Why height kit needs a competent eye
The Work at Height Regulations 2005 require work equipment used at height to be inspected at suitable intervals by a competent person, and the results recorded. For personal fall protection, that means a detailed inspection at least every six months — more often where the equipment works hard, gets dirty, or lives in a van.
Fall arrest equipment is unlike anything else on site: it spends its whole life doing nothing, then has one chance to work. Damage that matters — heat glazing on webbing, a cut in stitching, a deployed fall indicator, a hairline crack in a karabiner nose — is easy to walk past and impossible to unsee once you know what it looks like.
Equipment we inspect
Full body harnesses
6 months
Restraint lanyards
6 months
Shock-absorbing lanyards
6 months
Fall arrest blocks
6 months
Retractable lifelines
6 months
Rope grabs & guided types
6 months
Anchor points & eyebolts
12 months
Horizontal lifelines
12 months
Karabiners & connectors
6 months
Ladders & step ladders
6 months
Podium steps
6 months
Mobile access towers
6 months
What gets checked
- 01Webbing for cuts, abrasion, fraying, chemical attack, heat glazing and UV degradation.
- 02Stitching for broken, pulled or abraded threads, particularly at load-bearing joints.
- 03Buckles, D-rings and adjusters for distortion, corrosion, sharp edges and correct function.
- 04Fall indicators and energy absorbers for signs of deployment or partial deployment.
- 05Blocks and retractables for smooth extension, positive lock-off and retraction under load.
- 06Anchor points for security of fixing, substrate condition and load test where required.
- 07Identification, serial numbers, manufacture dates and lifespan against the maker’s limits.
Inspection intervals
| Equipment / use | Detailed inspection |
|---|---|
| Harnesses, lanyards, fall arrest blocks | At least every 6 months |
| Arduous, dirty or heavy use | Every 3 months |
| Anchor points and eyebolts | Every 12 months |
| Ladders, steps and podiums | Every 6 months |
| After arresting a fall | Withdraw immediately |
Pre-use checks by the user are required before every use and sit alongside — not instead of — the recorded detailed inspection.
What you receive
Per-item inspection record
Every item logged by serial number with its condition, verdict and next due date — the record the regulations ask for.
Pass / fail tagging
Inspected kit is marked so a user can see at a glance that the item in their hand is in date.
Withdrawal list
Anything that fails is identified clearly and, with your agreement, taken out of circulation on the day.
Pre-use check guidance
A short brief for your users on what to look for before every use, so the six-monthly is not the only line of defence.
Height safety questions
How often do harnesses need inspecting?
A detailed inspection by a competent person is normally required at least every 6 months, or every 3 months where use is arduous — plus a pre-use check by the user every time the harness is worn.
Do ladders need to be inspected?
Yes. The Work at Height Regulations require access equipment to be inspected at suitable intervals by a competent person and the results recorded. Six-monthly is the usual interval for ladders, steps and podiums in regular use.
What is a pre-use check?
A visual and hands-on check by the user before each use: webbing, stitching, buckles, indicators and connectors. It is quick, it is free, and it catches most defects — but it does not replace the recorded detailed inspection.
When must equipment be withdrawn from service?
Immediately after it has arrested a fall, if a fall indicator has deployed, or where webbing, stitching or metalwork shows cuts, chemical or heat damage or distortion. Equipment past the manufacturer’s stated lifespan also comes out of service.
Where we work
Harness and fall arrest inspections across Nottingham and the East Midlands — Derby, Leicester, Mansfield, Lincoln and surrounding areas. Multiple sets can be inspected in one visit.