Harnesses & Body Support
Body support refers to fall protection equipment that directly supports the worker’s weight and maintains the body in a safe position during and after a fall event. Worker comfort, fit, and ease of use are key considerations in the selection of body support equipment like a full body harness that a worker may wear for extended periods during a work day.
Full body harnesses distribute fall arrest forces across the shoulders, upper thighs, chest, and pelvis. Fall arrest harnesses feature a dorsal D-ring for attaching to the connector such as a lanyard and may have other D-rings for use in worker positioning, travel restraint, retrieval or ladder climbing. They are the only form of body support acceptable for fall arrest and should be selected based on the job task as well as the work environment.
Body belts are strapped around the waist and are used for worker positioning, travel restraint or for added tool carrying options. While they may be used in conjunction with a full body harness, they must never be used for personal fall arrest.
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Full Body Harnesses
A full-body harness is the single most important equipment choice you can make for your crew. Fall protection harnesses provide comfort and confidence, and directly affect the user's productivity. They come in general varieties that can be used in many applications, or may be specialized for specific uses within different industries.
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Body Belts and Workseats
A fall protection belt is a great choice for positioning, restraint or other situations where there is no possibility of a vertical free fall. Workseats, bosun chairs and seat slings are useful for inspection work, window washing, painting and maintenance.
Full Body Harnesses
Choosing the right harness for the job
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General fall arrestThe back D-ring is for fall arrest, included on all harnesses.
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Ladder climbing harnessA front D-ring is the distinguishing factor of these harnesses, enabling connection to a ladder climbing safety system.
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Work positioning harnessPositioning D-rings located on the hips are used with positioning devices and allow workers to use both hands.
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Confined space entry/retrieval harnessA D-ring located on each shoulder strap facilitates upright rescue retrieval from confined spaces. -
Descent and suspension harnessDescent harnesses typically have a front D-ring for use with descent control devices. Suspension/rigging harnesses also typically include a front D-ring but often also have extras such as side D-rings for positioning.
Body Belts and Workseats
Choosing the right body belt or workseat
Body belts and workseats complement other fall protection components. For example, many harnesses can accommodate a belt for added back support, tool carrying options and restraint or work positioning job tasks.
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Work positioning beltWork positioning belts include side D-rings located on each hip and hold and sustain you at a specific work location, limiting any free fall to two feet or less. Rebar tying and concrete wall-form work are typical applications.
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Restraint beltRestraint belts are typically designed with a single, back D-ring. They are used as part of a system to help prevent workers from reaching an area where a fall hazard exists.
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Back and tool support beltThese belts can have D-rings to make them more versatile for use in work positioning for example, but often do not. They simply provide added back support and a location to attach tool and equipment pouches that is at waist level for easy reach.
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Suspension workseatUse a suspension workseat to support and hold you without any possibility of a free fall while you are being raised or lowered. Bosun chair jobs such as painting or window washing are common examples. Regulations require the use of a separate harness for fall arrest and secondary back-up lifeline with suspension supports.
Our Fall Protection team has years of experience and are here to help you.
How to choose other Fall Protection equipment
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Find the most suitable type of anchor for your needs: steel anchors, concrete anchors and specialty safety anchors like our vacuum anchor or other systems designed for your basic to unique applications.
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Connector types vary depending on whether the worker needs connection for a personal fall arrest or positioning and travel restriction.
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Our goal is not only helping keep workers safe at height, but getting them safely back to the ground with advanced, reliable rescue systems. We offer the most complete line of safe, easy-to-use and effective rescue systems in the industry.
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Objects dropped from height can result in personal injury to workers, others at the worksite and equipment. When planning for workplace safety, remember, fall protection is about you; dropped object prevention is about those around you.
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Our broad selection of both permanent and temporary, horizontal and vertical lifelines offer significant advantages in safety and productivity and have been precision engineered for a wide range of applications.
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No two confined spaces are exactly alike. Type, size and hazards vary greatly, along with different standards, regulations and company policies that can apply to each working environment.
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Working in any environment above any level where a person could fall causing injury. This includes working on a ladder, scaffolding, flat or sloped roofs, near an edge or an opening in a floor or wall and many, many more.
