What is a full-body harness and where should it be anchored?

• A. A device used to secure equipment to walls.
• B. A belt worn around the waist without shoulder straps.
• C. A harness that leaves shoulders unsupported.
• D. A harness worn to protect against falls; it should be attached to an approved anchor point designed for fall protection.

Answer: (D)

A full-body harness is a personal fall-arrest device that distributes the force of a fall across the body—shoulders, chest, hips, and legs—so a worker is protected from a dangerous fall. It’s used with a lanyard or lifeline that must be attached to an approved anchor point designed for fall protection. The anchor point isn’t any hook or support; it’s a rated, engineered point on the structure (or a certified temporary system) that can withstand the forces of a fall. Anchoring above the worker helps minimize fall distance and keeps the body in a safer position during arrest. This is what makes the harness and its attachment point effective for fall protection.

Securing equipment to walls, using a belt around the waist without shoulder straps, or using a harness that leaves shoulders unsupported do not provide the proper full-body support and fall-arrest capability required for safe work at height.