Pre-Use Visual and Tactile Inspection
Before every shift, competent personnel must perform a comprehensive tactile and visual examination of the entire personal fall arrest combo kit. Inspect the high-tenacity polyester webbing on the KARAM MAGNA 1 harness across all load-bearing sections, running fingers along the edges to detect cuts, fraying, abrasion, pulled yarns, heat glazing, or chemical degradation. Examine the computerized stitching patterns and retro-reflective threading for broken, missing, or loose stitches. Pay close attention to high-stress junctions around the sternal textile attachment loops, shoulder straps, and thigh strap interfaces.
Examine the 12 mm 3-strand polyamide twisted rope legs of the PN351N forked lanyard across their entire 2.0-meter length. Check the rope strands for hockling, untwisting, inner core degradation, or fiber abrasion. Verify that the factory-spliced eye terminations remain intact, with the protective steel thimbles firmly seated and the clear polyethylene protective sleeves free from cracks, splits, or displacement.
Hardware and Connector Maintenance Checks
Inspect all metal components on both the harness and lanyard assembly to verify mechanical integrity and protective finish performance:
- Aluminum D-Rings: Inspect the lightweight forged aluminum dorsal D-ring for distortion, cracks, sharp burrs, or deep grooving that could abrade webbing or connector gates.
- Coated Fittings: Check harness buckles and adjustment frames featuring Cathodic Electrodeposition (CED) coating and black powder coating for signs of mechanical deformation, cracks, or surface wear beyond normal exposure limits.
- PN112 Screw-Locking Karabiner: Verify that the alloy steel connector gate opens smoothly to its full 18 mm clearance and that the manual screw-locking sleeve threads down completely to lock the gate against accidental opening.
- PN131N Scaffold Hooks: Function-test the twin alloy steel scaffold hooks to confirm that the double-action, self-closing, and self-locking mechanisms engage automatically without sticking, sluggish travel, or gate misalignment.
- Lanyard Keepers: Check the dual breakaway lanyard parking keepers positioned on the shoulder straps to ensure they are undamaged and retain free lanyard legs securely without binding.
Energy Absorber Integrity and Mandatory Retirement
Inspect the PN300 energy absorber tear-webbing pack integrated into the PN351N lanyard. The protective outer casing must be intact, securely enclosing the folded deceleration webbing. Verify that no tearing, partial elongation, or exposed internal red deployment warning threads are visible. If red warning threads are exposed, the absorber has deployed and must never be reused.
Immediate retirement from service is mandatory under the following conditions:
- The harness or lanyard has been subjected to the dynamic impact forces of a fall arrest event.
- Webbing, rope fibers, or computerized stitching exhibit cuts, severe abrasion, melting, or chemical embrittlement.
- The PN300 energy absorber tear-pack shows signs of activation, ruptured packaging, or deployed internal elements.
- Metal hardware shows cracks, permanent deformation, or compromised locking functions.
Cleaning, Drying, and Storage Protocols
When cleaning the harness webbing, breathable knitted mesh shoulder pads, and polyamide lanyard ropes, use warm water and a mild, neutral soap solution. Do not use abrasive cleaning pads, harsh industrial solvents, acids, or alkalis, as chemical contact compromises the structural integrity of synthetic fibers. Wipe down metallic hardware with a clean, damp cloth to remove grit and salt residue.
Allow all textile and metallic components to air-dry naturally in a cool, well-ventilated space. Keep the equipment away from open flames, industrial heat sources, and direct sunlight during drying. Store the cleaned equipment in a clean, dry, and well-ventilated environment away from sharp edges, mechanical vibration, corrosive chemicals, and excessive moisture to prevent premature deterioration of synthetic and metallic elements.
