What is a Full Body Harness?

A full body harness is a harness designed to hold the wearer upright in the event of a fall from height. If worn correctly, a full body harness will distribute the energy generated during free-fall across the wearers' body evenly, reducing the potential for serious injury. 

Full-body harnesses should be the first choice when it comes to working at height because they offer:

• Freedom of movement for the worker to get his or her job done.
• Support for all body parts including; hips, legs, chest and shoulders.

How are full body harnesses designed?

When looking at how full body harnesses are designed, there are a few common features that you can expect to see on any full body harness:

• Durable webbing (usually nylon or polyester).
• D-ring attachment (one or two) to secure worker to fall arrest lanyard.
• Adjustable straps for a comfortable/snug fit.
• A weight limit. EN361 requires testing with a 100kg rigid mass test mass, although Safety Liftingear.com also have a range of harnesses tested using a 140kg rigid test mass.

When should you wear a full body harness?

Before you carry out any work at height, you should always assess the potential risks. Unfortunately, falling from height is a common cause of injuries and fatalities in the workplace. It's important that you know when a full body harness is, or isn't required. Your employee should carry out a full risk assessment before you carry out any work at height, notifying you if a full body harness is required while you complete your tasks.

Your employer might ask you to wear a full body harness if:

• You are working at height – The working at height regulations 2005 define working at height as “Work in any place, including a place at or below ground level, where a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury”.
• You're trained and authorised to work at height.

Choosing the right full body harness

In situations where a fall from height is a serious risk, you don't want to be putting on any old harness and making your ascent. Choosing a full body harness that suits your weight and job requirements is paramount for your safety. Your full body harness should always:

• Be easy to use and easy to adjust
• Fit you properly
• Be free from damage, wear or tear
• Allow you to move freely and easily as you work

All of our full body harnesses can be found in our height safety range. We stock a variety of full body harnesses, including hi-viz full body harnesses, full body rescue harnesses and harnesses and lanyard rated to 140kgs. 

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact our friendly team by clicking the link below!

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