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How do you inspect your fall protection harness?

Posted on 24.08.2023.

Fall protection harness 3M

A fall protection harness protects you from falling from heights and helps to prevent serious injury from a fall.

So, it is important to thoroughly inspect your fall protection  harness before using it. This ensures your safety and its effectiveness. Regular inspections can identify and repair any wear, damage or weakness in a timely manner, reducing the risk of accidents.

We will be happy to explain how to best inspect your fall protection harness, but remember to always refer to the harness manual for specific instructions.

 

Be sure to watch our instruction video on inspecting a fall harness:

 

Inspecting your fall protection harness

Preferably place your harness on a table in a well-lit room so you can inspect the harness clearly.

 

D-ring

Check the chest or back D-ring. The ring must be free of corrosion and no dents, cracks, holes or other forms of wear are visible. If the back D-ring has an automatic upright function, check that it functions properly as well

Fall protection harnass - D-ring

 

Buckles and strap

It must be possible to open and close the buckles, as well as tighten the strap, in one smooth movement. Dust and sand can make this more difficult. Inspect the steelwork for shape and corrosion.

Roll the belt out fully so you can inspect everything thoroughly and check for defects such as cracks, cuts, welding spatter, presence of ink and UV discolouration. Look at the stitching for shape: The pattern of the seams must be diagonal, horizontal and vertical. Check the ‘hidden’ stitching too. Fully extend the chest strap and pull out the strap under the comfort cushions. That way, you don't miss anything.

 

Fall indicator

Some harnesses have a fall indicator. A fall indicator is a safety device that indicates if the harness has been involved in a fall. Look closely at the stitching of the drop indicators, they should always be folded, both front and back.

Fall protection harnass - fall indicator

 

Labels

All labels must be present, legible and free of tears. This way, everyone can find the date of manufacture, serial number, standards and other information.

 

Anti-trauma strap loops

Finally, open the zipper and unfold the anti-trauma strap loops by fully rolling them out.   They must not show any cracks, welding spatter or abnormal shape.

 

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