DJ bradderz Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 Hi all I was just looking on ebay, and came across this fall arrest and work pos. harness, for £79. ClickSeems a bit cheap when proper Petzl ones cost about £200, so wondered what everyones view on this is. Would you trust your safety in a cheap harness like this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brainwave-generator Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 Ultimately if it meets the standards that PPE is required to meet, then there is nothing wrong with using it as such. It's not to say there's 'no risk' but it is to say that you should be OK to use it. One thing worth bearing in mind is that eBay does not really mentor what it sells so it is possible that kit could be labelled EN-standard compliant when it itsn't. Much of the cost with the £200+ Petzl equipment is for comfort and additional functionality. For instance the Petzl has a well-padded waistbelt, shoulder straps and leg loops, several gear loops, and a very good post-sales customer suport policy. The harness in question seems to have less in the way of padding, gear loops, and their customer support policy is not clear. Ultimately in order to safely work at height using PPE, you should be sufficiently trained; and whoever trains you should include 'selection of PPE' as one of the training elements, unless they have selected all the kit for you - and in that case choosing a harness would not be an issue. In any case, I'd stay away from searching for harnesses on eBay. Buy it from a credible supplier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordontech Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 My harness was £80 but I baught it from a company I know and trust. You can buy cheaper and they still do the same job. Petzl have two problems, 1) they are still plaigued from this batch of thar navahoo harnesses that are not safe, 2) the designer price tag. Even though there's probably hundreds of fantastically good harnesses online, would you trust it? If your dangling off a tower/ MEWP would you prefer to of seen the shop and chatted to someone and seen their standards...or got free postage? (by the way, I wouldnt... just incase you didnt get that :) ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Jay Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 I would always pay the £200 knowing its is a trusted and tested brand. Yes some people may say Petzl is a "designer brand" but, I wouldn't want to put a price of safety and if it costs £200 then ill pay it knowing Im in safe hands...so to speak. Plus, I find the Navaho Bod to be extremly comfortable compared to many others I've tried Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomG Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 I would always pay the £200 knowing its is a trusted and tested brand. Yes some people may say Petzl is a "designer brand" but, I wouldn't want to put a price of safety and if it costs £200 then ill pay it knowing Im in safe hands...so to speak. Plus, I find the Navaho Bod to be extremly comfortable compared to many others I've tried The Bod"fast" is also one of the quickest and easiest as well as comfiest harness I've worn and I've tried a fair few in the last few years on various courses or from hire companies. These include the extremely cheap Fall Arrest only ones that you see a lot of builders with, all the way up to Bod Equivalents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossmck Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 In theory if it meets the same specification as the Petzl then yes, but at the end of the day £70 vs £200 when my life is what it's protecting isn't that big a deal (you can't put a price on safety) - I'd pay the extra £130 knowing I can trust the brand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modge Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 http://www.liftsafesolutions.co.uk/id86.html£30 (nearly £50 with Vat and deliver) will buy you one of these CE marked harnesses. They're not terribly special, but if what you want is work restraint in pickers and the like they do. Not as fast to put on as a bod fast, nor as padded and the colour scheme is open to mockery, but they are a quarter of the price and they do serve there purpose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Lewis Posted May 23, 2012 Share Posted May 23, 2012 If cheapness whilst conforming to EN361 is the goal, then Screwfix have a clearance sale and offer this for just £14.99. Including VAT.However, despite what they might say about "comfort" and "adjustable pads" I would not want to wear one all day... The Petzl is far easier to put on and far more comfortable to wear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth A Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 I always say - how much do you value your life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerry davies Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 Just to throw a Spaniard in the works, Gareth, I value my life sufficiently to make the necessity for a fall arrest harness the last possible option.Maybe students need fall arrest harnesses these days but I was also unaware that they were now the correct PPE for towers or MEWPs, as Gordon writes. This retirement thing means it is hard to keep up with all this innovation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth A Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 Indeed. But I don't think you would ever catch me on a flown truss using a £14.99 screwfix special! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobbsy Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 Surely it must come down to whether all that extra money improves the safety or if you're just buying frills and a designer name? Yeah, if I was doing a lot of rigging day in, day out, the comfort, tool loops and other ergonomics are important--but they're less important if you do a couple of trips a year up in a cherry picker. Indeed, I can see at least one argument where a cheap (but BN qualified) harness might be safer: you'd be far more likely to replace it at the first sign of a slight cut or solvent spill on the webbing than you might be if your harness costs 2 days work. No, never skimp on safefy--but, at the same time, don't assume that extra money you spend necessarily buys a safer harness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordontech Posted May 24, 2012 Share Posted May 24, 2012 I always say - how much do you value your life! Not sure about this one... I think you're being pretty pessimistic valuing your life at £200. I think your simply being frugle spending less! Yes the petzl navahoo is very comfortable and you could live with it on etc etc etc. My rules at work are that I can't be up a MEWP more then 2 hours and for quite a few of them the internal battery doesnt last that long. an extra £120 is some good poker money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trussmonkey Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 for me its Petzl all the way... for a number of reasons comfortproduct reliabilityeasy of useproduct tracking. every single petzl item has a unique serial numberquality control I couldnt careless about the price (if your freelance its all claimable and if you work for someone then they should be providing it for you). I want to feel safe as well as actually being safe. if some product that costs £14 looks ropey to me I wont use it - even if it perfectly suitable. its as much about your trust in the kit as the kits suitability for the job in hand. if I have to pay extra for years of RnD to make the product what it is today then small price to pay. I currently use the Peztl Bod Fast. its super comfy and really quick and easy to use. TM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth A Posted May 25, 2012 Share Posted May 25, 2012 Ok. I think truss monkey has just explained what I wanted to say - just a lot better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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