fall-prevention measures.
5. 5Inspect access and fall-protection equipment before use and remove defective equipment from service.
6. 6Barricade the area below and maintain a practical rescue plan.

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