There have been many instances all over the world of experienced workers falling to their deaths or becoming severely injured as a result of faulty safety equipment. No matter how experienced you think you are when it comes to working at height, it is crucial for both the safety of yourself and those around you that you thoroughly inspect your safety harness and equipment before use.

To help you out, this blog will explain how to inspect a safety harness step-by-step! Let’s get started.

Pre-Use Checks

There are several different types of safety harness inspection, all of which are essential in their own way.

A quick, visual and tactile check known as a ‘pre-use check’ should be performed by the user before each and every use of a safety harness. The key components of a pre-use safety harness inspection include:

• Label: You will need to verify that the labels and inspection tags are present and legible and that the harness is within its service life.
  
  
• Webbing: Run your hands along the webbing to feel for any signs of damage like cuts, abrasions, burns, chemical damage or excessive fading and discolouration.
  
  
• D-Rings: Inspect for rust and distortion.
  
  
• Buckles: Ensure that the buckles and all other hardware are not cracked, bent or corroded. Operate all buckles to ensure they function properly and lock securely.
  
  
• Straps: Hold the harness by the dorsal D-ring, shake it to untangle, and inspect all straps for fraying, loose stitching and broken fibres.
  
  
• Shock Absorber: Examine for signs of deployment, cuts or damage.

If you spot any of these signs of damage, the harness must be removed from service immediately, tagged “Do Not Use” and reported to a supervisor.

Detailed Inspections

A detailed, formal inspection should be carried out by a trained, competent person every 6 months at a minimum to confirm that the equipment is safe and meets regulatory standards. These detailed inspections should be systematic, in-depth and documented, with mandatory written reports of any findings and defects. Due to the in-depth nature of these checks, they often involve testing and disassembly.

If a harness is subjected to heavy use or is often used in harsh conditions, a detailed inspection should be conducted every 3 months.

By following the safety harness inspection steps above, you will no doubt reduce the likelihood of accidents occurring when working at height.

Here at SafetyLiftinGear, we strive to make working conditions as safe as possible by providing the highest quality safety equipment available. If you work at height often and require new, quality equipment that will ensure your safety, then why not check out our collection of safety harnesses?

Browse Our Safety Harnesses >

If you would like more information on our range of safety harnesses, any individual product or how to inspect a safety harness before use, then please do not hesitate to contact a member of our team today!

The ultimate hazard of working at height is, of course, falling. You do not have to fall from a great height to injure yourself. The severity of your injury is determined by many factors including weight, age, how you land, and the surface you fall on.

When we hear the phrase ‘working at height’ it’s common to assume this refers to working on roofs or skyscrapers, but actually, the UK Health & Safety Executive defines it as "work carried out in any place where a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury".

If you or someone you employ is in ANY way capable of falling from a height and sustaining an injury, you must take the proper safety precautions. When trying to determine the risks of your workplace it may be necessary to do a height risk assessment. You can read more about this here: Working at Height Risk Assessment

Regardless of the height you work at, it’s important to remember that catastrophic injuries or even death can happen from falls of only a few feet. The hazards of working at height should not be underestimated, and it’s important to provide the proper equipment to ensure safety.

Common hazards of working at height

While falling is most likely the most common hazard of working at height, there are others to be aware of. These include:

• Dropping/falling equipment - Falling equipment can be fatal. It is vital that the proper height safety equipment is used to stop workers from being able to drop objects like tools from height.
  
  
• Insufficient PPE - If you or your workers are not wearing the required protective clothing, they are at risk of injury. Protective equipment such as hard hats can help to keep you or your employees safe.
  
  
• Lack of/poor risk assessment - A thorough risk assessment will identify and analyse any potential hazards to best prepare workers in the event of an incident. Inadequate risk assessment put everyone involved at risk.
  
  
• Inexperience - Mistakes happen, but knowingly allowing inexperienced members of staff to carry out tasks at height is extremely dangerous.

We provide various equipment to reduce the risk of falling such as safety harnesses, fall arrest blocks, and ladder safety kits.

Full Range of Height Safety Equipment 

If you have any further queries about how to keep you or anyone else safe from the hazards of working at height, feel free to get in touch. Our helpful team is more than happy to give you advice.