Harness and Lanyard Correct Use
Working at Height › General › Harness and Lanyard Correct Use
Harness and Lanyard Correct Use
A full body harness with an appropriate lanyard is personal fall protection equipment used as a last resort when collective measures like guardrails are not practicable. The harness must be correctly fitted, the lanyard attached to a suitable anchor point, and the fall clearance distance calculated before use. Incorrectly worn harnesses provide false confidence and can cause serious injury during a fall arrest event. Training and competence are essential for every user.
- Receive formal training in harness fitting, lanyard selection, and anchor point identification before use.
- Inspect your harness and lanyard before every use following the manufacturer's pre-use checklist.
- Adjust all harness straps so the D-ring sits centrally between the shoulder blades.
- Select the correct lanyard type: restraint to prevent reaching the edge, or fall arrest with energy absorber.
- Attach only to anchor points rated for the required load and approved by a competent person.
- Calculate the total fall clearance distance including lanyard length, energy absorber deployment, and body height.
- Ensure a rescue plan is in place and tested before starting any work using fall arrest equipment.
- Remove from service any harness or lanyard that has been involved in a fall arrest event.
- Store harnesses in clean, dry conditions away from chemicals, sharp objects, and UV exposure.
If a worker is suspended in a harness after a fall, activate the rescue plan immediately. Suspension trauma can become life-threatening within 15 minutes. Lower the casualty to the ground as quickly as possible and call 999.
- A harness only protects you if it is correctly fitted, inspected, and attached to a rated anchor point.
- The back D-ring must sit between the shoulder blades — too high or too low reduces its effectiveness.
- Calculate the total fall clearance before using fall arrest to ensure you will not hit the ground.
- Suspension trauma can kill within 15 minutes so a tested rescue plan must always be in place.
- Inspect every component of your harness and lanyard before each use without exception.
- After any fall arrest event, remove all equipment from service immediately for formal inspection.
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