A system comprising: a fall protection harness ; a computer processor coupled to the fall protection harness ; an optical transmitter coupled to the fall protection harness and the computer processor ; and an optical receiver coupled to the fall protection harness and the computer processor ; wherein the optical transmitter and the optical receiver are optically coupled; wherein the fall protection harness comprises a strap, the strap is folded over on itself and attached via threading into a folded over area, the folded over area comprises a first surface area of the strap folded over on and in contact with a second surface area of the strap, and the optical transmitter is coupled to the first surface area and the optical receiver is coupled to the second surface area; wherein upon damage to the fall protection harness , the threading breaks and the first surface area separates from the second surface area, thereby breaking the optical coupling between the optical transmitter and the optical receiver , the computer processor configured to sense the break in the optical coupling between the optical transmitter and the optical receiver , and the computer processor configured to generate a signal indicating the damage; and wherein the break in the optical coupling between the optical transmitter and the optical receiver comprises one or more of physical damage to the optical transmitter or optical receiver , a misalignment of an optical beam between the optical transmitter and the optical receiver , or an increased or decreased distance between the optical transmitter and optical receiver . a fall protection harness ; a computer processor coupled to the fall protection harness ; an optical transmitter coupled to the fall protection harness and the computer processor ; and an optical receiver coupled to the fall protection harness and the computer processor ; wherein the optical transmitter and the optical receiver are optically coupled; wherein the fall protection harness comprises a strap, the strap is folded over on itself and attached via threading into a folded over area, the folded over area comprises a first surface area of the strap folded over on and in contact with a second surface area of the strap, and the optical transmitter is coupled to the first surface area and the optical receiver is coupled to the second surface area; wherein upon damage to the fall protection harness , the threading breaks and the first surface area separates from the second surface area, thereby breaking the optical coupling between the optical transmitter and the optical receiver , the computer processor configured to sense the break in the optical coupling between the optical transmitter and the optical receiver , and the computer processor configured to generate a signal indicating the damage; and wherein the break in the optical coupling between the optical transmitter and the optical receiver comprises one or more of physical damage to the optical transmitter or optical receiver , a misalignment of an optical beam between the optical transmitter and the optical receiver , or an increased or decreased distance between the optical transmitter and optical receiver . <EOS>