b"YOUR TOOLKIT FOR BUILDING EXCELLENCEfall, the victim is simultaneously being pulled downa comfortable position on the upper thigh. The leg by the forces of gravity and up by the equipmentstraps should never come in contact with the groin trying to successfully arrest their fall. A properlyarea. This part of the harness is of great significance fitting harness is the lynchpin between ultimatein successfully arresting a fall without further injury safety being achieved and additional accidentalto the worker. If the leg straps are too loose, they injury occurring. A properly fitting harness helpswill tighten instantly during a fall, and the user prevent the latter. will feel abrupt forces on their lower pelvic area.Pre-use inspections are required on all pieces ofCorrectly tightened leg straps will still feel like they fall protection equipment, and harness fit shouldtighten during a fall, but they will not move up the be part of that inspection. Ensuring the harness islegthey will stay in the desired area. Connect free of defects is as important as ensuring proper fit.the leg buckles and tighten them so that a flat palm Determining the correct harness sizecan fit between the leg and the strap, but not a fisted hand. When properly tightened, the leg straps should One of the most common misuse violations seen innot move up and down the leg while walking but the field is when employees incorrectly don their fallremain stationary in their location.protection harnesses. Manufacturers offer multipleTips for adjusting torso and shoulder straps sizes for harnesses, and proper fit is the first step in ensuring a personal fall arrest system (PFAS) willAt this point, the user should have two properly work as expected in the event of a fall. adjusted leg straps and now must adjust their torso The industry standard is a five-point adjustableand shoulder straps. Align the torso strap so that it harness that will range between the printed sizessits horizontally across the chest. Similar to the leg on the label. For example, a harness can be sold asstraps, incorrect placement of the torso strap could small/medium, meaning it will fit a small workercause further injury.to a medium worker. This is to accommodateIf the torso strap is too high on the users chest people with longer torsos, shorter legs, bulkierduring a fall, it has the potential to slide up and clothing in colder climates, etc. When adjustingput pressure on the users neck. If the torso strap the harness,s there are several techniques to ensureis too low, the dorsal D-ring on the back of the an employee has the correct size harness for theirharness will not sit in its proper position. To verify body type. It's important to note that the Americanthe proper placement of the torso strap, the user National Standard Institute (ANSI) only allowsshould place their arms flat against the side of their workers ranging from 130 pounds to 420 poundsbody. If the strap is in the right place, it should sit to use fall protection equipment, regardless if thedirectly between the two crevices made from the harness fits properly. users armpits.Tips for adjusting leg strapsThe user might need to tighten the two shoulder When donning a harness, the user should unfastenstraps at this time to achieve proper alignment the torso and leg connectionsand loosen theof the torso strap. The shoulder straps should be shoulder and leg straps to their fullest extensiontightened to the level that they put slight pressure on before placing them on their shoulders, similarthe users shoulders, but not so much that they feel to putting on a backpack. This allows for easyuncomfortably tight over the shoulders. A properly adjustments to fine-tune a fit to the users heightfit harness should be felt all over the users body. and body shape. Some people describe their harness as feeling like an exoskeleton that is conformed to their body. The user should first attempt to connect the legIdeal dorsal D-ring location straps. When connecting the leg straps, the user should situate the strap as horizontally as possible inOnce a user believes their harness is properly continued on page: 32 FRAME BUILDER - VOL6 4 / 31"