When working at height a full body safety harness is an essential part of your safety kit and personal fall arrest system. It is designed to protect a person from injury if involved in an accident when working at height, by absorbing impact forces that occur during a fall and holding the person in suspension. It is essential that a safety harness is correctly sized and fitted to the wearer and that compatible connecting devices between harness and anchorage points are used.
TYPES OF SAFETY HARNESS
There are two types of safety harness. Those that are designed to provide fall protection, and those that are designed to provide additional support which is essential if the wearer is working in suspension. A harness designed for suspension will be made with pads around shoulder, waist and leg points which make them more comfortable to wear. A safety harness with added comfort distributes the weight of the wearer evenly across it, which is important when wearing it for long periods, even when not in suspension. You should also consider how long it takes to take on the harness and how easy it is to adjust to the perfect fit.
ATTACHMENT POINTS
Work restraint and work positioning demands a safety harness with front and rear attachments points as a minimum requirement.
