Free checklist · Safety equipment
Fall protection harness inspection checklist (free, printable)
Before each use, inspect the full-body harness and its lanyard or self-retracting lifeline: webbing for cuts, burns, fraying and chemical damage, stitching for broken or pulled threads, D-rings and buckles for cracks, bends and corrosion, labels for legibility, the shock pack and impact indicators for signs of a fall, and snaphooks and carabiners for gates that close and lock.
- How often
- Before each use
- The rule
- OSHA 29 CFR 1926.502(d)(21)
- Items
- 17 checks
- Takes
- About 5 minutes
By the CheckBadges team · Updated
Layout
Fall protection harness inspection checklist
Before each use
| Item | OK | Problem | N/A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harness | |||
| LabelsPresent and readable: maker, model, date of manufacture, capacity. | |||
| WebbingNo cuts, frays, burns, holes, hard or glazed spots, or chemical stains. | |||
| StitchingNo broken, pulled, cut or burned threads. | |||
| Dorsal D-ringNo cracks, bends, sharp edges or corrosion; pad intact. | |||
| Other D-ringsChest, side or front rings undamaged. | |||
| Buckles and adjustersConnect, hold and release properly; grommets not torn out. | |||
| Fall indicatorNot deployed: indicator stitching or tab intact. | |||
| FitSnug; chest strap mid-chest; leg straps fastened and not loose. | |||
| Lanyard or self-retracting lifeline | |||
| Lanyard webbing or ropeNo cuts, frays, burns or knots; ends intact. | |||
| Shock packCover intact; not torn open, stretched or deployed. | |||
| SRL housingNot cracked; fasteners tight; label readable. | |||
| SRL lifelineCable or webbing undamaged; pulls out and retracts smoothly. | |||
| SRL brakeLocks with a sharp tug. | |||
| SRL fall indicatorNot showing that it has arrested a fall. | |||
| Connectors | |||
| Snaphooks and carabinersGates self-close and self-lock; no cracks, bends or corrosion. | |||
| Anchorage connectorStrap or hardware undamaged; label readable. | |||
| Periodic inspectionCompetent-person inspection within the manufacturer's interval. | |||
Problems found and action taken:
If anything is a problem, don't use the machine: tag it out and report it. Free checklist from checkbadges.com — put it on a QR sticker and operators can fill it in on their phone.
What to check on a harness, item by item
Harness
- Labels — Present and readable: maker, model, date of manufacture, capacity.
- Webbing — No cuts, frays, burns, holes, hard or glazed spots, or chemical stains.
- Stitching — No broken, pulled, cut or burned threads.
- Dorsal D-ring — No cracks, bends, sharp edges or corrosion; pad intact.
- Other D-rings — Chest, side or front rings undamaged.
- Buckles and adjusters — Connect, hold and release properly; grommets not torn out.
- Fall indicator — Not deployed: indicator stitching or tab intact.
- Fit — Snug; chest strap mid-chest; leg straps fastened and not loose.
Lanyard or self-retracting lifeline
- Lanyard webbing or rope — No cuts, frays, burns or knots; ends intact.
- Shock pack — Cover intact; not torn open, stretched or deployed.
- SRL housing — Not cracked; fasteners tight; label readable.
- SRL lifeline — Cable or webbing undamaged; pulls out and retracts smoothly.
- SRL brake — Locks with a sharp tug.
- SRL fall indicator — Not showing that it has arrested a fall.
Connectors
- Snaphooks and carabiners — Gates self-close and self-lock; no cracks, bends or corrosion.
- Anchorage connector — Strap or hardware undamaged; label readable.
- Periodic inspection — Competent-person inspection within the manufacturer's interval.
How often a harness has to be inspected
Inspect a harness before each use; in general industry, before its first use in each work shift at the latest. The two OSHA rules word it differently, so here they are exactly:
- Construction: "Personal fall arrest systems shall be inspected prior to each use for wear, damage and other deterioration, and defective components shall be removed from service" (29 CFR 1926.502(d)(21)).
- General industry: "Personal fall protection systems must be inspected before initial use during each workshift for mildew, wear, damage, and other deterioration, and defective components must be removed from service" (29 CFR 1910.140(c)(18)).
Both rules add a rule for after a fall. In construction, systems "subjected to impact loading shall be immediately removed from service and shall not be used again for employee protection until inspected and determined by a competent person to be undamaged and suitable for reuse" (1926.502(d)(19)); 1910.140(c)(17) says the same for general industry.
The user's pre-use check isn't the only inspection. Most manufacturers also call for a periodic, more detailed inspection by a competent person, at an interval set in the instructions that came with the harness and lifeline.
How to do the check
- Lay the harness out and untangle it so every strap is visible.
- Read the labels. No label, no way to know its age, capacity or model.
- Check the webbing inch by inch. Bend it into a small U so cuts and broken fibers open up, and check both sides.
- Check the stitching at every sewn joint.
- Check the hardware: D-rings, buckles, adjusters and grommets.
- Check the lanyard along its whole length, and the shock pack cover.
- For an SRL, pull the line out fully, give it a sharp tug to check it locks, and let it retract under control.
- Work every snaphook and carabiner gate. It should close and lock on its own.
- Put the harness on and adjust it before you go up.
The defects that take it out of service
| Defect | Why it fails |
|---|---|
| Cut, frayed, burned or melted webbing | The strap may tear under a fall load |
| Broken or pulled stitching | Sewn joints carry the load |
| Cracked, bent or corroded hardware | It can fail at the moment of arrest |
| Gate that won't close and lock | The connector can roll out of the anchor |
| Deployed shock pack or fall indicator | It has arrested a fall; OSHA requires it removed from service |
| Missing or unreadable label | You can't confirm its age, capacity or model |
| Chemical, paint or heat damage | Fibers weaken in ways you can't see |
| SRL that won't lock or retract | It won't arrest a fall |
What to do when something fails
Remove it from service immediately; both OSHA rules require it. Tag it with an out-of-service tag, take it out of the gang box or locker, and tell the competent person. Most manufacturers say a harness that's failed inspection or arrested a fall is destroyed (for example, by cutting the webbing) so it can't drift back into use. See what to do when equipment fails inspection.
Keeping the record
Neither OSHA rule requires a written record of the pre-use check. Periodic competent-person inspections are normally recorded, as the manufacturer's instructions describe. A dated record of every pre-use check is still how you show it happened. See equipment inspection record keeping.
Put a numbered QR sticker on the hook, locker or bag where each harness lives, not on the harness itself, since adding labels or marks to webbing is something manufacturers warn against. Whoever takes it scans, checks it on their phone, and a problem reaches you by email with a photo. CheckBadges keeps each harness's checks filed together. See QR code equipment checklists.
Skip the clipboard
Put this harness inspection checklist on a QR sticker.
- Operators scan the sticker with their own phone's camera. No app, account or password.
- Anything marked Problem emails you right away, with photos, and warns the next operator.
- Every check is saved by machine with who did it and when. Print one or export a CSV.
Free for 3 machines. Every item above is already filled in — edit anything. No card.
Harness 1
Harness inspection checklist
Frequently asked questions
How often does a fall protection harness need to be inspected?
In construction, "prior to each use" (29 CFR 1926.502(d)(21)). In general industry, "before initial use during each workshift" (29 CFR 1910.140(c)(18)). Most manufacturers also require a periodic inspection by a competent person.
Who can inspect a safety harness?
The user inspects it before each use. A competent person does the periodic inspection the manufacturer specifies, and must inspect any system that has arrested a fall before it can be used again (29 CFR 1926.502(d)(19)).
What do you do with a harness after a fall?
Remove it from service immediately. OSHA says it can't be used again until a competent person inspects it and determines it's undamaged and suitable for reuse (29 CFR 1926.502(d)(19), 1910.140(c)(17)); most manufacturers say to retire it.
How long does a fall protection harness last?
OSHA sets no expiry date: a harness stays in service as long as it passes inspection, unless the manufacturer sets a maximum service life. Sunlight, chemicals, heat and abrasion shorten it, so check the manufacturer's instructions.
How do you inspect harness webbing?
Work along every strap inch by inch, bending it into a small U so cuts, broken fibers and burns open up, and check both faces. Look for frays, holes, hard or glazed spots, discoloration and chemical stains.
Keep reading
- Ladder inspection checklistFree ladder inspection checklist for step and extension ladders: rails, rungs, feet, spreaders, locks, labels and rope. OSHA requires a check before each shift.
- Scaffold inspection checklistFree daily scaffold inspection checklist for the competent person: footing, plumb, bracing, planking, guardrails, access, ties and power line clearance.
- Boom lift inspection checklistFree boom lift pre-start inspection checklist for articulating and telescopic booms: boom, jib, turntable, platform, anchors, controls and emergency lowering.
- What is a competent person?OSHA defines a competent person as one who can spot hazards and has authority to fix them. Compare competent, qualified and authorized, and who inspects what.
- ConstructionConstruction equipment inspections on a QR sticker per machine. Operators and subs scan with their own phone, no app or login. Defects email you with photos.
- Fire extinguisher inspection checklistFree monthly fire extinguisher inspection checklist and form: access, gauge in the green, pin and seal, hose, damage, label, weight and annual maintenance tag.
Do your harness checks by QR code.
Stick a QR code on every machine and operators do the pre-use check on their own phone — no app, no login. Free for up to 3 machines; try it with your real machines before you sign up.