A PFAS is only as good as the equipment's condition and the worker's knowledge of how to use it. Across NYC construction fatalities involving fall arrest, investigators frequently find improperly donned harnesses, expired equipment, or lanyards anchored to objects incapable of holding a load.

• Webbing: Check for cuts, fraying, chemical burns, UV degradation (shiny/stiff areas), or heat damage. Any defect → remove from service immediately
• Hardware: D-rings, buckles, snaphooks — no cracks, corrosion, sharp edges, or deformation
• Stitching: Broken or missing stitching at load-bearing seams = retire the harness
• Labels: Manufacturer label must be legible — date of manufacture, standard compliance, serial number
• Shock pack indicator: If the shock pack (tear-away label) on the lanyard has deployed — even slightly — the lanyard is retired, no exceptions

• Chest strap at mid-sternum — fit two fingers under strap when buckled
• Leg straps snug — flat on thigh, no twists, two-finger fit underneath
• Shoulder straps flat across traps, not riding up on neck
• Sub-pelvic strap (if present) secured and snug
• Dorsal D-ring centered between shoulder blades — never twisted to the side

• 6-ft shock-absorbing lanyard: minimum 6-foot anchor-to-D-ring height required for full deceleration
• Self-Retracting Lifeline (SRL): preferred for frequent movement; locking distance ≤ 2 ft from anchor
• Double lanyard: required on suspended scaffold — 100% tie-off while transitioning between anchor points
• Connector compatibility: snaphook gate must fully engage and lock — never gate-load a snaphook