A safety harness comprises a strap portion for extending over a portion a the person's body to retain the person within the safety harness. The strap portion is fabricated from a flexible material having an elastic extension in the range of approximately 3 to approximately 15% under a tensile load of approximately 10 pounds. The material of the strap portion also preferably has ultimate tensile load of at least approximately 5,000 lbs. A safety harness to be worn by a person to protect the person at a height, at least a section of a shoulder strap of the safety harness comprises a single strap having elastic extension to enable free movement of a person in the safety harness, the elastic extension of the strap being limited to prevent separation of a person from the safety harness.