Although safety harnesses are a crucial tool for keeping workers safe in many industries, they can become a hazard if not maintained and used correctly. This blog will explore 5 common safety harness hazards and how to mitigate them to ensure you remain safe while working from height.
1. Improper Fit
When using a safety harness, it is crucial that you ensure it is fitted correctly. A harness that is too loose will provide inadequate support during a fall and the wearer can even slip out entirely, causing serious injury. However, a harness that is too tight can constrict the wearer’s movements and cause chafing and discomfort, distracting them from the task at hand.
For more information on how to correctly fit your safety harness, check out our blog on How Tight Should a Harness Be?.
2. Incorrect Use
Whether due to lack of training or a lapse of concentration, using and securing your safety harness incorrectly can be incredibly hazardous. For example, forgetting to tighten the straps, using an inadequate anchoring point and attaching the lanyard to the wrong D-ring can all cause serious injury, and in some cases death.
To combat this, all employees should be thoroughly trained in the proper use of safety harnesses, including education on proper attachment points and how to adjust a harness correctly.
3. Poor Maintenance
The same as any other safety equipment, a poorly maintained harness can be ineffective and dangerous to use. Workers should be trained in how to recognise signs of wear like frayed straps, rusted hardware and worn stitching – all of which can cause the harness to fail during use, leaving the wearer vulnerable to danger.
This is why regular inspection of ALL parts of the harness is crucial and if any part of the harness shows wear or damage, it should be replaced immediately.
4. Suspension Trauma
One of the most dangerous risks associated with safety harnesses is suspension trauma, a condition that occurs when the wearer is left hanging in their harness after a fall. Being suspended by a harness for an extended period of time can cause blood to pool in your extremities which if left long enough, can lead to unconsciousness and even death .
To mitigate the risk of suspension trauma, make sure workers avoid being suspended for long periods of time while working and ensure you have a rescue plan in place to make sure workers are quickly assisted after a fall.
5. Fall Arrest Shock
Similar to suspension trauma, the sudden stop of the harness and line during a fall can cause serious shock injuries. To combat this, fit a shock absorber to your harness and make sure you use a fall arrest system that minimises fall forces.
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While safety harnesses are essential for protecting workers, they are not risk-free. To minimise the safety harness hazards mentioned in this blog, ensure that all workers are thoroughly trained on safety harness fit, maintenance, inspection and safe use.
By staying aware of the potential hazards, you can ensure your safety harnesses remain a crucial part of your fall protection system, rather than becoming a risk themselves.
Browse our range of safety harnesses using the button below or if you have any further questions about safety harness hazards, please don’t hesitate to contact us and a member of our friendly team will be happy to help!
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