# Life of a harness



## chewy (May 9, 2010)

Liability < Dollars.


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## oldtimer (Jun 10, 2010)

Electrical Student said:


> I have a few harnesses laying around. All brand new. A few still in their original sealed bags. Thought about putting them on-line to sell. However some of them date back to an 06 manufactured date. I certairnly do not want to sell somthing that is unsafe. So... Is their a life span for fall protection harnesses? Is their a way to have them inspected or certified as in good working order? Googled it and i found a bunch of different recommendations but nothing conclusive.


 Do you live in a Horse community ?

PM Amish Electrician. He may steer you right. :laughing:.

Oops ! I guess you meant safety harnesses ! :innocent:.


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## ptcrtn (Mar 14, 2011)

ANSI A10.32-2004 states the service life of fall protection equipment manufactured of synthetic fiber shall be 5 years unless otherwise specified by the manufacturer...


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## Electrical Student (Jun 6, 2011)

Thanx.


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## s.kelly (Mar 20, 2009)

Look up the model on the internet and see what the instructions say. I have seen newer models that say 5 years after it is put into service. This eliminates the shelf life problem if you buy one the distributor had for a while. 

Wear and tear, dirt, and uv are the main reasons they have a service life. A cared for harness would likely be good for longer, but no one will take the liability.


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## Amish Electrician (Jan 2, 2010)

Thanks for the plug 

Safety harnesses must be less than five years old, or they must be replaced. That's if you get into the fine print of the 'rules.'

In practical terms ... I bet no one has ever been dinged for having an 'old' harness- just for a worn, damaged, or missing harness.


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## yyc_ranger_4x4 (Jun 14, 2012)

Retired after 5 years....5 year service life....5 years....etc etc. Not sure how it's worded in the US, but here in Canada and Alberta, there is no official service life. A harness is taken out of service when it is worn out or damaged. Worn out is frayed, lost stitches, buckles not working, etc etc. Damaged is obvious. If a harness meets current standards and is in good shape, then it's still good, however I have yet to meet an employer who will stand against anyone telling them they don't trust a harness.

Remember to record when the harness is put into service, and track any problems with it. This includes the lanyard and any other components as well. Having a log of when it's inspected never hurts. If you want to follow the "5 year" rule....start it from when the harness goes into service. Don't be afraid to take them out of service when their integrity is compromised or questioned.


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## Legion (Oct 19, 2010)

Remember too... they should be inspected by someone trained as a Fall Equipment Inspector on a regular basis (generally every 6 months), who logs the inspections. In addition to being inspected by the user, before every use.


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