What is harness and lanyard inspection training?
An effective harness and lanyard inspection course trains learners on how to carry out essential inspections on fall arrest equipment to identify signs of damage, wear, incorrect assembly or potential failure.
There are various types of harness and lanyards, from different manufacturers, and they all have their own manufacturer’s guidance on maintenance and checks. This kind of harness and lanyard training course incorporates not only spotting issues that could compromise safety, regardless of the specific equipment involved, but also covers legal compliance, documentation standards and other industry best practices.
Any industry that involves employees working at height can potentially benefit from this kind of training, but some of the most common workplace environments include:
- Construction sites, including scaffolding, roofing and cladding
- Maintenance and facilities teams
- Utilities workers
- Warehousing and logistics
The importance of harness inspection training
Working at height is one of the most high-risk activities that employees can undertake, so ensuring that the right personal fall protection equipment (PFPE) is available is essential. More than this, the safety equipment needs to be regularly inspected and tested to ensure that it is fit for purpose and compliant, in order to reduce the risk of accidents caused by harness or lanyard failure.
For employers, who have a legal duty to protect workers, responsibilities in relation to employees who work at height are covered by several pieces of UK legislation, including:
- The Work at Height Regulations 2005: These regulations state that all equipment used for work at height must be inspected regularly and maintained in a safe condition. Employers must ensure that workers are competent, or, if being trained, are supervised by a competent person.
- The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1998: These regulations require that work equipment, including PFPE, is suitable for its intended use and maintained in a safe condition.
- The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974: Employers are required to provide a safe working environment and appropriate training and information to ensure employee safety.
Failing to properly inspect and maintain safety harnesses and lanyards could result in serious injuries or even fatalities. This can expose employers to potential prosecution and civil claims. Ensuring that members of staff are properly trained to carry out equipment inspections effectively is a good way for employers to meet their legal and moral obligations in this area, helping to make working at height safer for all employees.
What you’ll learn in our harness and lanyard inspection training
Our course provides students with knowledge on the safe use and inspection of a fall protection system when working at height, in accordance with UK Health and Safety guidance and regulations. The training covers
- Understanding safety standards and regulatory requirements: Learners will identify relevant regulations and standards for harness and lanyard use to ensure compliance and safety.
- Proper selection, fitting, and adjustment of equipment: Participants will demonstrate the correct selection, fitting, and adjustment techniques for harnesses and lanyards, ensuring maximum comfort and safety.
- Inspection and maintenance of equipment: Learners will develop skills to inspect harnesses and lanyards for wear or damage, maintaining equipment in safe, functional condition.
- Effective use techniques in various work environments: Participants will practice safe techniques for using harnesses and lanyards in different settings, ensuring effective fall protection.
- Emergency procedures and incident reporting: Learners will understand emergency procedures and reporting protocols to follow in the event of a fall or equipment failure, enhancing overall workplace safety.
The benefits of harness and lanyard training for employers
Keeping employees safe while at work is always the main goal of this kind of training, but ensuring that key staff receive high-quality lanyard and harness inspection training can bring benefits to the wider business too, including:
- Proof of compliance with health and safety regulations.
- Improved confidence in trained staff, giving them opportunities to proactively engage with maintaining safe working practices.
- Reduced unexpected equipment downtime, as problems or wear and tear are spotted early and can be resolved before interrupting work schedules. The right maintenance can also extend the lifetime of equipment.
- Minimising the risks of legal claims or challenges due to fall-related accidents at work.
- Instilling a more positive safety culture amongst staff, with shared responsibility and safety-first thinking.
Why choose the lanyard and harness training course from PfP Thrive?
Here at PfP Thrive, our training team understands what it takes to work at height safely and the importance of understanding how to use and maintain harnesses and lanyards safely. Our extensive experience in the construction and housing maintenance/repair sector as part of Places for People means that we are ideally placed to deliver actionable working at height harness training courses that instil industry-leading best practice. Some of the things that help set our training apart include:
- We offer affordable training, with this course costing just £95 per learner
- Our in-person training is delivered by qualified instructors with real world experience of working at height
- We deliver hands-on training, using real equipment in applicable contexts
- We offer various UK training locations nationally, or on-site delivery if required
- Our course is fully compliant with HSE and industry standards
- Our short, one-day course is usually simple to integrate into your organisation’s schedule, helping to minimise operational disruption while your team receives essential training.
Get started: Book your team onto our harness and lanyard inspection course. Enquire now.
Find out more
Get started: book your Harness Inspection training today
Whether you need on-site training, nationwide coverage, or custom solutions for training that is tailored to your business, we’re here to help.
Enquire now about our Harness Inspection courses to find the best course for your team, and equip your workforce with essential skills.
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