An employee inspects and organizes a fall protection system and safety equipment on an elevated work platform.

What is personal protective equipment?

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is gear worn by an employee to reduce safety risks. Examples include helmets, safety shoes, safety harnesses, …

In this article, we focus specifically on PPE designed to prevent falls (fall protection).

Such PPE typically consists of:

the fall arrest harness;
lifelines, fall arresters, carabiners, and fall arrest devices.

If even a single component fails, safety is no longer guaranteed.

Book IX of the Code on Occupational Well-Being

An inspector is inspecting a steel structure at height to assess its technical condition and safety.

Why is fall protection PPE so often overlooked?

Personal protective equipment differs fundamentally from many other types of work equipment.

A crane or aerial work platform is usually registered at a fixed location. A fall arrest harness, on the other hand, travels with the user. This often results in a fragmented situation where no one has a complete overview.

Prevention advisors, facility managers, and technical supervisors often encounter questions such as:

Which fall arrest harnesses are still in active use?
Which lanyard belongs to which crew?
Is this piece of equipment still safe after a fall?
Where is the inspection report located?
Who is responsible for the next inspection date?
Which fall arrest harnesses may have exceeded their expiration date?

These questions may seem administrative, but they directly affect safety. When there is doubt about the status of a piece of protective equipment, uncertainty also arises regarding its usability.

An employee wearing safety gear inspects an anchor point and a fall protection system at height at an industrial facility.

When can personal protective equipment be used?

According to the hierarchy of prevention, personal protective equipment is never the first line of defense.

Employers must first determine whether risks can be eliminated or reduced through:

organizational measures;
technical measures;
collective protective equipment.

Only when these solutions do not provide sufficient protection may personal protective equipment be used.

When working at heights (2 meters or higher), personal protective equipment is mandatory if collective protective measures are not available.

Hierarchy of Prevention

An employee is inspecting an electric hoist in a warehouse with pallet racks.

How do you keep track of personal protective equipment?

Effective tracking doesn’t have to be complicated. Often, a few basic principles are all it takes.

Take inventory of all PPE

Create a complete inventory of all fall arrest harnesses, lanyards, fall arrest blocks, and other equipment available within the organization.

Use unique identifiers

Use serial numbers or internal codes so that each item can be tracked individually.

Store documents centrally

Inspection reports, inspection data, and any comments are best kept in one central location.

Inspection of lifting straps and fall protection equipment for wear and damage within a test setup.

When should fall protection PPE be inspected?

Fall protection PPE must be inspected at least once a year by a certified EDTC. During this inspection, we check for:

cracks;
wear and tear;
deformations;
missing parts;
damaged fasteners.
Any expiration date specified by the manufacturer
CE conformity

In addition, there is an additional requirement if the PPE has been involved in a fall incident. In that case, it must be taken out of service immediately until an inspection has been conducted.

Even if there is any doubt regarding damage, wear, or overloading, it is advisable to immediately take the equipment out of service.

Inspection of hoisting and lifting equipment

Don’t let fall protection PPE slip through the cracks

Fall arrest harnesses, safety lanyards, etc., are often less visible than other work equipment. Precisely because of this, they tend to slip under the radar.

Yet this personal protective equipment is crucial for employees working at heights. By systematically inventorying it, having it inspected on time, and maintaining accurate documentation, you create greater safety for both employees and the organization.

A clear overview of your fall protection PPE isn’t just useful for audits or inspections; above all, it forms an important foundation for safe working practices.

FAQ on PPE Inspections

: Ja. Minstens om de 12 maanden en telkens nadat zij een val hebben gestut.
: De controle gebeurt door een erkende Externe Dienst voor Technische Controle (EDTC) die bevoegd is voor keuringen van hijs- en hefwerktuigen.
: Ja. Een valharnas moet na een val onmiddellijk uit gebruik worden genomen en worden gecontroleerd door een EDTC. In veel gevallen schrijft de fabrikant zelfs voor dat het harnas na het opvangen van een val buiten gebruik wordt gesteld en vervangen.
Belangrijke aandachtspunten:
Direct uit gebruik nemen: Gebruik het harnas niet opnieuw totdat het is gekeurd.
Inspectie door een EDTC: Controleer op beschadigingen zoals gescheurde banden, beschadigde stiksels, vervormde of gescheurde metalen onderdelen en slijtage.
Volg de instructies van de fabrikant: Sommige fabrikanten eisen vervanging na elke opgevangen val, ook als er geen zichtbare schade is.
Documenteer de gebeurtenis: Leg de val en de inspectie vast in het inspectieregister van de PBM.
: Onder meer valharnassen, vanglijnen, schokdempers, valblokken, verbindingsmiddelen en bepaalde mobiele verankeringspunten maken deel uit van persoonlijke valbeveiliging.
: Een keuringsverslag van een PBM is één jaar geldig. Nadien dient een nieuwe keuring ingepland worden.

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