Effects of full body harness design on fall arrest performance

A full body harness is a basic component of personal fall arrest equipment. It is made from webbing connected by seams and metal fittings to firmly hold and support the user’s body. The paper proposes a new method for full body harness testing using a Hybrid III anthropomorphic dummy; also the design of the experimental stand and software used are described. The method analyses the behaviour of a dummy during a fall arrest under well-defined conditions. The critical mechanical factors measured during the study presented were: the head acceleration, forces acting on the spine, the position of the dummy, the impacts of harness elements to the head, etc. The tests identified some potentially dangerous phenomena associated with falls from a height. The harness testing method developed turned out to be a valuable tool that should be applied in conjunction with existing strength testing methods.

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Analysis of hazards associated with injuries to the employee’s head during fall arrest

Occupational Safety – Science and Practice ◽

10.5604/01.3001.0010.8531 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 557 (2) ◽

pp. 20-23

Author(s):

Krzysztof Baszczyński

Keyword(s):

Work Environment ◽

Power Engineering ◽

Basic Method ◽

Protective Equipment ◽

Individual Protection ◽

Swing Movement ◽

Fall Arrest ◽

The Impact ◽

Full Body

A fall from a height is one of the most serious hazards faced by employees in the work environment. It is present mostly at workstations in such industries as construction, power engineering, mining, storage, etc. Using individual protective equipment against falls from a height is a basic method of protecting workers under such conditions. The choice of this method carries specific risks associated with the functioning of equipment during fall arrest. Hitting elements of the workstation during fall arrest associated with pendulum movement is a very serious threat. This paper presents conditions which trigger pendulum movement during fall arrest and the positions which a human equipped with a full body harness can assume then. Potential effects of the impact of the head against an obstacle during pendulum movement are discussed on the basis of the results of research with an anthropomorphic dummy. The article discusses methods of preventing swing movement and ways of mitigating the effects of collisions with obstacles within the workstation. It also presents the basic requirements for protective helmets intended for use with individual protection equipment against falls from a height.

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