As a safety advisor I get asked regularly about fall protection products. What type of harness is necessary? What products are necessary for a particular application? What does OSHA say about a particular fall protection situation? One aspect of fall protection that I am not asked about regularly is rescue, particularly, the hazards of suspension on a worker while waiting for rescue.
When a fall protection device, often a self-retracting lifeline, works during a fall the worker is left in suspension. This is definitely not a bad thing, but remaining in suspension for an extended period of time can be very hard on the body. Suspension trauma, also known as orthostatic intolerance or orthostatic shock can occur when the pressure from the harness is so great on the legs that blood pools in the veins of the legs. Eventually, the suspended worker will pass out and serious injury or even death could occur.
Fall protection manufacturers have come up with a solution for this shock and it’s in the form of a trauma strap or trauma step. A trauma strap is a set of two straps that attach to each side of any harness. In an emergency, the worker can unzip each strap and create a “platform” that the worker can stand on to relieve pressure.
The trauma strap is an inexpensive solution to a dangerous side-effect of fall protection rescue situations. Consult with Conney Safety Support for more information.
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