The working harness is a category III personal protective equipment and consists of an element to hold the operator’s body by means of arrest and/or suspended support, so as to guarantee his safety in case of a falling hazard. Full body harnesses consisting of shoulder straps and sit straps must be used in all working activities where falls of over 5 m are possible.
There are three types of harnesses, each regulated by a specific standard:
Fall arrest harness - EN 361
Work positioning belt - EN 358
Sit harnesses - EN 813
Thea EN 813 standard specifies requirements, Test methods, marking and information to be supplied by the manufacturer for sit harnesses to be used in restraint, work positioning and rope access systems, where a low point of attachment is required. Sit harnesses are not suitable to be used for fall arrest purposes.
