Product Overview

Summary: This Safety Harness Usage Safe Operating Procedure provides clear, step-by-step guidance for selecting, fitting, using and maintaining fall-arrest harnesses in Australian workplaces. It helps businesses control the risks of working at height, align with WHS obligations, and give workers confidence that their equipment and practices are safe and compliant.

Working at height remains one of the leading causes of serious injury and fatality in Australian workplaces, and improper use of safety harnesses is a common contributing factor. This Safety Harness Usage Safe Operating Procedure sets out a practical, repeatable method for ensuring harness systems are selected, fitted, connected and used correctly every time. It goes beyond generic fall prevention advice by focusing specifically on the lifecycle of harness use—from pre-use inspection and compatibility with lanyards and anchor points, through to post-use care and withdrawal from service.

The procedure is designed to support PCBU (Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking) duties under WHS legislation, giving supervisors and workers a clear, defendable process to follow. By implementing this SOP, businesses can reduce the risk of falls from height, suspension trauma, equipment failure and non-compliance with relevant Australian Standards. It also streamlines training and onboarding, so that new and existing workers receive consistent, documented guidance on how to correctly don, adjust and use their harnesses in a variety of work environments, including construction, maintenance, warehousing, utilities and facilities management.

This document is particularly valuable for organisations that use multiple harness types or engage contractors, as it provides a standardised framework that can be applied across sites and projects. It supports safer decision-making in the field, improves record-keeping for inspections and training, and helps demonstrate due diligence to regulators, clients and principal contractors.

Key Benefits

• Reduce the risk of falls from height and suspension-related injuries through consistent, correct harness usage.
• Ensure compliance with Australian WHS legislation and relevant AS/NZS standards for fall-arrest systems.
• Standardise training and competency expectations for all workers required to use safety harnesses.
• Improve inspection, maintenance and record-keeping practices for harnesses and associated equipment.
• Demonstrate due diligence to clients, principal contractors and regulators during audits and incident investigations.

Who is this for?

• Site Supervisors
• Construction Project Managers
• WHS Managers
• Working at Heights Coordinators
• Roofers
• Scaffolding Supervisors
• Maintenance Technicians
• Telecommunications Riggers
• Warehouse and Distribution Managers
• Facilities and Asset Managers

Hazards Addressed

• Falls from height due to incorrect harness fitting or connection
• Equipment failure from damaged, worn or incompatible harness components
• Suspension trauma (orthostatic intolerance) following a fall arrest event
• Incorrect anchorage selection leading to inadequate fall clearance or swing falls
• Trip and entanglement hazards from poorly managed lanyards and lifelines
• Injury during emergency rescue due to lack of planning or inappropriate techniques
• Musculoskeletal strain from poorly adjusted harnesses or incorrect donning techniques

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Terminology
• 3.0 Roles, Responsibilities and Competency Requirements
• 4.0 Applicable Legislation, Standards and Codes of Practice
• 5.0 Types of Safety Harnesses and System Components
• 6.0 Pre-use Inspection and Condition Assessment
• 7.0 Harness Selection, Compatibility and Anchorage Requirements
• 8.0 Donning, Fitting and Adjustment Procedure
• 9.0 Safe Use of Lanyards, Energy Absorbers and Lifelines
• 10.0 Working at Height Practices and Exclusion Zones
• 11.0 Communication, Permits and Authorisation to Work at Height
• 12.0 Post-use Inspection, Cleaning, Storage and Withdrawal from Service
• 13.0 Emergency Response and Rescue Planning for Fall Events
• 14.0 Training, Induction and Refresher Requirements
• 15.0 Record Keeping, Inspection Registers and Audit Requirements
• 16.0 Review, Consultation and Continuous Improvement

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and equivalent state and territory WHS Acts
• Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (Cth) and equivalent state and territory WHS Regulations – Part 4.4 Falls
• Safe Work Australia – Model 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 1891.2: Industrial fall-arrest systems and devices – Horizontal lifeline and rail systems
• AS/NZS 1891.4: Industrial fall-arrest systems and devices – Selection, use and maintenance
• AS/NZS 45001: Occupational health and safety management systems – Requirements with guidance for use