How to Fit and Inspect a Fall Arrest Harness Before Every Roof Job
Check it every time, put it on in the right order, and retire it after a fall. A harness only protects you if it fits and is sound.
- Beginner
- 10 minutes
- Updated
The short answer
Before each use, inspect the harness webbing, stitching, buckles and D-ring for cuts, fraying, chemical damage, heat damage and corrosion, and check the label and date. Then put it on: D-ring between the shoulder blades, leg straps snug, chest strap at mid chest, all slack removed. A harness that has arrested a fall must be removed from service until the manufacturer or an engineer recertifies it.
A full body harness spreads the force of a fall over the thighs, pelvis, chest and shoulders instead of concentrating it on your spine or ribs. That only happens if it fits, and it is only reliable if the webbing, stitching and hardware are sound. Both can be checked in ten minutes before a job, which is the cheapest safety step there is.
Harnesses are consumables. Sun, sweat, solvent, sharp nails and ordinary roof grit wear down the webbing, and one bad fall can damage stitching that looks fine. Canadian standard CSA Z259.10 governs the design, and a competent person should also inspect the equipment formally on a regular schedule. This guide covers the worker's own pre-use check and fitting. The next pieces in the system are the roof anchor and the lifeline and rope grab.
Tools
- Full body fall arrest harness that meets CSA Z259.10
- Flashlight for looking at stitching
- Inspection tag or logbook
- Clean cloth for wiping down
Materials
- Harness inspection log or tag
- Mild soap and water for cleaning, if needed
- Replacement harness if any defect is found
Safety first
- Never use a harness that has arrested a fall, even if it looks undamaged. Under WorkSafeBC Part 11, it must be removed from service until the manufacturer or its authorized agent, or a professional engineer, has inspected and recertified it.
- Never modify a harness, tie knots in the webbing or add extra holes to a strap.
- A harness that fits badly can hurt you in a fall. Loose leg straps let the body slide and the chest strap ride up to the neck.
- Suspension after a fall can cut off circulation in minutes, so a rescue plan is part of wearing a harness, see lifeline and rescue planning.
Step by Step
Step 1: Read the label and check the dates
The label tells you the standard, the weight range the harness is rated for, the serial number and the manufacture date. If the label is missing or illegible, treat the harness as unusable. Check the weight limit against your weight with tools and gear on.
Manufacturers set a maximum service life, often several years from first use in the case of synthetic webbing, though the actual condition matters more than the calendar. Follow the manual for your model.
Step 2: Inspect the webbing along its entire length
Bend the webbing into a tight U as you go, which opens up surface damage that hides when it is flat. Stiff, glazed or brittle areas mean heat or chemical damage, often from a torch, hot asphalt or cleaning solvent. Paint, sealant and roofing cement are a problem too, because they harden the fibres.
Fuzzy abrasion at the edges is normal wear, but a cut, a partly severed strand or more than light fraying is a reason to retire the harness. Pay special attention to the areas that rub against ladders, the roof edge and tools.
Step 3: Check the stitching and the load indicators
Stitching holds the critical joints together, especially around the D-ring and the leg and shoulder strap attachments. Broken or cut stitches, loose loops, or stitching that looks different from the factory pattern are all red flags. Many harnesses have a fall indicator, a fold of webbing held by stitching that tears open in a fall. If it is open, the harness has been loaded and is out of service.
Step 4: Inspect the D-rings, buckles and hardware
The back D-ring is the attachment point for fall arrest. It should be straight, unbent and free from cracks or corrosion. Buckles should close with a positive click and hold when you pull on them. A tongue that is bent or a buckle that slips is a failure.
Metal parts should also be free of burrs and sharp edges that could cut the webbing. Do not use lubricants that can stain or soften the webbing.
Step 5: Put the harness on in the right order
Shake the harness so the straps hang free, then put your arms through the shoulder straps. Pull the leg straps through from behind and buckle them, making sure none of the webbing is twisted. Fasten the chest strap last.
Put the harness on over your work clothes, and do not wear it over bulky jackets that you will later remove. Adjust it with the gear you will actually wear on the roof, including cold weather layers in the Fraser Valley's wet months.
Step 6: Adjust every strap for a snug fit
The D-ring position is the test of a good fit. It should sit midway between the shoulder blades, at about the level of your shoulders. If it slides down toward the waist, the harness is too loose. If it rides up to the back of your head, the straps are too tight. The chest strap belongs at mid chest, not at the neck or the stomach.
Leg straps should be snug but allow you to walk and bend. The goal is no loose webbing anywhere, and no more than a flat hand of slack under any strap. Tuck loose strap ends into the keepers so they do not catch on the roof or the ladder.
Tip: After adjusting, hang from a safe support for a moment, or have someone pull up on the back D-ring. If the straps slide or the shoulder straps ride up past your ears, re-adjust.
Step 7: Connect with a locking connector and check the line
Always use a connector with a locking gate. Test it by pulling the gate and confirming it will not open without the lock being released. Confirm that the connector sits cleanly in the D-ring and is not loaded sideways across the gate.
Step 8: Clean, store and log the harness after use
Wash with mild soap and water, rinse and let the harness air dry. Do not use solvents, bleach or a dryer. Hang it on a hook instead of leaving it in a truck bed, where it will collect grit, UV and chemicals.
Record the date and any defects. A harness with a defect is tagged and removed from service, and it is better to buy a new one than to guess.
When a Harness Is Retired
A harness must come out of service immediately if it has arrested a fall. Section 11.10 of the OHS Regulation requires that a fall protection system used in a fall be removed from service and not returned until it has been inspected and recertified by the manufacturer, its authorized agent or a professional engineer. In practice most are simply replaced.
Retire it also if you find cuts, burns, chemical damage, cracked or bent hardware, a missing label, or any sign of a fall indicator that has deployed. If in doubt, tag it out and get another.
Suspension Trauma
A person hanging motionless in a harness can lose consciousness and suffer serious harm in a short time, because the leg straps restrict blood flow. That is why a rescue plan must exist before anyone goes on the roof, and why a fall is never an emergency that can wait. Some harnesses carry trauma straps the worker can step into to relieve the pressure. The plan is covered in how to set up a lifeline and rope grab.
Common Mistakes
- Skipping the pre-use check. Most damaged harnesses are found by the person who looked. Nobody finds them by wearing them.
- Wearing the chest strap at the neck. In a fall it can choke you. It belongs at mid chest.
- Loose leg straps. The body slides through the harness and the D-ring ends up above the head.
- Putting it on over bulky layers and then removing the layer, which leaves the harness loose.
- Keeping a harness after a fall. Even if it looks fine, the damage may be in the stitching and the fibres inside.
- Storing it in a truck where it is exposed to sun, solvents, battery acid and sharp tools.
When to Call a Professional
If you have never been trained to use fall protection, the first fitting should happen with someone who is. A trained person will also show you how to tell whether the equipment itself is still fit for service, which is not something a first-time user can judge from a photograph.
Employers in British Columbia also have to ensure workers are trained in the fall protection systems they use, and that there is a rescue plan. A homeowner working alone on a roof should not be relying on fall arrest equipment they have not been trained to use.
Fraser Roofing does free roof inspections across the Fraser Valley, from Hope to Abbotsford. See our Roof Repair service or the towns we cover.
How to Fit and Inspect a Fall Arrest Harness: Questions
Where should the D-ring sit on a full body harness?
The back D-ring should sit between your shoulder blades, at about shoulder height. If it sits at the waist, the harness is too loose. If it rides up behind your head, it is too tight or the shoulder straps are badly adjusted. Correct D-ring position puts the load on the body the way the harness was designed.
Can you reuse a harness after a fall?
No, not without a formal inspection. WorkSafeBC Part 11 requires that any fall protection system that has arrested a fall be removed from service, and it cannot be returned to use until the manufacturer, its authorized agent or a professional engineer has inspected and recertified it. In most cases it is cheaper and safer to replace the harness.
How often should a safety harness be inspected?
The worker should inspect it before every use, and a competent person should also do a formal inspection at regular intervals, commonly at least once a year under CSA guidance, with a written record. Harnesses in harsh conditions such as hot asphalt, chemicals or heavy abrasion should be checked more often.
How tight should a fall arrest harness be?
Snug everywhere, with no slack. You should be able to slide a flat hand under the leg straps and chest strap, but not a fist. The straps should not twist or pinch, and you should still be able to walk, squat and reach. A loose harness lets the body slide in a fall, and a tight one restricts movement and circulation.
What is the lifespan of a fall arrest harness?
It depends on the manufacturer and on use. Many manufacturers set a maximum service life for synthetic webbing, but a harness that is cut, burned, chemically damaged or has been in a fall must be retired at once, whatever its age. Always follow the manual for your model and keep the inspection record.
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This guide is general education. Always follow the product manufacturer's installation instructions, the BC Building Code and WorkSafeBC requirements, which take priority over anything written here.
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