Which Safety Harness Should I Buy? [Buyers Guide]

Choosing a safety harness can be a bit like choosing a television show on satellite TV. You can spend hours searching and you are only left frustrated. Seeing as "simplifying" things is a part of our brand, we figured we would take a shot at making it easier for you to select a safety harness. Our new safety harness page now has a complete break down of the different categories of safety harnesses:

Good Safety Harness - These are the bare bones models that should only be used when you need to wear a harness once in a blue moon. These harnesses are made to be compliant and cheap. Comfort should be nowhere in the equation when considering these harnesses.

Better Safety Harness - These safety harnesses are also built to be economical, but have a few more features than a good harness. With more adjustability and better padding these harnesses are good for a days worth of work here and there.

Premium Safety Harness - The premium safety harness is all about comfort and features. These harnesses are designed for the worker who wears a harness all day long. When a harness is literally a part of your life, you do not want a second-best tool.

Specialty Safety Harness - Speciality safety harnesses are designed to do a particular job. There are several categories of specialty safety harnesses.

• Construction Safety Harness - These harnesses are designed to carry additional weight on a padded belt and have more D-rings so that you can position yourself while working.
• Welding Safety Harness - A standard safety harness is not built to resist the arc and heat of a welding torch. These special harnesses are flame retardant and non-conductive.
• High Visibility Safety Harness - The name says it all for this harness. Available in short or long sleeve, high visibility harnesses are used when working near traffic or other locations where high visibility is required.
• Lineman Safety Harness - These harnesses have a cradle seat and special D-rings for extra positioning.
• Cross Over Safety Harness - These harnesses have a D-ring in the front. This safety harness is used when ascending and descending while attached to a ladder. These harnesses are also popular with the ladies.
• Cold Weather Safety Harness - Cold weather harnesses have a layer of warmth built into them. Ideal for working in colder climates.

See our new safety harness page for a complete list of harnesses and more descriptive text about each category.

Need Further Assistance?

Help is just a phone call away. Our customer service team will be happy to help you select a harness that is suitable for your needs and working situation. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions.

Related Entries

• Harness Inspection Video
• Wear your Safety Harness!  You’ll be glad you did!

Importance of PPE at Home

Tim at Safer by Choice has written a brief article describing the importance of PPE at home.  He says:

At home, no one is advising us. We have to educate ourselves on this. There are certain fundamental things you can (and probably should) do to assure your safety on the home. What seems like an unnecessary expense could be the difference between going to dinner at the end of a chore day or going to the emergency room. So here are a few ideas that I hope you will consider.

Read the rest of his article here: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Important at Home, Too

Companies Can Now be Cited for PPE Violations on the Individual Level

CSP, Teddi Penewell, has pointed out that OSHA has modified the rules for PPE violations so that instead of being issued one fine for a PPE violation, a company can be issued as many violations as there are employees who are unprotected.  Heres what she had to say:

OSHA has issued its final rule allowing the agency to cite employers on a "per employee basis" for failure to provide/train/wear/use required personal protective equipment. 

"In this rulemakeing, OSHA is amending its standards to add language clarifying that the personal protective equipment (PPE) and training requirements impose a compliance duty to each and every employee covered by the standards and that noncompliance may expose the employer to liability on a per-employee basis." 

If you want to read the Final PPE rule in its entirety, go to http://tinyurl.com/23mzlp7

To clarify:

An employer has 10 employees working in an area where respirators (or hard hats, or gloves, etc.) are required and employer failed to provide ppe.  This would not be 1 violation, but 10 (1 violation for each worker) along with 10 accompanying penalties.

In comparison to: 10 employees working in an excavation without shoring, OSHA would write one citation and one penalty.

Better to spend a few dollars up front, protect workers and avoid severe penalties for failing to provide PPE.

Introducing a New Line of Fire/EMS Work Wear Jackets

Weve teamed up with Nine 1 One Gear to offer Fire and EMS Professionals a premium line of work wear jackets. 

Nine 1 One Gear from Airtime is a brand of outerwear for industrial safety workers, fire and ems professionals that is all about creating modern, comfortable jackets. Highly-reflective and abrasion resistant, Nine 1 One Gears is committed to the safety of your crew. Jackets are made from the highest quality materials, giving them a longer life than the competition. Your workers will appreciate features like the microphone clip and radio pouch that aid in communication and the fit of the jacket.

Here is a brief overview of the three major lines of jackets that are offered.

Available in High Visibility	Our Nine 1 One Gear Battalion Chief duty jacket is a revolutionary and stylish step forward in performance, comfort, and durability. Your crew will be working in our top-of-the-line jacket, engineered to withstand the extreme elements you face each day. The Battalion Chief high visibility jacket is ANSI class II compliant, a necessity for professionals working in the right-of-way. Progressive departments everywhere will appreciate having the best of both worlds: the latest advances in design and material technology coupled with trend-setting style. This is the duty jacket for professional emergency service providers. More about the Battalion Chief Duty Jacket
	The Nine 1 One Gear 1029 Duty Jacket is the traditional product for protection against the elements. Working in the most extreme elements demands rugged, functional, and high performance outerwear. This waterproof, breathable, and comfortable jacket has been a staple of departments since joining the Heritage product line in 1986. More about State II Emergency Pro Duty Jacket
	The Nine 1 One Gear Lieutenant Duty Jacket is a perfect solution for a wide range of organizations. We have heard the lieutenant called the perfect jacket because of its light weight and the ability to accomidate the zip-in insulating vest liner. Built from the ground up to utilize the latest in design and material technologies, your crew will notice the NGT.LT will offer them warmth and breathability, free range of motion, and a good fit. The Lieutenant is one of our favorite jackets, proving that you do not have to compromise on good looks, comfort, durability, and performance. Learn more about the Lieutenant EMS Pro Duty Jacket

See the entire line of jackets in our EMS work wear category. 

Confined spaces can be deadly: On average 2 workers won’t come home this week

(FOREST GROVE, Ore.) Fire officials say one person died and a second was successfully rescued today, after they became trapped in the confined space of an underground manhole on NW Timmerman Road west of Forest Grove. This recent headline could have been taken from just about any newspaper during any given week around the country in 2009. According to data collected by the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program, fatal injuries in confined spaces averages 92 fatalities per year. Thats almost two per week. According to OSHA, over 4.8 million confined space entries are made every year in the United States, and over 11,000 injuries that occur could be prevented if employers and workers had simply follow the procedures outlined under 29 CFR 1910. 146.

The causes of most confine space entry incidents are simple; employers and workers fail to recognize and control the hazards associated with confined spaces, and they conduct inadequate or incorrect emergency response, resulting in the death of the initial entrant, the would-be rescuer or both. Pre-planning for confined space entry should include all parties involved and should serve the purpose of reviewing entry procedures as well as covering specific hazards inherent to the spaces being entered.

Confined spaces can be deadly because of the potential for engulfment, oxygen deficiency, oxygen enrichment, flammable gases or vapors, combustible dusts, toxic substances and other physical hazards. Other health hazards that could impact employee safety include electrical equipment, mechanical equipment, poor visibility, biohazards, claustrophobia, noise, radiation and temperature.

The following is based on the CDCs: Recommendations for Preventing Occupational Fatalities in Confined Spaces:

Worker training is essential to the RECOGNITION of what constitutes a confined space and the hazards that may be encountered in them. This training should stress that death to the worker is the likely outcome if proper precautions are not taken before entry is made.

All confined spaces should be TESTED by a qualified person before entry to determine whether the confined space atmosphere is safe for entry. Tests should be made for oxygen level, flammability, and known or suspected toxic substances. EVALUATION of the confined space should consider the following:

• methods for isolating the space by mechanical or electrical means (i.e., double block and bleed, lockout, etc.),
• the institution of lockout-tagout procedures,
• ventilation of the space,
• cleaning and/or purging,
• work procedures, including use of safety lines attached to the person working in the confined space and its use by a standby person if trouble develops,
• personal protective equipment required (clothing, respirator, boots, etc.),
• special tools required, and
• communications system to be used.

The confined space should be continuously MONITORED to determine whether the sphere has changed due to the work being performed.

Be safe and this Holiday Season make sure you and ALL of you co-workers and employees make it home alive and safe each of every day!