Fall Protection Full Body Harness
Date Posted: 02/17/2024
Full-body harnesses are critical elements of adequate fall protection systems. Workers must understand how to wear and use full-body harnesses when operating at height properly. When used correctly on the job, a properly fitted and properly worn full-body harness can help prevent serious injury or death. According to WAC 296-880-40020, a full-body harness is required as part of a Personal Fall Arrest System (PFAS). According to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), standard Z359.11 defines a full-body harness as “a body support designed to contain the torso and distribute the fall arrest forces over at least the upper thighs, pelvis, chest and shoulders.”
Checking the Full-Body Harness Before Wear
Before each use, you must inspect the safety harness. Check your harness for broken, burned, or pulled stitching and stitching or rivets where the hardware is attached. Also, carefully check the webbing, belt ends, buckles, and side and back D-rings. Spending a few minutes performing the following steps could save your life:
Overall Fit of the Harness: If a harness is not worn correctly, webbing could cinch up in the event of a fall and cause bodily harm. Harnesses that aren’t properly adjusted can cause the webbing to loosen, making the user uncomfortable and causing personal fall limiters or self-retracting devices to fall further down a user’s back.
Chest Strap: Connect the chest strap and adjust the fit so the strap crosses the middle of the chest. The straps should fit snuggly and allow the shoulder straps to remain taut. If it’s too high, it can injure the neck, throat, or jaw. On the other hand, when the chest strap fits too low, a worker could tumble out of the harness during a fall.
Leg Straps: These straps distribute the fall arrest forces across the user’s chest, shoulders, waist, pelvis, and thighs. Adjust any setting that feels too loose, tight, or un-centered. If the harness is fitted correctly, you should be able to fit two fingers under the leg straps.
Dorsal D-Ring: Inspect the dorsal D-Ring for cracks, discoloration, and other damage. Adjust the fit so that the D-ring is located between the shoulder blades in the middle of the back. If it’s off-center, too high, or too low, any fall will result in injury because the harness won’t equally distribute the forces during a fall.
Selecting The Right Full-Body Harness for the Job
Specific full-body harnesses are designed for different working environments. For example, confined space harnesses should be designed and constructed so that, in the event of a rescue, the rescue subject is securely held and suspended during the rescue process. In addition, harnesses used in welding operations differ, with back D-rings as the primary fall arrest attachment points. Below are the different classifications of full-body harness systems:
Class A Fall Arrest: Class A full-body harnesses are designed to support the body during and after the arrest of a fall with a single dorsal D‐ring on the back that connects a fall arrest lanyard or other fall arrest component.
Class D Suspension or Controlled Descent: Class D full-body harnesses are designed for suspension or controlled descent from a height, with an abdominal D‐ring that can be attached to a descent system or work positioning system.
Class E Retrieval: Class E full-body harnesses are designed with shoulder‐mounted D‐rings that support the worker in a position that reduces the worker’s profile during passage through a limited access area.
Class L Ladder Climbing: Class L full-body harnesses are designed with a sternal D‐ring so the user can be connected at the front while avoiding a long connection to the dorsal D‐ring. These systems are typically mounted on or adjacent to ladders or towers.
Class P Positioning: Class P full body harnesses are designed to position the worker during a work operation with side positioning D-rings at the hip position.
Class R Arc Resistant: Class R full-body harnesses are designed to protect workers who could be exposed to thermal hazards of momentary electric arc or flame.
Safety Tips for Using a Full-Body Harness
When using a full-body harness, following the safety guidelines required by the manufacturer is essential. Here are some safety tips to keep in mind when using a full-body harness:
Inspect the harness before use. If provided by the manufacturer, look at impact indicators to ensure the harness was not damaged from a previous fall.
Attach the harness to a lanyard, horizontal lifeline, or other fall arrest system.
When attaching the harness to the lanyard, ensure the carabiner is securely fastened.
Make sure the D-ring is correctly positioned at the back of the harness.
Make sure the straps are correctly adjusted for a snug fit.
Make sure the straps are free from any knots or tangles.
Avoid working in wet or slippery conditions.
Never exceed the weight limit of the harness.
Never use the harness if it shows signs of wear or damage.
Resources
Unified Fall Protection Basics for Construction Activities (wa.gov)
Unified Safety Standards for Fall Protection Chapter 296-880 WAC
National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction (wa.gov)
