11 Tips When Wearing A Safety Harness
By: John Garcia | Date Posted: June 8, 2022
Table of Contents
A safety harnessâ primary role is to protect you if you slip or fall on high grounds. Youâll be wearing them all over your body and attaching them to a sturdy string that could help catch your body and ensure that you donât get any injuries if you fall. Since your life depends on it, itâs only essential to wear it the right way.
As you look at this site to see various safety harness options, you must know how to wear them properly to maximize your safety. The last thing youâd want to happen is to get injured just because of the incorrect way of wearing them. And for that, below are some tips when wearing a safety harness:
Tips When Wearing A Safety Harness
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Check Weight Limit
Before putting on your safety harness, you should first inspect if it can carry your weight. Doing so can let you be at peace, knowing that your harness can take your body well if you fall from a high surface. In most cases, a regular harness can carry up to 310 pounds. However, if your body weight exceeds the limit, looking for a harness that has a higher limit would be best, usually up to 400 pounds.
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Begin By Holding The D-Ring
To begin wearing your safety harness, you should start by holding it on the D-ring to see how you should position it onto your body. You can find the D-ring in the middle of the back and lift the entire safety harness by holding it. Doing so can let you look at every part of the safety harness and make your inspection from there for maximum safety.
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Shake To Untangle
As you lift the safety harness from the D-ring, you should shake it well to let the straps fall right into place. It will give you a perfect chance to unravel any tangles and see if any missing parts of the safety harness could compromise your safety. Moreover, you can also notice if there are any loose straps that you need to be aware of.
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Inspect For Any Damages
After untangling the safety harness, you can now begin by inspecting the entire material and checking if there is any damage to every inch of it. This way, you can determine if the safety harness is still acceptable for use or if should you consider switching to a different strap to guarantee safety. Moreover, if the safety harness has already been experienced in catching someone from an accident, donât reuse it as the stitches might fall loose.
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Place Them On Your Arms
After checking that the safety harness is okay to use, you can begin placing it on your arms by slipping in the shoulder straps for both sides. Do it as if youâre wearing a vest, and it should slide right on your arms perfectly. While doing this, ensure that you keep the D-ring between your shoulder blades at the back. The proper position of the D-ring allows it to carry your body evenly in case you fall.
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Connect The Chest Strap
One of the most crucial steps for wearing a safety harness is ensuring you attach the chest strap well. While it might seem like a minor thing, a chest strap is the one that pulls the entire piece together. It can ensure that youâre appropriately attached to your safety harness, providing maximum safety.
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Attach The Leg Strap
A safety harness wouldnât be completely safe if you donât attach your leg straps well. It can ensure that the harness can lift your body well if something happens.
Just pull the leg strap onto your legs and attach it to their designated buckles. Itâll be helpful if you could keep an upright position to ensure that the straps are in their proper place and wonât fall off. You can ask for help from a colleague to help you attach your leg straps to ensure that they wonât get tangled up.
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Double-check the Position Of The D-Ring
After attaching the safety harness to your body, you should always double-check the position of the D-ring. Due to your movements, there might be instances wherein it might slide off in its optimal place. Checking the placement yourself or looking at the mirror allows you to see if theyâre just between your back shoulder blades and make any necessary adjustments if needed.
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Check The Positioning
After attaching the safety harness all over your body, you should check the positioning of each area. See if you have connected it well and if it provides you with great movement. You can begin checking if there are any twists on your attachments and pull some ends to ensure the perfect fit.
You can even place your four fingers by your leg strap and see if it allows you to slip through them comfortably. Ideally, you should also be able to move your fingers a little by twisting your hand to a full 90 degrees and see if thereâs still enough space for it.
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Tuck Loose Ends
Since youâd be pulling your straps to ensure that youâve attached it well all over your body, you can expect plenty of loose ends hanging around your body. While it might not bother you too much, itâs best to tuck loose ends as they might cause accidents, especially if theyâre too long, affecting your movement. You can use a strap retainer, loop keeper, or belt loops to prevent any straps from dangling from your body.
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Ensure Ease Of Movement
Of course, your top priority is safety when wearing safety harnesses. While it might be tempting to pull it as tight as possible, you should avoid doing so, as it might cause more danger than you think.
You may suffer from injuries after falling due to a tight harness. Ideally, even with a safety harness, you should be able to move with ease. The harness shouldnât restrain your movements but allow you to move comfortably and accomplish your task without any restraints.
Takeaway
As you wear a safety harness, you should ensure that it fits properly within your body. Begin by checking its maximum weight capacity and see if there is any previous damage to it. Ideally, your safety harness should be in its best shape before wearing it to guarantee your safety.
Then, place each part in its designated area and tuck them in place, but not too tight to ensure ease of movement. Hopefully, the tips above can guarantee your security when wearing a safety harness.
Thank you for reading!