Harness Inspections (1 Viewer)

aom

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I was searching through the previous threads and thought that this must have come up before but couldn't find anything.

We buy our harnesses from the same people that test them, worked really well with the only fails to date were after 3 or so years and only then because the ID tag was worn. I sent 4 6 month old harnesses away before the holiday's for inspection only to find that they all failed due to UV penetration and slight wear to the front close to the adjusting buckles. I'm not normally a suspicious person and the harnesses in question are not top of the range but definitely fit for purpose so surely you could expect a bit more life than that. I know UV ray's penetrate even during dull day's but I live in deepest darkest Argyll, the last time I saw sun Rigger was a boy.:laugh: I've went from around 5% fail rate to 100% in one sitting, not good.
 
Seems a bit ott to me AOM, I used to inspect harnesses lanyards max every 3month and keep a register never failed one for UV degradation we used to get a couple of years out them used every day it was oil ,paint, and solvents that used to cause me the headaches
The link will take you to Millars advice pages but the other manufactures are the same
http://www.millerfallprotection.com/pdfs/InstructionManuals/BodyWear/Harness%20Inspection.pdf
The link below is the criteria that HSE inspectors use
http://www.hse.gov.uk/lau/lacs/68-5.htm
13 These are more-formal in-depth inspections which are carried out periodically at minimum intervals specified in the dutyholder's inspection regime. The inspection regime should be drawn up by a competent person. Detailed inspections should be recorded. It is recommended that there is a detailed inspection at least every 6 months. For frequently-used lanyards it is suggested that this is increased to at least every 3 months, particularly when used in arduous environments (eg demolition, steel erection, scaffolding, steel skeletal masts/towers with edges and protrusions).
 
Sounds a con to me,we use harness's from span set and do inspection training with them.They test them to distruction infront of you on the course.The safety built in is many times stated so it seems a con.
We are soon selling a new hardhat to the industry which myself and Sheffield Hallam University have developed and on a helmet, with uv rays only in EXTREME sunlight they will last 6month at worst.i.e.Dubi or Centeral Australia.
 
I went on a harness inspection course with Pammenter's in Birmingham. The course explained how sensitive a harness and lanyards are to things like UV degradation, markers pens (write your name on your harness and it will fail inspection), nicks larger than 1mm, surface corrosion to buckles.

If you think that they are suit fit for use, I would send one harness direct to the manufacturer and ask for an inspection report.

I get criticised all the time for failing harness that appear perfectly acceptable but it is a thankless job. Get it wrong and then consequences don't bare thinking about.

Our harnesses rarely last more than 18 months to 2 years.

Stuart
 
Thanks boy's, I think I will get them back and re-tested else where just to see. I can see where they are coming from, it does sound like a thankless job but to write off 4 seemed a bit dodgy to me. What ever happens on the second test they will end up in the bin as it's just not worth the risk. Just another example of vast variations of how legislation and advice is applied through out our trade.
 
Dont know if any of you have been listening to the news lately about the accidents in Turkey with the paragliders.

Similar sort of problem over there where a guy was paragliding and fell aprox 150' when the harness he was wearing basically fell apart, there was another near miss within a couple of weeks where a harness disintegrated almost to the point of total failure (bloke crapped himself and was hanging by a thread apparently).

When the webbing was analized it was determined that it had degraded by extreme UV exposure.

This did make me think about the 'normal' life of a scaffolders harness. We inspect ours and record the details of every harness at 3 monthly intervals as required.

Dave.
 
Turkey,that says it all,extreme sun and no h&s,but a good point Dave Ja Vu.
 
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