Harness Inspections - Workplace Inspection Checklists

Harnesses are among the mainstays for fall protection

Working at heights is an expected part of the construction industry, along with the understanding that the higher the height, the higher the risk.

Defects can go undetected without a suitable inspection regime being in place. Equipment can fail, and without regular inspection and maintenance procedures, items of equipment can have faults that remain undetected for pro-longed periods of time. This may result in an increased risk of injury or harm to technicians, plant and/or equipment. Despite inspection and maintenance procedures, technicians should remain vigilant through pre-use checks (often referred to as “buddy checks”) and conduct pre-use function tests for all load-bearing equipment before using it. In addition, ongoing monitoring is required to detect damage that may have occurred during use.

.
Fall arrest harness

Inspection of work equipment & PPE plays a vital role in protecting the safety of the technicians who use it. It is important in ensuring the continued safety of those using life supporting equipment. Correct and thorough inspection also ensures that organisations are compliant and not left open to litigation. There should never be any doubt about the continued serviceability of an item of equipment.

Things can go wrong when procedures are not in place, are incomplete or are not followed. The opportunity is missed to identify actual or potential defects. Complacency can also result in defects being overlooked. We would recommend reading IRATA’s International code of practice for industrial rope access which can be downloaded: click here for more information, with particular reference to section 2.10 (Inspection, care and maintenance of equipment) and Annex H relating to Inspection of equipment.

Equipment inspections generally fall into three categories:
• pre-use check; These must be carried out by rope access technicians on their own equipment before first use each day. It is advisable to monitor the condition of equipment through the duration of the task, to ensure no damage or intervention has prevented equipment or systems from functioning correctly.
• detailed (‘thorough’) inspection; These are formal inspections and they must be carried out: 1. before first use; 2. upon receiving an item from a third party; 3. every 6 months (or at intervals specified in an inspection scheme drawn up by a competent person).
• interim inspection; These should be carried out where a risk assessment has identified the potential for high wear and tear or other dangers in the period between detailed inspections, e.g. following an incident, use in a hazardous environment, potential overload, etc.

All equipment manufactured from man-made fibres, e.g. ropes; webbing; harnesses; lanyards, should be chosen, used and inspected with particular care as it is susceptible to varying types and amount of damage, some of it not very easy to identify.

Inspection of the harness should consist of both a visual and tactile check and the Good to Go Safety Harness Checklist covers essential components to help ensure the harness is safe to use. WAHR (The Work at Height Regulations) stipulates the need for records to be kept of all completed checklists, each checklist copy should be kept on site until work is completed and stored for a further 3 months off site.

If possible we recommend that harnesses are stored in lockers or kit bags and that a status tag is attached to that (rather than the harness itself). We suggest this to avoid covering any of the webbing on the harness with the tag and the potential to miss potential damage. The tag can be used to display the current checklist and will indicate the current status and date of inspection, whilst a duplicate of the completed checklist is retained inside the check book for management records.

Useful downloads can be found in Legislation & Regulation. BS EN 365:2004 and BS 8437 also contain information on periodic safety inspection of fall protection.


Universal Status Tag

Universal Status Tag

Designed by experts in the equipment inspection field, The Good to Go Safety Status Tag attaches to all types of workplace equipment - the universal "..

£8.40

Harness Inspection Books - 25 Checklists

Harness Inspection Books - 25 Checklists

Carry out pre-use checks and spot potential faults before they develop into a more serious and costly defect. These safety checklists are designed to ..

£6.20

Harness Inspections - Weekly Checklist Kit

Harness Inspections - Weekly Checklist Kit

Carry out pre-use checks and spot potential faults before they develop into a more serious and costly defect. These safety checklists are designed to ..

£37.10

Harness Inspections - Daily Checklist Kit

Harness Inspections - Daily Checklist Kit

Carry out pre-use checks and spot potential faults before they develop into a more serious and costly defect. These safety checklists are designed to ..

£109.50

Harness Poster - Visual Inspection Checklist

Harness Poster - Visual Inspection Checklist

Our harness safety poster has been designed to highlight key components of a harness and reinforces the importance of completing harness inspections. ..

£21.77

Inspection Information Station

Inspection Information Station

The information station will provide your workplace with the ideal central location to store inspection check books. Organising your inspections an..

£233.20

Inspection Wallet and Pen

Inspection Wallet and Pen

A handy wallet that not only provides additional protection from the elements but also gives inspectors a solid writing surface to complete inspection..

£6.20

Inspection Book Dispenser

Inspection Book Dispenser

Allow the storage of checklists in a central location for quick and easy access to important inspection checklists. Provide workers with the ideal ..

£13.25

Showing 1 to 8 of 8 (1 Pages)

News

Worker crushed to death by overhead crane load

Worker crushed to death by overhead crane load

A 46-year-old worker was crushed to death by two granite slabs whilst working for Graniteland Limited at the company’s Lyde Green site in Halesowen. An investigation by the HSE (Health and Safety Executive) found that the incident which occurred on the 30th November 2020 could have been avoided with the correct training and maintenance procedures. The investigation found that Robert Czachracz, who was from Poland, had been moving the granite slabs onto storage racks, using an over...CONTINUE...

Worker loses right arm in accident

Worker loses right arm in accident

A woman's right arm has been severed after becoming trapped in machinery whilst working for F.J Church and Sons Ltd, a metal recycling company in Rainham, Essex. An investigation by the HSE (Health and Safety Executive) followed the incident, which happened on the 12th June 2021. The investigation found that incident occurred after Ms Troia attempted to remove a blockage by reaching through an unguarded rotary valve of a catalytic converter sampling machine. Ms Troia, the victim was...CONTINUE...

Investigation underway after scaffolding collapse

Investigation underway after scaffolding collapse

An investigation has been launched after scaffolding succumbed to 60mph winds during Storm Henk. The scaffold tower collapsed onto a busy high street on Tuesday the 2nd January 2024. Sutton Council where the collapse happened took quick action to ensure the high street was made safe whilst the police, Sutton council and the scaffolding company investigated the incident to determine the root cause of the collapse. The scaffolding was then cleared to ensure businesses were able to continue ...CONTINUE...

Dad killed by shovel loader whilst working for recycling firm

Dad killed by shovel loader whilst working for recycling firm

Atlantic Recycling Limited (a recycling company) has been fined £300,000 after a father-of-two was killed by a shovel loader. Anthony Bilton, from Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, was fatally injured on 4 September 2019 when he was run over by a shovel loader whilst working on site in Cardiff, Wales. The 59-year-old was walking across a wood processing yard in order to undertake routine maintenance tasks when the tragic accident happened. The HSE (Health and Safety Executive) inves...CONTINUE...

Worker loses two fingers - Company fined

Worker loses two fingers - Company fined

An engineering firm in Perth has been fined £10,000 after an employee lost his little and ring finger. The worker, employed by Edwards Engineering (Perth) Limited, had been carrying out maintenance work on a grain dryer at East of Scotland Farmers on 28 June 2020. He inadvertently placed his hand into the blades of an unguarded rotary fan in the grain dryer. The fan was rotating at 1200 revolutions per minute when it came into contact with the worker’s hand. He was off work for sev...CONTINUE...

Workers arm dragged into machine at textile factory

Workers arm dragged into machine at textile factory

A textiles company has been fined £60,000 after an employee suffered serious injuries their right arm in an incident at a factory operated by Pin Croft Dyeing and Printing Co. Limited in Market Street, Adlington, on 20 June 2022. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the employee had been operating a large fabric spooling machine when the brake malfunctioned. During an attempt to manually slow the rotation of the machine, he broke both major bones in his forearm ...CONTINUE...

Joiner falls from unsafe Mobile Elevating Work Platform (MEWP)

Joiner falls from unsafe Mobile Elevating Work Platform (MEWP)

A 35-year-old man from Caernarfon fell approximately 2.44 metres from a Mobile Elevating Work Platform (MEWP) whilst he was working for Aspire Park and Leisure Homes Ltd (a manufacturer of leisure lodges and park homes) on the 6th January 2022. The end gate of the Mobile Elevating Work Platform (MEWP) was taped open whilst two employees were raised into the air to spray insulating foam into a lodge wall. The injured worker broke nine ribs, forearm and suffered a kidney laceration...CONTINUE...

Show your Forklift Trucks some love on Valentines Day

Show your Forklift Trucks some love on Valentines Day

Show your Forklift Trucks some love on Valentines Day (and forever) - Give them quick pre-drive inspections to make sure they're doing ok ❤️ Monitoring all your forklifts and assessing their environments with regular (pre-use / pre-move) forklift safety inspections will help achieve a safer workplace environment for employees. Pre-use / pre-move forklift checklists will not only increase the likelihood of spotting a fault early before it deteriorates further, but it also provides employees ...CONTINUE...

Construction company fined after worker killed by an Excavator

Construction company fined after worker killed by an Excavator

A North Yorkshire construction company has been fined after a worker was struck on the head and killed by a 16-ton excavator. On 13 January 2021, Dean Myers, an employee of HACS Construction Ltd, was undertaking groundwork activities in a partially excavated trench at a site in Ripon, North Yorkshire. During the works, the 56-year-old was struck on the head by the moving bucket of the excavator suffering catastrophic injuries to his face and head. He was pronounced dead at the scene ...CONTINUE...

Farming company fined £320,000 after fatality

Farming company fined £320,000 after fatality

A company involved in fruit and vegetable production has been fined £320,000 after a man “who always put family first” was killed at a site in Burscough. Francis Schlachter, known as Frank, suffered severe head injuries when he fell from a skip at a farm operated by M.A.Forshaw Limited on 3 January 2020. The 64-year-old from Southport was described as ‘a rock’ by his wife of 35 years Linda, who said how much he would be missed by his friends and family. Frank had been working at th...CONTINUE...

Tyre tread statistics

Tyre tread statistics

A fascinating report courtesy of TyreSafe Admin National Highways Imperial College London looking at tread depth survey at the point of tyre replacement. The 2023 findings show an overall reduction in the number of illegal and borderline tyres at the point of replacement compared to 2016 but 16.7% of tyres were below the legal limit when replaced. The 2023 findings confirm the number of illegal tyres on Britain’s roads annually is potentially as many as nearly one-in-four vehicles – at just over...CONTINUE...

How often should you carry out warehouse racking inspections?

How often should you carry out warehouse racking inspections?

Damaged pallet racking is not only a severe health risk to workers in warehouses, but also a financial nightmare to any business. As an employer, you are legally required to implement and maintain procedures that minimise these risks. Racking inspections are a form of risk assessment. They look for any damage in the racking and can highlight vulnerable areas. The inspection is a crucial opportunity to identify, repair, or replace any areas of damaged racking. The Health and Safety Executive r...CONTINUE...

A Roadworthiness challenge for Fleet Managers

A Roadworthiness challenge for Fleet Managers

A recent global report generated from Good to Go Safety’s TakeAIM pre-use checking app, showed that one in a hundred fleet vehicles had a fault so serious that the vehicle had to be immediately removed from service until fixed. Had these vehicles been driven, it could have resulted in a breakdown and/or a collision. There are 5.4 million fleet assets on British roads. If that 1% of vehicles which were not roadworthy is extrapolated to the whole fleet, this means 54,000 fleet vehicles on any g...CONTINUE...

Mother grieves loss of son and HSE deem accident preventable

Mother grieves loss of son and HSE deem accident preventable

A 24-year-old engineer was fatally crushed whilst attempting to repair a factory goods lift with his colleagues on the 14th January 2020. Lift Monitoring Systems Limited, previously known as RJ Lift Services Limited, was fined £200,000 after a HSE (Health and Safety Executive) investigation into the death. The following information was found during the HSE investigation: Lewis McFarlin (the victim) and two other lift engineers were on site to work on a different lift before bei...CONTINUE...

Now's the time for farms to change

Now's the time for farms to change

Farmers are being reminded they must change their attitude towards safety as Britain’s workplace regulator readies itself for a wave of inspections in the coming months. Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will visit farms across England, Scotland and Wales as part of a push to change the culture in the industry and check for compliance with long standing legal requirements. People on farms are 21 times more likely to be killed in a workplace accident than other i...CONTINUE...

Quick thinking 16-year-old saves own life after tractor accident

Quick thinking 16-year-old saves own life after tractor accident

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Earlcoate Construction & Plant Hire Limited, had failed to adequately protect a 16-year-old whilst on paid work experience. On August 3, 2021, the teenager, Tom Cutler, was hoping to start a vehicle maintenance course at Sparsholt College after gaining some work experience at Earlcoate Construction & Plant Hire Limited, Folds Farm, in the New Forest. On that fateful day he was driving a tractor down a track when i...CONTINUE...