Safety Harnesses

Safety harnesses are devices worn by people who are working at heights to help reduce the risk of injury if they fall. The harness distributes the force of the fall across the wearer’s body when the fall is arrested. These fall-protection harnesses are secured around the shoulders, torso, and upper thighs. They have a single D-ring or web loop on the upper back (dorsal) for attaching a self-retracting lifeline or shock-absorbing lanyard that connects to a secure anchor point on a building or structure. The position of the D-ring reduces strain on the wearer’s body and keeps the wearer upright in the harness during and after a fall. Some safety harnesses have additional D-rings on the shoulders, hips, or chest that allow them to be used for positioning, ladder climbing, and raising or lowering workers into confined spaces.