A protective garment having an interior surface and an exterior surface, and a front for covering a front of the body and a back for covering a back of the body, the protective garment comprising two arm sections, a neck section, a torso section, and a support harness conduit, the support harness conduit forming a sleeve in the garment for the passage of a safety rope from the safety harness worn by the wearer to the exterior of the garment, the support harness conduit comprising: a flexible transition duct and a flexible rope cover having a cone shape, the flexible transition duct and the flexible rope cover forming the sleeve vertically centered on the back of the garment in the torso section, the transition duct having a torso end and a rope cover end, the flexible rope cover having a proximate end attached to the transition duct rope cover end, and a distal end; the torso end of the transition duct providing an opening in the torso section between the arm sections and below the neck section, with the rope cover end of the transition duct providing an opening in the transition duct for the proximate end of the rope cover; the distal closure end of the rope cover having a closure device to close the conduit and reduce the interchange of fluids or particulates between the interior and the exterior of the garment; characterized in that the torso end of the transition duct is attached to both arm sections and the torso section, the torso end having a width wider than the back of the garment, extending across the back of the garment from one arm section to the other; and the rope cover end of the transition duct has a width that is at least 30 percent the width of the back of the garment, wherein the width of the back of the garment is the linear horizontal distance from edge to edge of the flat garment at chest level when the garment is laid flat on a table. a flexible transition duct and a flexible rope cover having a cone shape, the flexible transition duct and the flexible rope cover forming the sleeve vertically centered on the back of the garment in the torso section, the transition duct having a torso end and a rope cover end, the flexible rope cover having a proximate end attached to the transition duct rope cover end, and a distal end; the torso end of the transition duct providing an opening in the torso section between the arm sections and below the neck section, with the rope cover end of the transition duct providing an opening in the transition duct for the proximate end of the rope cover; the distal closure end of the rope cover having a closure device to close the conduit and reduce the interchange of fluids or particulates between the interior and the exterior of the garment; characterized in that the torso end of the transition duct is attached to both arm sections and the torso section, the torso end having a width wider than the back of the garment, extending across the back of the garment from one arm section to the other; and the rope cover end of the transition duct has a width that is at least 30 percent the width of the back of the garment, wherein the width of the back of the garment is the linear horizontal distance from edge to edge of the flat garment at chest level when the garment is laid flat on a table.