The Fall Protection Harness: Inspection, Care and Maintenance Safety Meeting Topics The Fall Protection Harness: Inspection, Care and Maintenance Copyright by the Institute for Safety in Powerline Construction 3504 Parliament Ct. Alexandria, LA 71303 All rights reserved. This material or any part thereof may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the Institute for Safety in Powerline Construction

Training U. S. OSHA requires that all employees working at elevation be trained in the proper use of their fall protection equipment. 1926.503(a)(1) The employer shall provide a training program for each employee who might be exposed to fall hazards. The program shall enable each employee to recognize the hazards of falling and shall train each employee in the procedures to be followed in order to minimize these hazards.

Lineworker outfitted with full Personal Protective Equipment for working energized systems from a bucket truck – including body harness that can be attached with a lanyard to an anchor point in the bucket. 1926.503(b)(1) The employer shall verify compliance with paragraph (a) of this section by preparing a written certification record. The written certification record shall contain the name or other identity of the employee trained, the date(s) of the training, and the signature of the person who conducted the training or the signature of the employer. If the employer relies on training conducted by another employer or completed prior to the effective date of this section, the certification record shall indicate the date the employer determined the prior training was adequate rather than the date of actual training.

Body Harness tied-in with Lanyard connected to the Truck Boom Anchor Point

Care, Maintenance, and Inspection A well conceived fall protection plan must include proper care and maintenance of all personal protective equipment along with the associated items necessary for a complete system. Training sessions related to care and maintenance should be held at regular intervals depending on the nature of the work. Frequent training sessions are more appropriate for an employer with a transient work force than for an employer with a mature stable work force.

Care, Maintenance, and Inspection ANSI (American National Standards Institute) and U.S. OSHA standards require that training be performed by a ‘competent’ person who is qualified. The user is responsible for ensuring that he/she knows how to properly inspect, use, store and maintain the equipment.

Full Body Harness A full body harness must be worn at all times while in the bucket

Storage Personal protection equipment (harnesses, lanyards, etc.) along with connectors and other related items should be stored in a clean, dry environment free from direct sunlight, dust, excessive heat and harmful chemicals.

Cleaning Personal protection equipment should be cleaned periodically using a mild detergent and water. Wash with a soft, non-abrasive brush or sponge and allow to air dry after removing the excess water with a dry cloth. DO NOT put personal protection equipment in a clothes dryer or use a blow dryer. Excessive heat may melt the webbing and alter the strength. DO NOT use chemicals to clean heavily soiled gear. Chemicals may destroy the webbing.

Inspection User Inspection Personal fall arrest systems should be inspected by the user before each use. In addition, the user should check before each use to be sure a formal inspection has been performed within the last six months.

Procedure for Inspection Inspection Cont’d Procedure for Inspection Harnesses, lanyards and synthetic lifelines manufactured from webbing and/or rope (products used in typical fall arrest system). Inspect all webbing (straps) and stitching for cuts, fraying, pulled or broken threads, abrasion, excessive wear, altered or missing straps, burn, heat and chemical exposures.

Procedure for Inspection Inspection Cont’d Procedure for Inspection Inspect all rope for cuts, fraying, pulled or broken strands, abrasion, excessive wear, burns, heat and chemical exposure. Inspect all metallic parts (ie. D-rings, snap hooks, buckles, adjusters and grommets) for deformation, fractures, cracks, corrosion, deep pitting, sharp edges, cuts, deep nicks, missing or loose parts, improper function, evidence of burns, excessive heat and chemical exposure.

Inspection Cont’d When inspection in accordance with stated inspection procedures reveals signs of inadequate maintenance, the harness must be immediately removed from service. Excessive wear and aging are generally not repairable. If detected, immediately remove harness from service. For final disposition, submit the harness to a competent person who is authorized to perform inspections.

5 Easy Steps for Donning a Harness

Competent Person Inspection Cont. The personal protective equipment must be inspected by a competent person other than the user at intervals of no more than six months (The qualifications of a competent person are established by OSHA). Competent Person By way of training and/or experience, a competent person is knowledgeable of applicable standards, is capable of identifying workplace hazards relating to the specific operation, and has the authority to correct them. Some standards add additional specific requirements which must be met by the competent person.

Competent Person Inspection Cont. If the harness is exposed to severe working conditions, more frequent formal inspections may be required. The frequency of inspection by a competent person should be established by the user's organization based on such factors as the nature and severity of the workplace conditions and exposure time of the equipment.

Competent Person Inspection Cont. The competent person should perform the inspection following the procedures outlined above. Results should be recorded in the formal inspection log. In addition, the user should check before each use to be sure a formal inspection has been performed within the last six months.

Control of Equipment The user's organization should establish and enforce a policy and procedure whereby any personal fall arrest system (or parts thereof) are found to be defective, damaged, impact loaded or in need of maintenance be immediately removed from service. Only the manufacturer should make repairs to defective or damaged equipment.

Any Questions? Any questions regarding harnesses? Any questions regarding the inspection and maintenance of harnesses? Slide Show Notes Do you have any questions regarding harnesses? Do you have any questions regarding the inspection and maintenance of harnesses?