Following a study conducted by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, falls account for approximately 39.2 percent of the construction industry’s occupational deaths. With the use of a suitable harness safety kit, these deaths can be prevented. Usually, falls occur into holes on floors, from the overhead platform, or at elevated workstations. Given the importance of a harness safety kit, it is essential to read the buying guide below before you shop for it.
Application
When shopping for a harness safety kit, the first thing you need to consider is the purpose for which you need the harness. It is indeed one of the most straightforward aspects of the purchasing process because the job is usually specific. Typically, the harness safety kit is required for jobs such as tree care, tower climbing, construction site, or cleaning at a height. After your application is narrowed down, decide what kind of job you are doing that requires specialized equipment, such as rope access, rescue, and welding. These two factors will determine the type of harness you need.
Size
When it comes to buying safety harness kits, there is no one-size-fits-all concept. The harness can indeed be adjusted to an extent, but not to the point that a size small or big enough can encompass every body type. Although this may seem like common sense to you, we have seen companies that order harness kits in one size for all their employees. If the harness is not a snug fit, the person wearing it is completely unprotected. However, bear in mind that the harness should be a snug fit but must not be too tight. The chest straps should sit at the chest and not the stomach, D-rings must sit between the shoulder blades, and you should comfortably be able to slide a flat hand (and not a fist) between the leg and the leg strap.
Check the padding
Safety harness kits comprise a few straps that will come in contact with sensitive body parts. Thus, padding is a vital factor of consideration. Having cushioned legs, hips, and shoulder straps will ensure minimum pressure. A well-padded strap will enable the worker to work more comfortably and for a longer duration. In the event of a fall, the padded strap will conveniently adapt the shock and distribute the weight. Padding can be either removable or built-in, as per your need.
Stitching quality
The kit’s stitching quality directly determines its durability. You must opt for a harness that has double box stitching. This is the kind that will assure maximum strength to accommodate your weight. It also accentuates durability as the sewn-in quality will last longer.
When you hand over a few things, such as safety glasses or a pair of boots, they can use them properly. However, your fall protection harness safety kit is certainly not one of those things. To an amateur or an untrained eye, the harness safety kit may seem like a jumble of buckles and straps without any semblance of reason. This makes the harness ineffective and may injure or hurt the wearer.
Here are some instances wherein a harness safety kit can cause hurt or injury:
Improper fit
When the safety harness kit is not adjusted for a snug fit, its efficiency is null. It is almost equivalent to wearing no harness at all. A snug fit is vital on both the upper and the lower sections. If you slip loose from the harness while working at an elevation, you may find yourself in a dangerous situation, which may demand an immediate rescue. Organ damage, traumatic injury, or a neurological injury might occur in only a few minutes of prolonged suspension in some cases. Weight limits vary from one model to another, but the typical range is between 130-310 pounds. The weight includes the worker’s clothing, the harness itself, and any tools the worker will use while working with the harness. For obvious reasons, you must not exceed the weight limits, and the body harnesses must never be used for lifting equipment or materials.
Wrong D-ring position
The harnesses were not thrown together haphazardly using some straps lying loose on a manufacturing floor. These have been carefully engineered by certified professionals who ensure that the body’s force in the event of the fall is distributed across the body to ensure that the fall is safely arrested. If you do not wear the harness right, it will not provide equal force distribution. As a result, you will even up hurting yourself. So, if the D-ring is wrongly positioned, it is a clear sign that you are not wearing your harness correctly. Hence, anytime you wear the harness safety kit, make your partner examine it to ensure that the D-ring is situated precisely halfway between the shoulder blades. It does not mean that it can land up just anywhere on the back; rather, it should be on the back’s center at the shoulder blade height.
Overuse
Although the harness safety kit does not come with an expiration date, you can tell when it needs to be replaced. If the harness has been used for more than five years and starts showing wear-and-tear signs, you need to replace it. When a harness has exceeded its life, it may lead to equipment failure.
Following a study conducted by the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the biggest reason for workers getting injured is falling at the workplace. At times, these injuries may level lead to death. However, with a proper harness safety kit, injuries and deaths can be prevented. If a worker’s job demands him to work at the height of six feet or over, they must use a harness safety kit.
Caters to the workplace requirements
Even though every workplace does not demand the use of a safety harness, many in the commercial and the industrial sector mandate their utilization. A safety harness kit is vital for employee safety and insurance. It is more like those steep-toed boots where use is essential for your job in a workplace.
Guards you in the event of a fall
A harness safety kit will affix you to a stable place. So, even if you take a tumble, you will not hurt yourself when hitting the ground. Hence, if you are required to work at a height of more than six feet, you should wear a safety harness.
Comfort during work
Many people despise the idea of wearing a safety harness. They believe it will not be comfortable. However, that is far from the truth. Some good and recognized brands offer premium harnesses that incorporate padding all across the harness. More so, you can have your harness engineered with comfortable fabrics. Some harnesses never cause any unnecessary stress to your body. These comfortable harnesses are essential for workers who are supposed to wear them for longer periods.
Approved and standardized
Your safety harness kit is governed by responsible bodies that deal with safety and health. They give out a list of standards that are to be met by any company that makes these harness safety kits, especially in terms of construction and performance. So, as a wearer, you always have trust in the harness as you are sure that it meets certain parameters.
No expiry date
A safety gear comes with an expiration date. You can only use it for some time, and post that you will have to replace it. Such is not the case with the safety harness. You can use your harness until it is no longer functional. So, as long as you begin to see some wear-and-tear, you can go on using it.
Guards your joints
Harnesses are designed to do a lot more than just preventing you from hitting the ground. With its padded straps around the shoulders, legs, or hips, these kits use the velocity of the fall and force exerted by your weight and spread it throughout the body. This protects your shoulders and hips from bearing the brunt of the fall or impact.