Fall arrest harness, protection and safety devices for work at height

Working at heights is a major risk in many professions and the rule to combat it is to use suitable fall arrest harness (or safety harness). It is personal protective equipment (category 3 PPE) corresponding to major or fatal risks, it must be made up of three elements: a safety harness, a connector and / or shock absorbers system (retractable fall arresters) and a fixed anchor point (type A) or mobile (type B) such as tripods for example.

Fall protection PPE, in particular safety harnesses, are subject to a certain number of standards and regulations: EN 358 for maintaining in working position and for restraint in risk areas (roofs for example), EN 361 for fixing in areas at risk of falling and for stopping them (work on towers, buildings, wind turbines, etc.) and EN1497 (personal protective equipment against falls with rescue loops)

Fall protection equipment (safety harness, anchor tripods, cable reels or self-retracting reels, anchor points, support lanyards, safety lines, energy absorbers, etc.) must be scrupulously checked by an expert body accredited at least every year (class 3 PPE) and replaced periodically from 4 to 10 years depending on the category. In all cases, registration in the register is mandatory in order to keep track of the compliance of these PPE.