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Harness inspection checklist.

A two-minute check of the harness and lanyard before every use: label, webbing, stitching, hardware, the lanyard and the fit. Tick it on screen, print it or open the PDF.

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Before each use

OSHA 29 CFR 1926.502(d)(21): personal fall arrest systems shall be inspected prior to each use for wear, damage and other deterioration.

Defective? Out of service

The same rule says defective components shall be removed from service. Tag the harness or lanyard and take it off the job.

After a fall, stop

Gear that arrested a fall is removed from service until a competent person inspects it and finds it fit to use again (1926.502(d)(19)).

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Before-use inspection: harness and lanyard

OK = in good condition and working · Fix = damaged, missing or not working · N/A = not on this machine

1. LabelsOKFixN/A
Label is on the harness and readable (maker, model, date of manufacture)
Label is on the lanyard or SRL and readable
Inspection record or tag is current, per the manufacturer
2. Harness webbing and stitchingOKFixN/A
No cuts, tears, fraying or broken fibers
No burns, melted spots, paint or chemical damage
No hard, stiff or faded webbing
Stitching is intact: no pulled, cut or broken threads
Fall indicator on the harness is not deployed (where fitted)
3. Harness hardwareOKFixN/A
Back D-ring: no cracks, bends, sharp edges or corrosion
Buckles and adjusters work and hold
Grommets and keepers are in place
4. Lanyard or self-retracting lifelineOKFixN/A
Shock absorber pack is not opened or deployed
Lanyard webbing or rope: no cuts, fraying or burns
Snap hooks and carabiners close and lock by themselves
SRL pulls out smoothly, retracts and locks when jerked (where used)
Lanyard length is right for the basket (no slack to climb over the rails)
5. FitOKFixN/A
Right size; chest and leg straps snug, a flat hand fits under them
Back D-ring sits between the shoulder blades
Lanyard is attached to the basket anchor point, not to a guardrail

This checklist does not replace the manufacturer's operator manual for your machine. Follow the manual's inspection list and limits where they differ.

Read next.

Lift checklistPre-use inspection of the truck-mounted boom lift itself: walk-around, job site and function test.4 types of fall protectionGuardrails, safety nets, personal fall arrest and positioning: what OSHA requires and when.How we keep it safeThe safety systems on our lifts and the anchor points in every basket.

Inspection questions, answered.

How often should a harness be inspected?

Before each use, by the person who wears it (OSHA 29 CFR 1926.502(d)(21)). The manufacturer also sets inspections by a competent person; follow its schedule.

What if the harness fails the check?

Remove it from service and tag it. OSHA requires defective components to be removed from service.

Can a harness be used again after a fall?

Not until a competent person inspects it and finds it undamaged and suitable for reuse (1926.502(d)(19)). Many manufacturers say to retire it.

Where do you tie off in a boom lift basket?

To the anchor point in the basket made for it, never to the guardrail. Our baskets have six anchor points.

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