If you're new to the construction industry or curious about the different types of harnesses on the market, then you've come to the right place. Today we're going to look at the 3 main types of harnesses so you can get a better idea of the harnesses we offer. Once you know what different harness types are used for, you'll be able to select the one that's most appropriate for you.
Different safety harnesses are designed for different work environments, industries, and working methods - it's not a one-size fits all situation! Some harnesses are designed to keep you positioned correctly while you work at height, while others are designed to distribute force across your body in the event of a fall. Whatever harness you are wearing, it's there to make your working at height experience safer and more comfortable. If you're unsure what type of harness you need for a particular job, we hope we can help by giving you an overview of the 3 most common types of harness.
Fall Protection
The first type of safety harness, which is predominantly used on construction sites in tangent with fall arrest systems, is fall protection harnesses. These harnesses are designed to support your body and distribute the shock of a fall evenly across your body to reduce the chance of injury. All fall protection harnesses are tested and certified against the European Standard (EN 361) so that you can be confident they will work correctly in your time of need.
It's recommended that you wear a fall protection harness while you're working on a stable surface, for example, a scaffold, or a roof. These harnesses aren't designed to suspend you in the air - unless it's an emergency. Fall protection harnesses usually feature a connection point (or connection points) at the front or rear. You can then connect your harness to the anchor point with a suitable lanyard, so if you do fall, you'll be caught straight away and suspended in the air until someone can come to rescue you. Always check the maximum weight that a safety harness can safely hold before making a purchase.
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Positioning
The harnesses that fall into the positioning category are not dissimilar to the fall protection harnesses we looked at earlier. The main difference is that they feature a positioning belt that goes around your hips to provide additional support while you work at height. Positioning harnesses are ideal if you're going to be climbing a vertical face.
The lanyard that connects you to the anchor point will connect to your work positioning belt. Having this connected slightly lower down the harness instead of on the front or back face, means that you can use both hands to complete the task at hand, without worrying that the lanyard will be in the way.
As well as being tested to the EN 361 standard, positioning harnesses are tested to an additional standard - EN 358. In addition, they often feature 3 or 4 separate lanyard connection points, so this gives the user a little more freedom to work as well. The positioning harnesses that we offer here at Safety Harness Direct are of the highest quality and will ensure that you can work at height safely for many hours!
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Suspension
The third type of safety harnesses you need to be aware of are suspension harnesses. These harnesses are designed to be worn by workers who are... you guessed it... suspended in the air! They provide unrivaled comfort for situations where you need to be suspended by a rope, supporting your back, hips, and legs, so you can get the job done safely and easily. Almost all suspension harnesses will enable you to work while 'sitting' in a comfortable position. It's almost as if they've got a chair built in!
We highly recommend these harnesses for anyone who will be suspended while working, because they're far more comfortable in this scenario than a positioning or fall arrest harness. You can shop our full range of suspension harnesses below.
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So there you have it, if you've been wondering what the 3 main types of safety harnesses are - now you know! We offer a wide range of safety harnesses for you to choose from, so whether you're working at height or doing some recreational climbing, we've got you covered.
