Types of Full Body Harness - IS 3521 : 1999

There are lots of controversies and misconception about types of full body harness, here in this article your all doubts regarding types of safety harness will be cleared.

In this article we will know about types of full body harness as per IS 3521 : 1999, (Types of Safety Belts as per Indian Standard).

What is Safety Harness

Safety harness is a personal protective equipment, consists of waist belt, shoulder strap with lanyard & anchoring hook, we use safety harness fall arrest during work at height or for rescue.

Components of Full Body Harness

Shoulder Strap
Fall arrest attachment
Shoulder Strap Retainer
Pelvic Strap
Thigh Strap
Buckles
Lanyard
Hook

What is Lanyard

Component of safety harness use to connect safety harness to anchoring point.

What is Life line

A medium to anchor the lanyard hook of safety harness.

Webbing/material of safety harness

Nylon or Polyester

Width & Thickness of Straps

40mm (width )- 3mm (thickness)

Strength or breaking strength of strap

19 K.N (2000kg)

Breaking strength of lanyard

19 K.N (2000kg)

Length of lanyard

Maximum 3 meter

Types of Full Body Harness

There are mainly there are five types of full body harness.

Classification of Safety Harness

Class A - Fall Arresting.
Class D - Controlled descent.
Class E - Confined entry and exit (raising and lowering)
Class L - Ladder climbing(frontal attachment).
Class P - Work positioning.

Class A - Fall Arresting Safety Harness

Class A type of full body harness is most commonly used safety harness, Class A safety harness is commonly used for arrest the fall of personal while working on height (work above 1.8m).

Class A safety harness equiped with D-Ring at both shoulder strap at the back or front side.
Lanyard attached with the D-Ring either at back or front.

Class D - Controlled descent

Class D type of safety harness is known as controlled descent, Class D harness used mainly to control or support person while descending or lowering from height.

Class D harness also meet the Class A safety harness requirements.

Class D harness generally equiped with single D-Ring at front or side of the harness, but D-Ring should not be at waist level.

Class E - Confined entry and exit (raising and lowering)

Class E type of safety harness commonly used for rescue or for confined space entry.

Class E full body harness also meet class A safety harness requirements.

Class E safety harness equiped with D-Ring on each shoulder strap.

Class L - Ladder climbing(frontal attachment)

Class L safety harness also meet the requirements of class A safety harness.

Class L full body harness used for ladder or tower climbing.

Class L full body harness equiped with one or two D-Ring at front of the harness.

Class P - Work positioning

Class P harness also known as work positioning is generally use to support person to make position while working at height, (working in hang position).

Class P full body harness also meet class A harness requirements.

Class P full body harness equiped with D-Ring at waist level.

ADCs of Fall Protection

There are three major accessories off fall protection system.

A - Anchorage (Life line)
B - Body wear (Harness)
C - Connecting Device (Lanyard)

FAQ's

SWL of Safety Harness?

SWL - Safe working load of full body harness is 130 to 310 lb

Diameter of Lanyard?

1⁄2 -inch as per OSHA - 1926 . 104.

When Safety Harness expires?

After 5 years from the date of manufacture as per ANSI.

Validity of TPI for Safety Harness?

6 months from the date of TPI.

Conclusion

There are five types of full body harness or safety harness, types of harness decided as per their use and purpose, there are slightly difference between all types of safety harness, but all harness meet the requirements of Class A - Fall Arresting full body harness, one D-Ring at back strap joint or at front must be mentioned in every full body harness.

Note :- Types of Full Body Harness - IS 3521 : 1999 is discussed in this article, safety harness classification may be differ from other standards.

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