SAFETY & MAINTENANCE

Safety Harness

A body-holding harness and tether system — the one item on this site that must be certified and inspected.

INSPECT BEFORE LOAD · NEVER EXCEED WLL

Rope, splices and hardware are only as good as their condition. Inspect before every use and retire on evidence.

Safety Harness — nautical chart line drawing

Specification

Standards	EN 361 / ANSI Z359.11 type products
Attachment	Single point, dorsal or chest
Tether	Double-leg or jackstay, with hooks
Sizing	Fitted to the wearer
Inspection	Before every use, plus scheduled deep check
Common error	Damaged or home-made webbing

Technical parameters

Webbing	25 mm polyester, high tenacity
Rated load	Per manufacturer — typically 100 kg
Tether length	Per manufacturer, usually ≤ 2 m
Strong point	Engineered deck fitting only
Inspection cycle	Pre-use, plus annual deep check
Retire after	Any fall arrest, or damage

SelectInspectMaintain

Overview

A safety harness for marine use is a body-holding device worn with a tether and a strong point, intended to keep a person attached to the boat. Unlike every other item on this site, it is personal protective equipment, and it must be a certified product used strictly within its instructions. Improvised webbing and rope systems are not a substitute.

A marine harness typically combines a sit harness with a chest section and a single attachment point, worn over foul-weather gear. The tether is usually a double-leg or a jackstay arrangement with a hook at each end, so the wearer can move along the boat without ever being unattached.

Inspection is a scheduled task, not an occasional glance. Webbing, stitching, buckles and the attachment point all need checking before every use, with a documented deeper inspection at the interval the manufacturer specifies. Any harness that has arrested a fall, or that shows damaged stitching or a distorted buckle, must be removed from service and replaced rather than repaired.

Safety notes

A harness is certified equipment. Use only a product with a recognised standard marking, and follow the manufacturer's instructions exactly.
Inspect before every use: webbing for cuts, abrasion and UV fading; stitching for pulled or broken thread; buckles for distortion and correct function.
Any harness that has taken a fall, or that shows damage, is out of service permanently. Never repair load-bearing webbing.
The strong point matters as much as the harness. Clip only to a fitting designed and installed to take the load.

Using it well

Fit the harness over your foul-weather gear, adjusted so it cannot ride up under load.
Practise clipping and unclipping with gloves on before you need to do it in weather.
Keep a written record of inspection dates and tether serial numbers with the harness.

Suited to

TethersJackstaysDeck fittingsWorking aloft

Typical applications

OffshoreWorking aloftDeck work

Figures are typical catalogue values for new equipment, quoted for comparison and planning. They are not a guarantee for any specific product or any specific load. Always work to the manufacturer’s stated working load limit and to the regulations that apply where you sail.

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