IPAF Harness Training Courses 08 October 2025

08 October 2025

– Course Summary: IPAF Harness Training Courses

– About the Course

High Access Awareness (HA), Harness Use (HU), and Harness Inspection (HI)

– Aims

• To equip delegates with the essential knowledge and practical skills for safe working at height.
• To promote the correct use, fitting, and inspection of safety harnesses and lanyards.
• To help employers meet legal obligations under Work at Height, PPE, and health and safety regulations.

– Objectives

By the end of these courses, delegates will be able to:

• Understand the risks associated with working at height and how to mitigate them.
• Select and correctly fit a full-body harness and lanyard.
• Identify different types of fall protection equipment and their appropriate use.
• Carry out thorough inspections of harnesses and lanyards in line with manufacturer and HSE guidelines.
• Recognise when harness equipment should be removed from service or replaced.

– Course Content Overview

IPAF HA (High Access Awareness)

• Introduction to working at height principles.
• Overview of fall protection requirements.
• Risk assessment and planning for safe access/li>
• Introduction to harness systems.
• Emergency procedures and rescue planning.
• IPAF HU (Harness Use) Practical session only.
• Correct fitting, adjustment, and use of harnesses.
• Anchor points and lanyard connections in different MEWP types.
• Pre-use checks and safety considerations during operation.
• IPAF HI (Harness Inspection).
• Legal and regulatory framework for PPE inspection (PUWER, LOLER).
• Detailed inspection procedures for harnesses and lanyards.
• Common signs of wear, damage, and expiry.
• Inspection frequency and documentation requirements.
• Recording and reporting faults and defects.
• Storage and maintenance best practices.

– Who Should Attend?

• MEWP operators (HA & HU only)
• Site supervisors and safety managers
• Engineers or personnel responsible for equipment inspection
• Anyone working at height using fall protection systems

– Course duration:

HA & HU half-day on-site training

HA HU HI 1 day on-site training (NB: HI cannot be completed without successful completion of HA & HU)

– Certification

Successful candidates will receive an IPAF Harness certificate of training, valid for 5 years, and recorded on the IPAF digital PAL Card (EPAL) system where applicable.