How to Wear a Full Body Harness

Co-authored by Ky Furneaux

Last Updated: June 5, 2025 References

• Inspecting the Harness
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• Putting on the Harness
|
• Adjusting the Harness
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• Expert Q&A

|Show more |Show less

Full-body harnesses are the last line of defense in the event that you fall from a height, so it needs to be fitted properly. Inspect the harness thoroughly before you put it on to make sure it’s in good working condition. Don the harness, connect the fasteners and buckles, and make sure they’re secure. Then, adjust and tighten the straps so the entire harness fits your body snugly.

Steps

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Inspecting the Harness

1. 
   1
   Hold the harness by the D-ring on the back. Locate the D-ring on the backside of the harness. It looks like a solid metal ring in the shape of the letter “D.” Hold the harness up by the ring so you can orient yourself.

   • The D-ring is where your harness will be connected to a safety line.
2. 
   2
   Shake the harness to let out the straps. Give the harness a good shake to let the straps fall into place and to untangle the jumble of straps and buckles. Use your hands to separate tangles so all of the straps hang straight.

   • If the straps are severely tangled, lay the harness down flat and separate them by hand.
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3. 
   3
   Undo all of the buckles and release the straps. Unclip any buckles that are fastened and let the straps hang loose from the harness. If the straps are tightened and connected to buckles or fasteners, pull the strap beneath the buckle to loosen them first.

   • Even if you’ve worn the harness before and the straps are adjusted to you, undo all of the buckles and loosen the straps so you can refit the harness securely.
4. 
   4
   Check the impact indicators to see if they’re exposed. Look for a tag on each of the shoulder straps on the back of the harness that says “impact indicator.” If the tag has been torn off or it’s been exposed and you can read text that says “Stop” or “Remove,” then it means that the harness has been damaged and should not be worn.

   • The impact indicator is designed to tell you if the harness has either been damaged or has taken heavy impact and needs to be inspected by a professional before it’s used.
   • Never wear a harness with an exposed or missing impact indicator.
5. 
   5
   Look for damage on the straps, fasteners, and buckles. Check for wear, fraying, and cracks on the straps. Look at the metal fasteners that secure the buckles to the straps as well as the D-ring on the back to make sure they aren’t bent, cracked, or damaged. Check all of the buckles to make sure they’re straight and don’t have any cracks in them.

   • It’s important that your full body harness be in good working condition to make sure you’re safe wearing it.

   Safety Tip: If your harness has grommets, which are the metal rings in the straps used to hold the tongue buckle, check them to make sure they aren’t cracked, bent, or missing.

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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Putting on the Harness

1. 
   1
   Hold the harness by the D-ring to orient it upright. Take hold of the D-ring at the top of the harness so the leg straps hang at the bottom. Locate the arm and chest straps near the top of the harness and make sure they aren’t tangled.

   • The D-ring is positioned on the backside of the harness, so you can use it to figure out which way is the front.
2. 
   2
   Slip your arms through the straps like you’re putting on a shirt. Slip 1 arm through 1 side of the back straps, then slide the other arm through the other strap. The D-ring will be resting at the center of your back, between your shoulder blades. The chest straps will be hanging open in front of you.

   • The leg straps will be hanging loosely at your sides.
3. 
   3
   Fasten or buckle the leg straps so they fit snugly. For a tongue buckle, pass the strap through the buckle and insert the tongue through a grommet. To fasten a parachute buckle, slide the strap under the buckle, run it over the roller, then fit it between the roller and the frame of the buckle. Pull the end of the strap to tighten it. For pass style or quick connect buckles, insert the tab into the buckle until it clicks, then pull the strap to tighten it.

   • A tongue buckle is the classic buckle with a small rod that’s inserted into the notch or grommet on a strap.
   • Parachute buckles clip together and have rollers that hold the strap, allowing you to tighten it so it stays secure.
   • Quick connect buckles are like the buckles on a seatbelt. There’s a tab that is inserted into the buckle and held secure.
   • The buckles or fasteners used vary depending on the brand, but all of them are strong and safe and will securely fasten the harness to you.
   • If the straps are too loose, you could injure yourself in the event of a fall.

   Rule of Thumb: You should be able to fit 2-3 fingers between the strap and your leg if it’s fitted correctly.
4. 
   4
   Connect the waist strap if your harness has one. Pass the strap through the buckle and insert the tongue through a grommet if the waist strap is a tongue buckle. If there are parachute buckles, slide the strap under the buckle, slip it over the roller, then run it between the roller and the frame of the buckle to secure it. If there’s a buckle with a tab, like a pass style or quick connect, push the tab into the buckle until it clicks.

   • A quick connect buckle will have a green sticker on the tab that you can see in the buckle when it’s fastened securely.
   • Give the buckle a good tug to make sure it’s connected. There shouldn’t be any loose or moving parts.
5. 
   5
   Fit the chest strap tab into the buckle and pull it to secure it. Take the tab end of the chest strap and slide it through the center of the buckle on the opposite side of the harness. Pull the strap so the tab fits into the buckle and is held securely. Pull on the strap again to tighten the chest strap.

   • If the strap is too tight to fit the tab into the buckle, loosen it first.
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Adjusting the Harness

1. 
   1
   Slide the chest strap across the middle of your chest and tighten it. Move the chest strap so that it straight across the center of your chest. Once it’s in position, pull the strap on the buckle to tighten it so it fits snugly and won’t slide up or down.

   • Make sure the chest strap isn’t so tight that you can’t breathe or move your arms.

   Warning: If the chest strap sits too low below your chest, you could fall out of the harness if you tumble forward. If it’s too high, it could slide beneath your neck if you fall and seriously injure you.
2. 
   2
   Pull loose straps to tighten them so the harness fits snugly. Move around and feel for any loose sections on the harness, such as around the shoulders, legs, and waist. If you feel any loose areas, pull the straps on the fasteners or buckles near the area to tighten the harness. Make sure the harness fits snugly and evenly over every section of your body.

   • If you can’t reach a strap or buckle once you’re wearing the harness, ask someone to help you tighten them.
3. 
   3
   Insert any loose hanging straps into loop keepers. Loop keepers are small strips of fabric attached to the straps near the buckles that hold excess or loose strap so you don’t have any hanging when you’re wearing the harness. Open up the loop keepers by pulling them apart. Slide the excess or loose strap inside of them, then close the loop keepers to secure the loose strap.

   • Some harnesses may have slots connected to the buckles that you can use to slide excess strap into to hold it in place.
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Expert Q&A

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• Question

  When should a full-body harness be used?

  

  Ky Furneaux
  Survival and Outdoors Expert

  Ky Furneaux is a survival expert, outdoor guide, and professional stuntwoman based in Australia. She’s been featured in over 100 films and TV productions, and has hosted, produced, and participated in some of the most extreme TV survival shows including MTV’s Made and Discovery’s Naked and Afraid. She has authored 5 survival books, including "The Superwoman’s Survival Guide" and "Survive: The All-In-One Guide to Staying Alive in Extreme Conditions", with the goal of sharing her knowledge of survival techniques with others. As an accomplished stuntwoman, she won a Taurus Award in 2012 for Best Female Stunt Performer and has doubled stars like Jennifer Garner, Anne Hathaway, Jaime Alexander, and Sharon Stone.

  

  Ky Furneaux

  Survival and Outdoors Expert

  Expert Answer

  A full-body harness is essential and very useful for children. Because children's hips aren’t fully developed, they can slip out of a standard harness if they fall upside down. These harnesses are also used in situations where upside-down suspension could be an issue, though they’re less common in rock climbing. You’ll often see full-body harnesses in activities where people spend long periods suspended and need extra comfort and security. They’re also crucial in stunt work, where performers may need to be suspended or held in specific positions.

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