Harness size

[Noah T Crissman]

At my theatre we have a harness we use when climbing our house lighting booms. I've been here just over 6 years and inherited the harness with the theatre. I feel like the harness is too big for me and my master electrician. When I put it on and tighten it up all of the straps are significantly longer than I feel like they should be and have concerns about them getting in the way while I'm climbing. Most of the clasps(my apologies if this is the wrong term) are almost touching after putting it on and it still doesn't feel quite tight enough. I am a 6'0" 145lb guy and my master electrician is a little taller than but not much heavier. Could anybody give me some pointers on what size harness I need. I have looked through the past posts and wasn't able to come across anything that helped me. Thanks in advance!

 

[Van]

Noah, Find a local Industrial Safety supply place and get a new harness! They should be able to help fit you as well.
Then send the bill to the facility.

 

[What Rigger?]

Hey Noah!

Van makes an excellent point, but I would add that if you are an employee it is the responsibility of your employer to provide the correct work-at-height gear. This includes training on how to properly use it, fit it, inspect it, anchor it, etc...

In other words, 'just buy a harness' isn't quite an accurate reflection of what you're doing. How you access the box booms (stairway? A ladder that's installed as part of the structure of the theater? Free climbing?) may also play heavily into what you need, how you use it and what will be compliant.

The sizing of a harness can also vary between manufacturers, and even between style of harness.

Don't be discouraged by anyone saying "Sounds expensive", and don't let anyone pressure you into "It's fine, just get up there." Last I read, OSHA finds 80% of all falls in the workplace over 6 ft are fatal. No gig is worth a visit to the hospital or morgue.

Get after it, and keep us informed, please.

 

[techieman33]

I'll 3rd trying it on before buying. Reviews and sizing charts only go so far. Even if a particular harness should theoretically fit that doesn't mean it will fit well. I was looking at a harness online that looked like it was just what I needed. I went to a local store and tried it on and it felt awful on my frame. They ended up having a similar style from another company that felt 100x better for me.

Also if the theater is providing harnesses they should probably have multiple sizes available so that most people could be put in one if they needed to get to those positions for some reason.

 

[porkchop]

Look at the tags on the harness. They're required to be present and readable. If you inherited this harness from another employee 6 years ago it's probably getting close to it's 10 year service life. or what it's worth I've seen properly fitted harnesses with lots of excess strap hanging out and the clasps pretty close. If the hardness is still within your service life and you find that it is properly sized to you leaving lots of excess make friends with someone in wardrobe and have them throw some elastic around that strap so you can keep the excess contained. Don't have them sew it into the harness, think something like the loose loop on a watch band that the excess goes through.

 

[RonHebbard]

I'll 3rd trying it on before buying. Reviews and sizing charts only go so far. Even if a particular harness should theoretically fit that doesn't mean it will fit well. I was looking at a harness online that looked like it was just what I needed. I went to a local store and tried it on and it felt awful on my frame. They ended up having a similar style from another company that felt 100x better for me.

Also if the theater is providing harnesses they should probably have multiple sizes available so that most people could be put in one if they needed to get to those positions for some reason.

@Noah T Crissman @Van @What Rigger? @techieman33 @porkchop Give or take ten years ago I was involved with all aspects of the AV installation in an opera house being built here in Canada. Being an opera house, it had four balconies (And 14 booths but that's a different story) The face of every balcony contained quantities of engraved connector plates ranging in size from single gang to approximately 2' square. When you're positioning yourself dangling over the face of a balcony crimping and / or soldering connections on a myriad of various connector types, you want to be not only ABSOLUTELY SAFE & SECURE but COMFORTABLE as well. To that end my employer purchased what was termed a "SIT HARNESS" which adequately filled the bill. I'd be out of my element to speak much further on this subject.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.

 

[What Rigger?]

@Noah T Crissman @Van @What Rigger? @techieman33 @porkchop Give or take ten years ago I was involved with all aspects of the AV installation in an opera house being built here in Canada. Being an opera house, it had four balconies (And 14 booths but that's a different story) The face of every balcony contained quantities of engraved connector plates ranging in size from single gang to approximately 2' square. When you're positioning yourself dangling over the face of a balcony crimping and / or soldering connections on a myriad of various connector types, you want to be not only ABSOLUTELY SAFE & SECURE but COMFORTABLE as well. To that end my employer purchased what was termed a "SIT HARNESS" which adequately filled the bill. I'd be out of my element to speak much further on this subject.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.

Actually, @RonHebbard is dead on with this. Fall protection harnesses are frequently manufactured with AND without the option for positioning. I'm so used to my rope access harness (which is designed for positioning and long term suspended work, as well as fall arrest/prevention) that I forget that's not always how the whole world goes.

So, yes, something which will accept work positioners (again, with full training before use) will allow you to work hands free, and have more padding for the extended time you'll be up. What's called a "work seat" is also one of my favorite things, which is used in conjunction with a harness. Don't go for some janky wooden bo'sun's seat. Be happy like this guy.