Safety Harness Inspection Course

Course Details

Safety Harnesses & Lanyards – Essential Fall Protection Equipment You Can’t Ignore

When working at height, safety harnesses and lanyards are among the most critical pieces of fall protection equipment (FPE) you'll use on site. Keeping them in top condition isn’t just about ensuring safety—it’s a legal requirement. Neglecting these checks could mean serious risks for your workers and costly consequences for your business.- By staying on top of these checks and providing proper training, you'll ensure that your workplace is compliant, your team is safe, and your fall protection equipment is in top condition. Don’t take chances—make fall protection a priority on your projects.

Why Proper Training Matters

Training your team on harness and lanyard safety isn’t optional—it’s essential. Our training covers:

• The laws around harness use and maintenance.
• How to ensure equipment stays in good working order.
• How to spot the signs of wear and tear that could make your equipment unsafe.
• Guidance on how to handle and replace FPE when it’s no longer fit for purpose.

Key Regulations on Safety Harnesses & Lanyards

While specific replacement timescales for FPE aren’t set by law, regulations like the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Regulations 1992 and the Work at Height Regulations 2005 make it clear: Employers must maintain fall protection equipment in good condition. You must inspect and replace any gear that’s unsafe for use—failure to do so is not just a safety issue, it’s illegal.

• Routine Inspections: The Work at Height Regulations require regular inspections for any equipment that deteriorates with use. If any damage is spotted, you must either replace or repair the equipment.
• Repairs or Replacements: Often, repairing damaged equipment isn’t cost-effective, so replacing it is usually the best option. If you fail to do either, it could leave you open to significant legal consequences.

Manufacturer's Guidelines for FPE Inspections

When you purchase FPE, manufacturers typically provide maintenance guidance. While not legally required, they often recommend:

• Harnesses have a working life of 5 years, after which they may need replacing.
• If you can’t find the manufacturing date, destroy the harness—better safe than sorry.
• Ensure each item has a unique serial number for traceability, making it easier to track and inspect.

Inspecting FPE: What to Look For

Regular inspections are critical to maintaining safety on site. When inspecting FPE, start with the basics:

• Check stitching for weakness and ensure the webbing isn’t degraded.
• Ensure moving parts function correctly.
• Look for common forms of damage, including:
  • Abrasion
  • UV degradation (from exposure to sunlight)
  • Heat damage
  • Damage to metal components

Even minor damage can become a serious issue, so addressing it quickly is key to preventing larger problems. Remember: equipment can’t be used until it’s been inspected. Always document inspection results and ensure they’re accessible to anyone who needs to review them—especially enforcement authorities.

Inspection Frequency

• Every 6 months: HSE guidelines recommend a competent person carries out a documented inspection every six months.
• More frequently for harsh environments: In environments like scaffolding, where equipment undergoes more wear, the inspection interval should be reduced to every 3 months.
• Pre-use inspections: Before each use, FPE users should inspect their gear for damage and report any issues immediately.

What Causes Damage to Safety Harnesses?

Several environmental factors can lead to the degradation of FPE:

• Strong sunlight can weaken the material.
• Damp conditions can encourage wear.
• Twisted, buckled, or misshapen parts may indicate the harness has been involved in a fall arrest situation, and should never be used again.

Natural wear and tear is inevitable over time, but regular inspections ensure you're not caught off guard. Training your team to conduct proper inspections is the best way to stay ahead of potential issues and avoid accidents.

Overview

On this Kingfisher Harness Inspection course you will learn, via practical demonstrations and assessed practical exercises, how to carry out and correctly document detailed and interim inspections of common items of fall protection equipment, and how to set up an Inspection Regime in accordance with INDG367

Included and used in the course are a set of document templates that not only simplify the correct documentation of fall protection equipment inspections, but also allows you to "tag" inspected equipment, and to set up a "Fall Protection Equipment Inspection Regime" as recommended by the HSE in their guidance note INDG 367.

Who Should Attend

This course is for you if you need to plan, implement or supervise pre-use checks, and detailed periodic or interim inspections of fall protection equipment in your workplace.

How Many Per Course

Maximum 6 candidates.