Fall protection equipment is essential in any workplace that involves working from heights.
Falls are one of the most common causes of severe work-related injuries and fatalities.
And this is where a suitable fall safety harness becomes critical.
Here are my recommendations for the best fall safety harnesses to choose for your workplace.
Best Safety Harness
3M Medium ExoFit Full Body Style Harness
- Made in the US
- Durable hybrid padding for the back, hip, shoulder, and leg
- Customizable vertical torso adjusters for adjusting shoulder straps
- Duo-Lok promptly joins buckles with a locking mechanism for the perfect fit
- Repel web technology prolongs harness life with abrasion and moisture resilience
The 3M ExoFit Full Body Harness gets our vote for the best harness in the workplace because of its forward-thinking safety features and innovative design.
This harness has suspension trauma straps, covered elastic flanks for storing personal objects, and Duo-Lok buckles that connect extremely fast with one-handed operation.
The torso adjusters lock securely in place to prevent slipping, and the safety harness lanyard keeper prevents snagging or tripping.
What customers are saying
This harness received excellent reviews with the majority of customers commenting on how comfortable it is. They all loved the Duo-Lok buckle feature, padding, and overall quality.
Best For Construction
Frontline Fall Protection Construction Full Body Harness
- Shoulder, waist, and back padding made with breathable material
- Enhanced visibility with polyester webbing in black with orange stitching
- 5-point customizable harness for a tight but comfy fit
- 2 lanyard holders located on shoulder straps
- Breaking strength of 5000 lbs
- ISO/IEC third-party accreditation
- OSHA, ANSI, and CSA compliant
The Frontline Full Body harness is manufactured with safety, durability, and performance in mind.
This harness is an ideal choice for workers who need a full-body harness that is extremely lightweight yet strong enough to provide protection even when faced with harsh conditions.
The suspension trauma straps offer fall protection, and the waist, back, and shoulder pads are made from moisture-wicking materials to keep workers cool and comfortable.
This is our favorite full-body harness for construction sites. It received only excellent reviews with customers commending how comfortable it fits, the quality construction, and easy adjustability.
Most Comfortable Harness
3M Protecta Comfort Positioning Harness
- Made with 100% cotton
- Protects against falls
- Manufactured by 3M in the US
- Highly visible red and black material
- CSA Approved
When your employees are working at heights, it is essential to invest in protective gear that protects them from falling. The 3M Protecta Comfort Positioning Harness helps you do just that.
The harness is constructed with superior materials that adhere to strict industry standards but it also meets the comfort requirements of the workforce today.
That’s why the Protecta is our top choice for the most comfortable harness.
Best Rooftop Harness
Guardian Fall Protection Seraph Construction Harness
- Adjustable chest buckles
- 6-point adjustment system
- Hammer loops
- Stretchable shoulder straps
- Tongue buckle leg straps with D-rings on the side
- 2 lanyard holders
- Reinforced tool belt
- Adjustable shoulder and back padding
- Strong back placard
- Breaking strength of 5000 lbs
The Guardian Fall Protection Harness features a streamlined design for optimal efficiency and can be used in various fall protection scenarios.
Standout features on this harness include its back padding, upgraded shoulder region elasticity, and shoulder pads that offer advanced comfort when suspended.
Other features include a 6-point adjustment system, adjustable torso buckles, leg straps, reinforced tool belt, durable waist pad, 2 lanyard holders, and a strong back placard.
Other Recommended Harnesses
Palmer Safety Fall Protection Full Body 5-point Harness
Protect your workforce against falls with the Palmer Safety Harness and its outstanding features.
Standout features on this harness include its 5-point adjustment system, hip & hind D-rings, leg straps, and durable back padding with an adjustable tool belt.
The hind D-ring can connect to any ANSI-compliant fall protection harness, and this harness supports 105 – 430 pounds combined weight.
3M DBI-SALA ExoFit Strata Harness
This 3M ExoFit Harness is incredibly lightweight, durable, and comfortable.
It includes forward-thinking design features such as its unique LIFTech load dispersal system that protects workers from fall incidents, lethargy, and shoulder strain.
The harness also has PolarMesh padding for superior breathability, and it promptly connects with an EZ-link SRL adapter for quick connection and disconnection of your SRL.
The material on the tool belt and straps are abrasion-resistant and water repellent to reduce dirt and mold accumulation.
You can even put your name on it with the adjustable name tag feature included.
KwikSafety ANSI Fall Protection Full Body Safety Harness
The KwikSafety Full Body Safety Harness has everything you’d want in a harness.
This includes a weight capacity of 130 to 310 lbs, a 5-point adjustment system, back and side rings, shoulder padding, and back support for injury prevention and comfort.
It is safety certified, it fits securely and it’s made with a durable synthetic material that is heat and abrasion-resistant. The harness is also ANSI/ASSE Z359.11-2014 compliant and OSHA approved.
The model is suitable for various applications, including search and rescue missions, roofing, gutter cleaning, window washing, and more.
Palmer Safety Fall Protection Roofing Bucket Kit
Give yourself and your workforce peace of mind with this Fall Protection Bucket Kit.
This kit includes a 5-point harness, a 50 ft lifeline rope. a shock-absorbing lanyard, a reusable roof anchor, and a storage bucket. It’s a perfect choice for commercial or residential roofing.
The harness can support a combined weight of 130-310 lbs, and it features an extremely durable design with a breaking strength of 5000 lbs.
Rest assured that this kit has various ANSI certifications, making it a must-have safety kit in your workplace.
Malta Dynamics Warthog Comfort Construction Harness
The Malta Dynamics Construction Harness is designed with superior functionality and comfort in mind. It has an adjustable waist belt and offers a combined weight capacity of 130-310 lbs.
Your workers will remain safe at work thanks to this reinforced fast connect torso harness that features leg straps with D-rings on the side, and an OSHA certification.
The harness is manufactured with a strong and sturdy polyester material that is bendable and comfortable, ideal for roofing or construction applications.
Guardian Fall Protection Cyclone Construction Harness
The Guardian Fall Protection Construction Harness features unique superior-flow padding that is designed to keep moisture at bay.
It also has a dual-grommet tool belt that is extremely supportive and protects workers in the field.
The harness supports workers when they’re suspended, enabling them to work using both hands, and the restraint devices keep them from getting too close to the edge of any fall hazard.
This harness is ideal for rescue missions and enables workers to confidently rescue people who are stuck in confined locations or exposed to dangerous falls.
Types Of Harnesses
Construction safety harness
Construction harnesses are designed to carry extra weight on the padded belt. They feature additional D-rings for better positioning while working.
Welding harnesses
Welding harnesses cannot fully resist the heat and arc of the welding torch, but they are nonconductive and flame-retardant.
Crossover safety harnesses
A Crossover safety harness features a D-ring at the front. These harnesses are used when going up or down ladders. They are the preferred type among ladies.
2-point full safety harness
A 2-point harness features fall arrest add-ons at the back and in the front.
They are often adjustable which makes them suitable for different sizes. You can adjust this type of harness via its built-in leg buckles and the shoulder loops.
4-point full safety harness
The 4-point safety harness has fall arrest additions in the front and back, as well as 2 work positioning points near the waist.
This type can also be adjusted to fit different sizes. Its adjustment buckles are positioned at the shoulder and leg regions as well as the waist loops.
These harnesses are ideal for fall arrest, work positioning, and work restraint applications.
5-point full safety harness
The 5-point harness offers comprehensive functionality and can be used in several ways. This includes fall arrest, rigging, climbing, personal suspension, and work positioning.
It also features attachment points at the back and front for fall arrest.
There is a front point at the torso with attachment sections for work positioning, as well as adjustable buckles at the waist, legs, and shoulder loops.
Things To Consider
Type of work
It is important to outline exactly how your workers will be wearing a safety harness in order to choose the most appropriate one. Different harnesses are used for different kinds of applications.
Important factors include the type of material the harness is constructed with, where the connection points are situated, and other features that are designed especially for the type of work being done.
For example, when a worker burns, welds, or does other kinds of tasks that involve heat, slag can be produced which could fall on the harness straps and compromise its reliability.
Some harnesses are equipped with extra attachment points that help with positioning.
Size
Safety harnesses are not one-size-fits-all. While some harnesses are equipped with size adjustments, there isn’t a huge amount of it that can be adjusted.
The average adjustment features are not necessarily enough to accommodate all body types, shapes, and sizes.
When choosing your safety harness, the torso straps must fit over your chest, and not your stomach. The D-rings must be sitting comfortably between your shoulder blades.
Comfort
When employees are comfortable, they are more productive. This is why comfort is a major aspect to consider. Getting a harness that was created with comfort in mind will be beneficial to everyone.
However, sometimes comfort lies in the way an employee wears the safety gear provided. A safety harness that is not worn correctly can be just as bad as not wearing one at all.
Ease of use
Ease of use is essential because it boosts the likelihood of the safety harness being worn appropriately and as intended. It also minimizes the time workers need to get into them.
Even though padding and several kinds of buckles are not a necessary feature, it can substantially enhance user experience.
Padding
Many manufacturers have some kind of padding integrated into their safety harnesses. This is to eliminate the discomfort caused by web straps.
The padding makes a safety harness more comfortable, and also provides an extra layer of protection when a fall occurs.
Webbing
Webbing is another important feature to look for in a safety harness. The quality of the webbing and the styles of webbing technology plays a vital role in how the safety harness will function.
Nowadays, you can buy harnesses with heat-resilient and liquid-resistant webbings, as well as harnesses that feature paint-resilient coatings.