Product Overview

Summary: This Harness and Lanyard Inspection Safe Operating Procedure sets out a clear, step-by-step process for inspecting personal fall arrest equipment before use, during use, and at scheduled intervals. It helps Australian businesses demonstrate due diligence under WHS laws, reduce the risk of fall-from-height incidents, and extend the service life of critical fall protection gear.

Working at height remains one of the leading causes of serious injury and fatalities in Australian workplaces. Even the best-designed fall arrest system can fail if harnesses and lanyards are not inspected correctly and taken out of service when defects are found. This Harness and Lanyard Inspection Safe Operating Procedure provides a structured, repeatable method for assessing the condition, suitability, and compliance of fall protection equipment before it is used, ensuring that only safe, serviceable gear is issued to workers.

The SOP goes beyond a simple checklist by defining inspection frequencies, acceptance and rejection criteria, tagging and recordkeeping requirements, and clear escalation steps when issues are identified. It aligns with Australian WHS legislation and relevant height safety standards to support your legal obligations and contractor management processes. By implementing this procedure, businesses can reduce the likelihood of catastrophic falls, improve worker confidence in equipment, and demonstrate robust safety governance to clients, auditors, and regulators.

Key Benefits

• Reduce the risk of fall-from-height incidents by ensuring only compliant harnesses and lanyards are used.
• Standardise inspection practices across sites, shifts, and contractors for consistent safety performance.
• Demonstrate due diligence and compliance with Australian WHS laws and height safety standards.
• Extend the usable life of equipment through regular, documented inspections and timely removal from service.
• Improve worker confidence and safety culture by making inspection requirements clear, visible, and easy to follow.

Who is this for?

• Site Supervisors
• Construction Managers
• WHS Managers
• Height Safety Technicians
• Maintenance Supervisors
• Roofers and Riggers
• Telecommunications and Tower Workers
• Warehouse and Distribution Centre Managers
• Facilities and Asset Managers
• Safety Representatives and HSRs

Hazards Addressed

• Failure of harness or lanyard components during a fall
• Use of damaged, worn, UV-degraded, or chemically contaminated webbing and stitching
• Incorrect connection to anchorage points or incompatible connectors
• Use of out-of-date, untraceable, or uncertified fall arrest equipment
• Inadequate pre-use checks leading to undetected defects
• Use of equipment that has been involved in a fall but not withdrawn from service

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Key Terms (Harness, Lanyard, Energy Absorber, Fall Arrest System)
• 3.0 Roles and Responsibilities (PCBU, Supervisors, Workers, Height Safety Inspectors)
• 4.0 Applicable Legislation, Standards and Codes of Practice
• 5.0 Equipment Covered by this Procedure
• 6.0 Competency and Training Requirements for Inspectors
• 7.0 Inspection Types and Frequencies (Pre-use, Formal, Post-incident, Periodic)
• 8.0 Pre-use Inspection Procedure – Step-by-Step
• 9.0 Detailed Periodic Inspection Procedure – Step-by-Step
• 10.0 Inspection Criteria – Accept / Reject Guidelines
• 11.0 Tagging, Labelling and Traceability Requirements
• 12.0 Defect Management and Removal from Service Process
• 13.0 Storage, Cleaning and Maintenance Requirements
• 14.0 Recordkeeping, Registers and Documentation
• 15.0 Contractor and Visitor Equipment Control
• 16.0 Hazard Identification, Risk Controls and Hierarchy of Control
• 17.0 Non-conformance, Corrective Actions and Reporting
• 18.0 Review, Audit and Continuous Improvement
• 19.0 References and Related Documents
• 20.0 Document Control and Version History

Legislation & References

• Model Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth)
• Model Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 – Part 4.4 Falls
• Safe Work Australia – Code of Practice: Managing the Risk of Falls at Workplaces
• AS/NZS 1891.1: Industrial fall-arrest systems and devices – Harnesses and ancillary equipment
• AS/NZS 1891.3: Industrial fall-arrest systems and devices – Fall-arrest devices
• AS/NZS 1891.4: Industrial fall-arrest systems and devices – Selection, use and maintenance
• AS/NZS 45001: Occupational health and safety management systems (as adopted in Australia)