Do I need training to wear a safety harness?

Why Is Safety Harness Training So Important?

The simple answer is yes, you require training to wear a safety harness.

The bigger questions are:

• Why do I need to wear a safety harness?
• Why is this training so important?

A safety harness is, by definition, a piece of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) that is used as part of a Personal Fall Protection System. It is designed to connect the wearer to the fall protection system, which is required to mitigate the hazards of working at heights.

The harness is designed to help in controlling the fall, should one occur. They also distribute the forces exerted during a fall, keep the wearer upright once the fall has been arrested, and allow the wearer to perform work safely at heights.

There is a need to ensure that wearers understand how to properly use their harness.

Harnesses require adjustment to make sure they fit properly. They need to be donned (worn) properly and, more importantly, inspected.

Though some harnesses may have a “universal” fit, not all harnesses fit the same way. Training by a professional will help wearers understand how to adjust the equipment to ensure a proper fit.

Under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, employers are responsible for providing training to workers on the PPE they are required to wear, and workers are required to wear and use the PPE according to the training they were provided.