3
Full Body Harness Instruction Manual
Instructions for Use
•
WARNING:
Do not alter or intentionally misuse this equipment.
•
Personal Fall Arrest System (PFAS) MUST limit the average arrest force to 900 lbs. (4kN) or less.
•
Employees shall be trained in accordance with the requirements of OSHA 29 CFR 1910.66 in the
safe use of the system and its components before using a PFAS.
•
Inspect all Personal Fall Arrest System equipment for wear, damage, and other deterioration prior
to each use. Remove defective equipment from service immediately.
•
Thoroughly evaluate and plan all elements of Fall Protection System(s) before using this
equipment. Make sure that your Personal Fall Arrest System is appropriate for your needs and
facility. Calculate fall clearance and swing fall clearance. The amount of clearance required is
dependent on the type of connecting subsystem, the anchorage location, and other factors.
When calculating distance, be sure to consider:
•
Deceleration Distance
•
Movement of harness attachment (D-ring)
•
Free Fall Distance
•
Height of the worker (how tall is the worker?)
•
Elevation of Anchorage Connector
•
Connecting Subsystems length
•
D-ring connector length
•
Length of Full Body Harness stretch
•
Swing falls occur when the anchorage point is not directly above the point where a fall occurs.
The force of striking an object in a swing fall may cause serious injury or death. Minimize
potential for swing falls by working as close to the anchorage point as possible. Do not permit a
swing fall if injury could occur. Swing falls significantly increase the amount of clearance
required. See Illustration 3.
•
Users must have a rescue plan and means to implement it. This plan must provide prompt
employee rescue or ensure employees have the ability to rescue themselves in the event of a fall.
•
Store this equipment in a cool, dry, and clean environment that is out of direct light when not in
use to prevent UV degradation.
•
This equipment must be removed from service immediately if a fall is incurred.
Illustration
3:
Examples
of
Swing
Fall
Hazards
3
18
16
Full Body Harness Instruction Manual
6. Full Body Harness (FBH) Stretch, the amount the FBH component of a personal fall arrest
system will stretch and deform during a fall, can contribute to the overall elongation of the
system in stopping a fall. It is important to include the increase in fall distance created by
FBH Stretch, as well as the FBH connector length, the settling of the user’s body in the FBH
and all other contributing factors when calculating total clearance required for a particular fall
arrest system.
7. When not in use, unused lanyard legs that are still attached to a Full Body Harness D-ring
should not be attached to a work positioning element or any other structural element on the
Full Body Harness unless deemed acceptable by the competent person and manufacturer of
the lanyard. This is especially important when using some types of “Y” style lanyards, as
some load may be transmitted to the user through the unused lanyard leg if it is not able to
release from the harness. The lanyard parking attachment is generally located in the sternal
area to help reduce tripping and entanglement hazards.
8. Loose ends of straps can get caught in machinery or cause accidental disengagement of an
adjuster. All Full Body Harnesses shall include keepers or other components which serve to
control the loose ends of straps.
9. Due to the nature of soft loop connections, it is recommended that soft loop attachments
only be used to connect with other soft loops or carabiners. Snap hooks should not be used
unless approved for the application by the manufacturer.
10.
Dorsal
– The dorsal attachment element shall be used as the primary fall arrest attachment,
unless the application allows the use of an alternate attachment. The dorsal attachment may
also be used for travel restraint or rescue. When supported by the dorsal attachment during
a fall, the design of the Full Body Harness shall direct load through the shoulder straps
supporting the user, and around the thighs. Supporting the user, post fall, by the dorsal
attachment will result in an upright body position with a slight lean to the front with some
slight pressure to the lower chest. Considerations should be made when choosing a sliding
versus fixed dorsal attachment element. Sliding dorsal attachments are generally easier to
adjust to different user sizes, and allow a more vertical rest position post fall, but can
increase Full Body Harness Stretch.
Sections 11-17 provide additional information concerning the location
and use of various attachments that may be provided on this FBH.
11.
Sternal
– The sternal attachment may be used as an alternative fall arrest attachment in
applications where the dorsal attachment is determined to be inappropriate by a competent
person, and where there is no chance to fall in a direction other than feet first. Accepted
practical uses for a sternal attachment include, but are not limited to, ladder climbing with a
guided type fall arrester, ladder climbing with an overhead self-retracting lifeline for fall arrest,
work positioning and rope access. The sternal attachment may also be used for travel
restraint or rescue. When supported by the sternal attachment during a fall, the design of the
Full Body Harness shall direct load through the shoulder straps supporting the user, and
around the thighs. Supporting the user, post fall, by the sternal attachment will result in
roughly a sitting or cradled body position with weight concentrated on the thighs, buttocks and
lower back. Supporting the user during work positioning by this sternal attachment will result in
an approximate upright body position. If the sternal attachment is used for fall arrest, the
competent person evaluating the application should take measures to ensure that a fall can
only occur feet first. This may include limiting the allowable free fall distance. It may be
possible for a sternal attachment incorporated into an adjustable style chest strap to cause the