Whenever you are in a situation where you are off of the ground for any reason, be it for a job or a personal hobby, it's always a good idea to don personal protective equipment (PPE). This should be in the form of a safety harness with an appropriate safety restraint system. According to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), anyone working on a platform more than four feet in the air is required to wear fall protection. In almost all cases, this is in the form of a safety harness.
When Is A Harness Required
According to OSHA guidelines, fall protection is required whenever you are working over dangerous machinery. In general, industries that have employees working at or above four feet require a safety harness and fall protection. In maritime, the minimum height is five feet, while in construction it is six feet.
Types Of Harnesses
At one time, there were two primary types of safety harnesses/belts. The positioning belt, little more than a wide belt attached to a rope, has been all but phased out. Almost all situations now require a full body harness. These harnesses fit around the chest, waist and legs and offer full support to a person involved in a fall.
Protection
The safety harness must be made of a material strong enough to support the persons weight, plus the jerk weight, should the person fall. The jerk weight is the amount of force applied to the harness when the falling person comes to an abrupt halt. The harness must also be constructed in such a way as to prevent a person from slipping or falling out of the harness at any angle.
Dangers
While a safety harness can save lives when preventing a fall, there are dangers associated with this equipment. Should a person fall and be suspended in their harness, it is critical they be rescued as quickly as possible. The restricted blood flow due to the weight distribution can cause serious injury or, in extreme cases, death. It is estimated serious harm can occur in as little as 15 minutes.
Restraint Systems
The safety harness is worn in unison with a fall restraint system. This system can include a lanyard with a 'shock absorber' design to help reduce the 'jerk' weight during a fall. The length and type of lanyard worn depends on the height at which the person is working.
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