10 Apr Don’t Gamble With Personal Fall Arrest Equipment

Don’t Gamble With Personal Fall Arrest Equipment

Personal fall arrest systems are designed to stop a fall before a worker strikes a lower level. However, simply wearing a harness and lanyard does not guarantee protection. Damaged, improperly maintained, incorrectly connected, or incompatible equipment can fail when it is needed most.

Never trust your life to fall protection equipment that has not been properly inspected.

Inspect Before Each Use

Personal fall protection equipment must be inspected before each use for wear, damage, deterioration, and other defects. Follow the equipment manufacturer’s inspection instructions and company fall protection procedures.

If any component is damaged, defective, questionable, or has been subjected to a fall arrest, remove it from service immediately and follow company and manufacturer requirements for evaluation, repair, or disposal.

Never attempt unauthorized repairs or modifications.

Full-Body Harnesses

Body belts are not permitted as part of a personal fall arrest system. A properly selected full-body harness must be used.

Inspect the entire harness, including:

• Webbing for cuts, tears, fraying, broken fibers, burns, chemical damage, excessive wear, discoloration, or deterioration.
• Stitching for loose, broken, pulled, or missing threads.
• D-rings for cracks, distortion, corrosion, sharp edges, or other damage.
• Buckles and adjusters for distortion, cracks, excessive wear, and proper operation.
• Rivets, grommets, and other hardware for damage or looseness.
• Labels to ensure required identification and inspection information remains legible.
• Webbing for excessive stiffness, contamination, or other conditions that could indicate deterioration.

Do not use a harness that shows signs of damage or has questionable integrity.

Lanyards and Energy Absorbers

Inspect the entire length of the lanyard before use. Look for:

• Cuts, tears, abrasions, fraying, burns, knots, kinks, or excessive wear.
• Chemical or heat damage.
• Broken or loose stitching.
• Damaged splices or termination points.
• Cracks, distortion, corrosion, or sharp edges on connectors.
• Damaged or improperly operating locking mechanisms.

For energy-absorbing lanyards, inspect the energy absorber for signs that it has been deployed, partially deployed, torn, or otherwise damaged. If there is any indication that the equipment has arrested a fall, remove it from service.

Never tie knots in a lanyard or use one in a manner not approved by the manufacturer.

Snap Hooks and Carabiners

Inspect snap hooks and carabiners to ensure:

• Gates open and close properly.
• Self-closing and self-locking mechanisms operate correctly.
• Components are not bent, cracked, distorted, or corroded.
• There are no sharp edges or excessive wear.
• Connectors are compatible with the anchorage and other components.

Never make an incompatible connection that could cause accidental disengagement or rollout.

Self-Retracting Lifelines

Self-retracting lifelines (SRLs) require careful inspection according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Before use:

• Inspect the housing for cracks, deformation, corrosion, or other damage.
• Inspect the entire accessible lifeline for cuts, broken wires, fraying, kinks, burns, abrasion, or deterioration.
• Check connectors, stitching, terminations, fasteners, and attachment points.
• Extend and retract the lifeline to ensure smooth operation.
• Pull sharply on the lifeline to verify that the braking mechanism engages as designed.
• Check fall indicators, if provided, for evidence that the SRL has arrested a fall.

Never use an SRL that does not retract or lock properly.

Anchorage and Connections Matter

Inspection of the harness and lanyard is only part of fall protection. Before beginning work:

• Use only approved anchorage points capable of supporting the required loads.
• Verify that all components are compatible.
• Connect the system as required by the manufacturer.
• Avoid exposing equipment to sharp edges unless specifically designed and approved for that application.
• Consider fall distance, swing-fall hazards, and available clearance below the worker.
• Keep equipment away from welding sparks, open flames, chemicals, and other conditions that could damage it.

After a Fall

Personal fall arrest equipment subjected to impact loading must be removed from service immediately. Do not reuse it simply because there is no obvious visible damage. Follow the manufacturer’s requirements and company procedures for inspection, evaluation, and disposition.

Remember

Your fall protection system may be the last thing between you and a serious or fatal fall. Inspect it before every use, use it exactly as designed, and never take a chance with questionable equipment.

When in doubt, take it out of service.