Harness Safety and Fall Protection

Photo provided by Peterson Beckner Industries

Fall Protection-General Requirements has made OSHA’s “Top 10” citations list for eight years running. The body harness is the most critical piece of PPE that will most likely save an ironworker’s life. It is also the heaviest, most uncomfortable piece of safety equipment ironworker deals with on a day to day basis.

Selection and inspection of harnesses, plus proper understanding of tie-off procedures and types of connection points have been the focus of several articles in the news recently. These resources serve as a good reminder of best practices to prevent falls and what to do after a fall.

A recent article in Connector discusses the importance of quality and comfort when selecting body harnesses. “The harnesses have to be comfortable and practical,” says David Duke, field safety director for Cooper Steel, Shelbyville, Tenn.

Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) provides additional insight into why comfort is critical to compliance, and how human factors should inform the design of harnesses.

It is also critical that workers inspect their PPE before each use to ensure body harnesses are in good working, condition. A video produced by FallTech, “Fall Protection- How to Inspect and Don a Full Body Harness,” offers instructions on how to properly inspect a body harness and what to do if a harness does not pass inspection.

Proper tie-off procedures are also crucial to an ironworker’s safety. Construction Business Owner reports that Horizontal Lifeline (HLLs) systems offers safety professionals necessary flexibility to create a fall-protection solution during tricky periods of transition on the jobsite.

In the event of a fall, ForConstructionPros has released a webinar, What Happens After a Fall is Arrested? The recorded webinar produced by CPWR, the Center for Construction Research and Training, explains suspension trauma, rescue plans, solutions for self- and assisted-rescue, and the importance of training.