A fall protection device (11, 220) that is a snap hook or a carabiner for fall protection equipment, the fall protection device comprising: a body that at least partially defines an area of attachment for attaching the fall protection device to a metal support structure; a moveable gate connected to the body and configured to move between an open position and a closed position, wherein the open position provides access to the area of attachment of the fall protection device, the body including a bowl configured and arranged to receive the support structure within the area of attachment, and the closed position restricts access to the area of attachment; an inductive sensor (230, 182) within the body for sensing whether the support structure is within the area of attachment, wherein inductive sensor comprises an electrical circuit arranged within the body so that a resonant frequency of the electrical circuit of the inductive sensor changes when the support structure is within the area of attachment relative to when the support structure is not within the area of attachment; characterized by one or more processors (100,101, 234) coupled to the inductive sensor and configured to determine a resonant frequency change in the electronic circuit of the inductive sensor responsive to the support structure being within the area of attachment, and determine whether the support structure is within the area of attachment based on the determined resonant frequency change; wherein the inductive sensor is formed on a flexible printed circuit board that is flexed around the bowl of the body, and wherein the electrical circuit of the inductive sensor includes one or more capacitors (C1, C2) connected in parallel with an inductor to form a LC resonant circuit, the LC resonant circuit being configured to exhibit a resonant frequency of at least 1 MHz when there is no metal in proximity to the circuit. a body that at least partially defines an area of attachment for attaching the fall protection device to a metal support structure; a moveable gate connected to the body and configured to move between an open position and a closed position, wherein the open position provides access to the area of attachment of the fall protection device, the body including a bowl configured and arranged to receive the support structure within the area of attachment, and the closed position restricts access to the area of attachment; an inductive sensor (230, 182) within the body for sensing whether the support structure is within the area of attachment, wherein inductive sensor comprises an electrical circuit arranged within the body so that a resonant frequency of the electrical circuit of the inductive sensor changes when the support structure is within the area of attachment relative to when the support structure is not within the area of attachment; characterized by one or more processors (100,101, 234) coupled to the inductive sensor and configured to determine a resonant frequency change in the electronic circuit of the inductive sensor responsive to the support structure being within the area of attachment, and determine whether the support structure is within the area of attachment based on the determined resonant frequency change; wherein the inductive sensor is formed on a flexible printed circuit board that is flexed around the bowl of the body, and wherein the electrical circuit of the inductive sensor includes one or more capacitors (C1, C2) connected in parallel with an inductor to form a LC resonant circuit, the LC resonant circuit being configured to exhibit a resonant frequency of at least 1 MHz when there is no metal in proximity to the circuit.