Arresting a fall is only half the problem. A person left hanging in a harness develops suspension trauma within minutes, and getting them out is a separate task requiring a way to lift them upright rather than by whatever happens to be attached. This harness adds an extension rescue strap certified to BS EN 1497, which gives a defined lifting point above the casualty's shoulders. Where a confined space or difficult access means self rescue is unlikely, that is not an optional extra.
Key Features
- Extension rescue strap to BS EN 1497: A defined attachment for lifting a casualty upright, certified as a rescue harness rather than adapted for the purpose.
- Dual certified EN 361 and EN 1497: Fall arrest and rescue in one harness, so nothing needs changing when things go wrong.
- Sternal and dorsal attachment: Standard fall arrest plus front connection for rope grab systems.
- Adjustable shoulder and thigh straps: Full adjustment across users.
- Dual colour strap scheme: Correct donning made obvious.
- Positioned sit strap: Comfort in use and, importantly, better support if the wearer is left suspended.
- Maximum user weight 140 kg: Including tools.
Technical Specifications
| Property |
Value |
| Product Code |
FA 10 106 00 |
| Configuration |
2 point full body harness with rescue strap |
| Attachments |
1 sternal, 1 dorsal, 1 extension rescue strap |
| Adjustment |
Shoulder and thigh straps |
| Webbing |
Polyester |
| Maximum User Weight |
140 kg including equipment |
| Usage Rating |
Regular use |
| Conformity |
BS EN 361, BS EN 1497 |
BS EN 361 Fall Arrest | BS EN 1497 Rescue | Category III PPE
Conforms to BS EN 361 for full body harnesses and BS EN 1497 for rescue harnesses. Category III personal protective equipment under Regulation (EU) 2016/425, supplied with a Declaration of Conformity and covered by EU Type-Examination certificate 2777/10715-01 E01-01. Requires inspection by a competent person at intervals not exceeding 12 months and immediate withdrawal after arresting a fall.
Suitable Applications
Specify a rescue harness wherever the rescue plan involves lifting the wearer rather than them climbing out: confined space entry, tank and vessel work, shaft and manhole access, tower and mast work, and any location where access is difficult enough that a suspended casualty could not be reached quickly. It is also the sensible default for lone or remote working. Under the Work at Height Regulations the rescue plan is a requirement, not an afterthought, and a harness with no rescue attachment constrains what that plan can say.
More About This Product
A harness is the only piece of fall protection equipment worn continuously, and that changes what matters about it. A lanyard that is slightly awkward gets used anyway. A harness that is uncomfortable gets loosened off after lunch, and a loose harness performs materially worse in a fall — the wearer drops further before the harness takes load, and the load lands on the wrong parts of the body when it does.
So comfort is not a luxury specification on a harness worn for a full shift; it is what determines whether the harness is still correctly adjusted at four in the afternoon. That is why padding, ventilation and the quality of the adjusters justify their cost on anything worn daily, and why the cheapest harness is rarely the cheapest outcome.
Suspension Trauma and Why the Rescue Plan Comes First
A harness that successfully arrests a fall leaves the wearer suspended, upright and conscious. That is the point — and it is also the beginning of a second, less obvious emergency.
Suspension trauma, also called orthostatic intolerance, develops when someone hangs motionless in a harness. The leg straps restrict venous return, blood pools in the legs, and the volume returning to the heart falls. Unconsciousness can follow within minutes, and the outcome can be fatal even after a successful rescue if the casualty is moved incorrectly.
Two practical consequences follow. First, a rescue plan that depends on calling the emergency services is not a plan, because the response time is longer than the time available. Rescue has to be possible with the equipment and people on site. Second, a suspension trauma relief strap — a few pounds, deploys in seconds, lets the casualty stand in the loops and restore circulation — buys the time the rescue needs. It is the cheapest meaningful addition to any harness and the one most often left off.
This is why the rescue plan is required before work begins rather than written afterwards.
How to Use the Rescue Harness
- Know the three attachment points: Dorsal for fall arrest, sternal for rope grab systems, and the rescue strap for lifting a casualty. Each has its purpose.
- Do not use the rescue strap for fall arrest: It is a rescue attachment certified to EN 1497 and is not a fall arrest point.
- Stow the rescue strap when not in use: It should be secured so it cannot snag, but accessible to a rescuer without a struggle.
- Brief the rescue team: The strap is only useful if whoever performs the rescue knows it is there and how to reach it.
- Adjust for a snug fit: A loose harness distributes suspension load badly, which matters most in the situation the rescue strap exists for.
- Act quickly on a suspended casualty: Suspension trauma develops within minutes. The rescue plan must be actionable in that timeframe.
Warning: The rescue strap is a rescue attachment only and must never be used for fall arrest. A rescue harness does not constitute a rescue plan. Suspension trauma can develop within minutes of a fall being arrested, so the means of recovery must be in place before work begins.
Safety Information
- For use only by trained and competent persons within a safe system of work.
- Maximum user weight 140 kg including tools and equipment.
- The rescue strap is for rescue only, never for fall arrest.
- The dorsal D-ring must sit between the shoulder blades.
- A documented rescue plan must be in place before work at height begins.
- Suspension trauma can develop within minutes; recovery must be prompt.
- Inspect webbing, stitching, all attachment points and buckles before every use.
- Withdraw immediately after arresting a fall.
- Inspection by a competent person required at intervals not exceeding 12 months.
Inspection and Maintenance
Standard harness checks plus the rescue strap, which needs attention precisely because it is rarely used. Stowed equipment gets forgotten, and a rescue strap that has been folded away for two years may have creased, abraded against its stowage or degraded without anyone looking at it. Deploy it fully at every inspection, check the webbing and stitching along its whole length, and confirm the attachment point is sound. Then the usual: all straps on both faces for cuts, abrasion and fraying, stitching at every junction, D-rings for distortion and wear, buckles for creep.
Downloads
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is suspension trauma?
When someone hangs motionless in a harness, blood pools in the legs and circulation is impaired. It can become life threatening within minutes even though the fall itself caused no injury. It is the reason a rescue plan must be actionable quickly, and the reason a rescue attachment point exists.
Q: Why can I not just lift someone by the dorsal D-ring?
The dorsal point suspends a casualty leaning forward, face down, which is a poor position for someone who may be unconscious. The EN 1497 rescue attachment lifts from above the shoulders, holding the casualty upright with the airway clear. That is what the standard is about.
Q: Do I need a rescue harness?
If your rescue plan involves lifting the person rather than them climbing out, yes. Confined space, shaft and tower work almost always fall into that category. On open scaffold where a casualty can be reached from a platform, a standard harness may be sufficient. The rescue plan should decide, not the other way round.
Q: Does the rescue strap get in the way?
It stows away in normal use. The balance to strike is stowing it securely enough not to snag while leaving it findable by a rescuer working quickly. Worth including in the toolbox talk rather than assuming it will be obvious.
