Falling and tripping from heights are noted among the foremost causes of workplace injury. This is the reason why, it has been imperative and a legal obligation to outfit with appropriate personal protective equipment before getting started. This has brought safety harnesses into the industry as a consistent fall restraint tool – allowing the wearer to fasten themselves to a component called an anchor. This is how it prevents them from falling or hitting the ground, in case a fall occurs. According to Jason Wible Frenchcreek, in order to reap the most out of the safety gear, a wearer need to know the correct techniques for wearing the harness. 

Thorough inspection of the safety harness

Before getting outfitted with a safety harness, first of all, the wearer should make a thorough inspection of it.  Doing so will help employees to pinpoint, worn or damaged parts beforehand so that a possible injury or fall can be prevented. Here is a guide that the wearer should follow: 

Inspecting the safety harness 

By grabbing the D-Ring which is positioned at the rear of the harness, the wearer should shake the tool that helps untangle the straps. Then the buckles and straps are to be unfastened and loosened. Once done the wearer should check if a sign of irregularity like damage to components is there. For example, ensuring the parts of buckles and D-rings are not damaged, chipped, or deformed. The fibers of the straps and loops should be in the right condition, and there should be no stitching or distortion.  

Putting on the safety harness

At the time of putting on the safety harness, the wearer needs to insert the arms through each strap at a time while ensuring that the D-ring remains at the center of the upper back. While doing so, they can notice the chest buckles at their fronts. It is also to ensure that the webbing has not been twisted during this time. 

Now it is time to buckle the leg straps firmly so that they fit securely on the thighs. Next, the straps of the waist are to be fastened snugly.  

Once the safety harness is worn, the time comes to adjust it. The wearer needs to make sure that all components have been snugged properly and that they are not too tight or too loose. 

Now things to ensure that 

• The chest strap is positioned directly crossing the center of the chest. If it is found loose, it should be tightened while ensuring that it does feel like breathing or moving uncomfortably. 
• Each end of the straps needs to be tucked to prevent them from resulting in an accident. 
• Similarly, all pieces of clothing or drawstrings are to be tucked.  

According to Jason Wible Frenchcreek only wearing a safety harness is not going to help if it is not properly worn. Employers should arrange training for their workers to know the method of getting outfitted with the harness in the appropriate way. They should also ask their co-workers to help in adjusting their safety harnesses so that they don’t face any trouble while working at heights.