COMPLIANCE INSPECTIONS

Harness and Lanyard Inspection, Testing and Tagging.

We inspect harnesses, lanyards, inertia reels and connectors on your site, anywhere in Auckland, to AS/NZS 1891.4. Every item is tagged with its re-inspect date, added to your Scannable asset register, and certified. Inspections are led by a holder of NZQA Unit Standard 19359.

We cover:

  • Full body harnesses

  • Lanyards and shock absorbers

  • Inertia reels

  • Connectors and karabiners

  • Temporary anchor point inspection and certification

We also inspect other height safety PPE:

  • Safety helmets

  • Ropes, rope grabs and descenders

  • Slings and shackles

  • Chain blocks and lever hoists

Checked against AS/NZS 1891.1 and AS/NZS 1891.4

What we check

  • Webbing and stitching — examined along the full length, including underneath buckles and retaining loops, for cuts, fraying, UV degradation or chemical damage that isn't visible from the surface.
  • Metal hardware — D-rings, buckles, adjusters, karabiners and snap hooks checked for corrosion, cracking, deformation and correct locking function.
  • Labels and tags — confirmed legible, including the date of manufacture, so we can verify the item is still within its manufacturer's service life.
  • Shock and energy absorbers — checked to confirm they haven't been triggered in a fall.
  • SRLs, rope grabs and descenders — cable or rope drawn out and inspected along its full length; retraction, locking and braking function tested.
  • Temporary anchor points — fixings, corrosion and structural condition checked where they form part of the system.
Wire rope slings with thimble eyes and an inspection tag, hanging from a lifting hook in a workshop.

How we do it

Every item is physically handled and tested against a documented checklist for that equipment type. Each result is recorded as pass, fail or removed from service, with photos of any defect. Anything that fails is tagged, taken out of service immediately and logged in your asset register, so it can't be reused by accident before it is fixed or replaced.

Full body harness $28 + GST. Lanyards from $22. SRL or inertia reel $30. Inspected every 6 months.

Site visit $150 + GST, including travel, full compliance reporting and physical inspection tags. Your first site visit is free.

See the full price list →

Fall arrest gear, intervals and common questions

Fall arrest gear and inertia reels

A harness on its own is half a system. We inspect and tag the whole fall arrest set-up in the same visit: lanyards and shock absorbers, self-retracting lifelines and inertia reels, rope grabs and descenders, karabiners, snap hooks and other connectors, and temporary anchor points where they form part of the system.

Every cable or rope is drawn out and inspected along its full length, and retraction, locking and braking are tested, not just looked at.

Harnesses, lanyards, inertia reels and connectors — every 6 months.

Permanent anchor systems — every 12 months. We do not inspect these.

Temporary anchor points — every 6 months. See temporary anchor point inspection.

Common questions

How often does a harness need to be inspected in New Zealand?

Every six months by a competent person, and by the wearer before every use. That six-month interval applies to harnesses, lanyards, inertia reels and connectors. Permanent anchor systems are a twelve-month job, and we do not inspect those.

What does the inspection tag mean?

Every item that passes gets a physical tag showing the date it was inspected and the date it is next due. A site supervisor can read it at a glance. The same dates go into your online asset register, which sends a reminder before they expire.

What are the harness inspection requirements in New Zealand?

Harnesses and fall arrest equipment are inspected against AS/NZS 1891.4, together with the manufacturer's instructions. The inspection has to be done by a competent person and it has to be documented. We record every result as pass, fail or removed from service, with photos of any defect.

Do you inspect lanyards and inertia reels as well?

Yes. Lanyards, shock absorbers, self-retracting lifelines, inertia reels, rope grabs, descenders, karabiners and other connectors are all inspected and tagged on the same visit, at the prices on our price list.

What happens if an item fails its inspection →
How often should harnesses be inspected in NZ →

Qualified Fern Group employee doing a height safety inspection.

Book a free site visit.


Your first 10 PPE inspections are free. So is your first site visit, and setting up your inventory. Worth $1,000.