workplace safety MICA MESSENGER 31 harness helps prevent the latter. Pre-use inspections are required on all pieces of fall protection equipment, and harness fit should be part of that inspection. Ensuring the harness is free of defects is as important as ensuring proper fit. Determining the correct harness size One of the most common misuse viola- tions seen in the field is when employ- ees incorrectly don their fall protection harnesses. Manufacturers offer multiple sizes for harnesses, and proper fit is the first step in ensuring a personal fall arrest system (PFAS) will work as expected in the event of a fall. The industry standard is a five-point adjustable harness that will range between the printed sizes on the label. For example, a harness can be sold as small/medium, meaning it will fit a “small” worker to a “medium” worker. This is to accommodate people with longer torsos, shorter legs, bulkier clothing in colder climates, etc. When adjusting the harness,s there are sev- eral techniques to ensure an employee has the correct size harness for their body type. It’s important to note that the American National Standard Institute (ANSI) only allows workers ranging from 130 pounds to 420 pounds to use fall protection equipment, regardless if the harness fits properly. Tips for adjusting leg straps When donning a harness, the user should unfasten the torso and leg connections — and loosen the shoulder and leg straps to their fullest extension before placing them on their shoulders, similar to putting on a backpack. This allows for easy adjustments to fine-tune a fit to the user’s height and body shape. The user should first attempt to con- nect the leg straps. When connecting the leg straps, the user should situate the strap as horizontally as possible in a comfortable position on the upper thigh. The leg straps should never come in contact with the groin area. This part of the harness is of great significance in successfully arresting a fall without further injury to the worker. If the leg straps are too loose, they will “tighten” instantly during a fall, and the user will feel abrupt forces on their lower pelvic area. Correctly tightened leg straps will still feel like they tighten during a fall, but they will not move up the leg — they will stay in the desired area. Connect the leg buckles and tighten them so A properly fitting harness is the lynchpin between ultimate safety being achieved and additional accidental injury occurring.
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