Understanding the inportance of height safety equipment inspections
Posted on: 25 February 2019
If you are operating at height then your safety must be of paramount importance. Working at height means trusting your life to the correct operation of your safety equipment so regular maintenance inspections of that gear should be a regular part of your routine. For too many individuals a height safety equipment inspection is relegated to a minor afterthought rather than being of first importance. The following will help you understand the basics of heigh safety equipment inspections.
How do you treat your equipment?
Are you one of those people who discard your equipment when it is not in use? Do you perhaps throw it into a corner of the workroom or truck and only pick it up when it is needed again? If that describes your working procedures then things need to change. Your height safety equipment literally guards your life and needs to be treated with respect.
Caring for your height safety equipment
Do everything you can to keep your harnesses and webbing away from rough surfaces and sharp edges while you are working. If the gear starts to become dirty and it needs to be cleaned then apply only soap and water. A more powerful cleaner might compromise the integrity of the material. If the safety equipment becomes wet while you are working don't leave your gear stuffed into a corner to stay damp as this is will only encourage mildew. Allow it to dry naturally, but away from UV rays since these can also degrade your webbing and compromise your gear.
Keep it all together
Perhaps the most important aspect of care for your harness and height safety gear is that you know where it is at any time. Store everything in a dedicated bag or location so that you can quickly access it all for a height safety equipment inspection, and aren't tempted to try and skip an inspection, or even try to work without part of it.
Schedule regular inspections
If you take proper care of your safety equipment and store it properly then a regular height safety equipment inspection should not present any problem. Before each use of the equipment, you should always check for any signs of damage or deterioration and replace any defective parts. Beyond that, it is important to have a qualified individual conduct a full height safety equipment inspection at regular intervals to ensure that everything is as it should be.
Never take risks with your own safety or the safety of those who work with you. It is always best to conduct proper safety checks and to take the best possible care of all your height safety equipment.
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