What is the primary purpose of a safety harness?

The primary purpose of a safety harness is to prevent falls when working at elevated heights. This is critical in construction and ironworking environments where workers are often required to work on scaffolds, roofs, or other elevated structures. A properly fitted safety harness, when linked to a secure anchor point, significantly reduces the risk of serious injury or fatality in the event of a fall.

By restricting the wearer’s movement, a harness can catch and suspend them safely until they are rescued. This safety equipment is essential for protecting workers from the inherent risks of working at heights, as falls are one of the leading causes of workplace injuries in this field.

Other options, while they may pertain to safety and support in different contexts, do not capture the primary function of a safety harness in preventing falls. For example, while extra support for lifting materials or assisting in load-bearing on scaffolds has its place in a risk management plan, these are not the primary functions of a harness. Similarly, worker visibility is essential but is typically managed through different means, such as bright clothing or safety vests, rather than harnesses. Thus, the focus is squarely on the fall protection aspect of harness usage.