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Approved American National Standard ANSI/ASSE Z359.11-2014 Annex
A- Normative American National Standard Safety Requirements for Full Body
Harnesses
Note: This information from the Z359.11 standard is required to be included
in the instruction manual for the end user:
Users of personal fall arrest systems shall, at a minimum, comply with all
manufacturer instructions regarding the inspection, maintenance and storage
of the equipment. The user’s organization shall retain the manufacturer’s
instructions and make them readily available to all users. See ANSI/ASSE
Z359.2, Minimum Requirements for a Comprehensive Managed Fall Protection
Program, regarding user inspection, maintenance and storage of equipment.
INSPECTION
1. In addition to the inspection requirements set forth in the manufacturer’s
instructions, the equipment shall be inspected by the user before each use
and, additionally, by a competent person, other than the user, at interval
of no more than one year for:
• Absence or illegibility of markings.
• Absence of any elements affecting the equipment form, fit or function.
• Evidence of defects in, or damage to, hardware elements including
cracks, sharp edges, deformation, corrosion, chemical attack, excessive
heating, alteration and excessive wear.
• Evidence of defects in or damage to strap or ropes including fraying,
unsplicing, unlaying, kinking, knotting, roping, broken or pulled stitches,
excessive elongation, chemical attack, excessive soiling, abrasion,
alteration, needed or excessive lubrication, excessive aging and excessive
wear.
2. Inspection criteria for the equipment shall be set by the user’s
organization. Such criteria for the equipment shall equal or exceed the
criteria established by this standard or the manufacturer’s instructions,
whichever is greater.
3. When inspection reveals defects in, damage to, or inadequate
maintenance of equipment, the equipment shall be permanently removed
from service or undergo adequate corrective maintenance, by the original
equipment manufacturer or their designate, before return to service.
Your harness should be thoroughly inspected before each use. Inspections
should be recorded and the details maintained in an equipment inspection log.
Keep these instructions and the equipment inspection log with the harness
so that the user can read and make important inspection entries. A sample
equipment inspection log is provided in these instructions but you may need
to make your own with the same criteria. Any harness that does not pass
inspection should be immediately retired from service and destroyed or serious
injury or death could occur. Detailed inspection criteria must be established by
the user according to his needs.
USER INSPECTION, MAINTENANCE & STORAGE OF
EQUIPMENT
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