Pre-use and periodic checks for personal fall protection equipment, with a record for each item.
Fall protection only works if the equipment is sound. Cuts, burns, chemical damage and worn stitching weaken it.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions and the fall protection rules that apply to your work. Any equipment that has arrested a fall must be removed from service.
12 items. Use it on screen, or print it and fill it in by hand.
Before roof work, a roofer finds that the shock absorber on his lanyard is partly torn. He tags it and gets a replacement from the store. The supervisor records the removal on the equipment log.
OSHA’s construction rule at 29 CFR 1926.502 requires personal fall arrest systems to be inspected before each use and defective parts removed from service. Any harness or lanyard that has stopped a fall must be removed until a competent person inspects it.
| Item ID and serial | H-12, serial 4471-B, harness |
|---|---|
| Webbing and stitching | Paint overspray on back strap, no cuts |
| D-rings and buckles | Chest buckle stiff, cleaned, now locks |
| Lanyard | L-12, 6 ft shock absorbing, pack sealed |
| Snap hooks | Gate closes and locks |
| Labels | Readable, made Mar 2022 |
| Result | Pass, Javier, Nov 6 |
At Summit Roofing in Charlotte, Javier passed the harness because the overspray did not stiffen the webbing. If solvent or hard paint had soaked in, the harness would be removed.
Before each use and periodically as your rules require.
Usually no. Follow the manufacturer.
Remove it from service.
Users before use; a competent person periodically.
Add the free fall distance, up to 3.5 feet of deceleration, harness stretch, the D-ring height to the worker’s feet and a safety margin. The total is often 18 feet or more below the anchor. If there is not enough clearance, use a self-retracting lifeline or a shorter lanyard.
OSHA does not set an expiry date. Manufacturers give a service life, often five years from first use or a set time from manufacture, but a harness fails sooner if it is damaged. Follow the manufacturer’s guidance and the label dates.
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In EZTime, a routine like this can run as a recurring task assigned to a person, team or location, with photo proof and an alert when it is late. Book a demo if you want a walkthrough.