You guys need to see this from the CDC. Gives a new perspective on harnesses.
http://www.cdc.gov/elcosh/docs/d0500/d000568/d000568.html

VERY Interesting George!

Thank You,
Bill

Thanks for the article, George. That is horrific.

Another example where the legs can kill: http://www.mypharmacy.co.uk/health_...sis/deep-vein-thrombosis-information.htm

George
I read the article and was struck by a statement I read. Officials have known about this for awhile. Then why do we have the harness rule and not have right along with the rule the dangers it can present. I am for safety, but not so a manufacturer can benfit, so the worker can benefit. This is alarming to me and I for one would like to see this article repeated in some of the national magizines for the 'mass' to read and comment.
Thanks for the info

Pierre

A friend of mine sent me the article just by chance. As one who has been required to wear it, and forced others to wear it, I was kinda shocked, and yes, would like to have known about this much earlier. Perhaps we need to rethink some of our methods?????

Thinkgood, when I went to the Pentagon in '01, I broke my leg, and the doctors missed it. Walked on a broken leg for 3 weeks, guess what I developed???

DVT is a terrible thing. If you've had a leg injury and the swelling starts, get yo ragged self to a doctor and force him to do something about it. I am presently sitting at my computer with my 'special' socks on and still have one clot in my leg that will affect me for the rest of my life.

Glad you guys found that useful.

As some may know I've become a Grandfather lately and may be out of touch with the latest Baby Care info. We have a seat that a toddler can sit in and bounce while playing with various toys within reach.

My daughter said she heard that a baby shouldn't be left in this seat for too long but didn't know why. With this information I just read I'm thinking now that it might be because his feet can't reach the floor. Why have we never heard of this before?

Bill

George,
Thanks for that thread mate,
I've heard of this happening over here within the Construction Industry.
Could you please enlighten me as to the "Fall Harness" term, maybe we have a different term for it over here?.
But to be suspended with your feet touching thin air, seems a sad way to die.
We still use pole belts and ladders here or pole belts and the IEWP.
The only reason we still use pole belts here is because of regular(3 monthly) testing of them.

George:

Sorry to hear about your leg troubles.

I just re-read the article, and I'm still amazed that this is not something that is more well-known.

Based on that article, (barring other factors), a worker who is strapped to a tower is safer than one who is suspended a foot off of the ground!

Trumpy,
Sorry to hear about your fire. Hope it all works out OK.

This is the harness type in question:
http://www.labsafety.com/store/product_group.asp?dept_id=37401&parent_id=634

George,
Thanks for the link, bud!.
I can really see how a harness like that could cause circulation problems after prolonged use.
It's not suprising really, considering that the straps that pass around the thighs, would be like a tourniquet when the bodies wieght is on the harness.
There must be a better way to effect fall safety than this.

Yes, thanks for posting this info. I referred to this when a 3rd grader asked what happens to the body to make it faint, as a girl in glee club had fainted onstage earlier in the day. The kids also wear a similar harness at our local YMCA to do their rock climbing stuff so it also became more interesting to them.

I was thinking that there must be an effort somewhere to design a safer mechanism to prevent falls without endangering blood flow, don't you think?

Bren,
Thanks for your input, mate.
If there was going to be a new design for this sort of harness, I'd like to see one where the body's wieght was more evenly distributed over the whole device.
Picture this:
A full body suit that has even attachments all over the suit itself, sort of like a wet-suit, but of breathable materials, and with an inner layer of very strong but light-wieght materials that could hold multiple anchors, the more anchors you have, the smaller they would have to be.
Just a thought!.

Mike — Were you thinking of something like
the S200 series at www.ekmansafety.com/prod03A.html (scroll down)

[Looks like they might be OK except for hot weather periods.]

Bump

The full body harnesses used in rock climbing may also cause that problem.

However, the normal, or sit harnesses used by climbers that already have developed hips will not cause fainting or death nearly as easily. When coupled with a chest harness, they can be very comfortable, but will not be up to safety codes for workers.

ctardi,
Thanks for your comments mate.
My Faults truck has two ladders on a Gantry system that I keep outside each night.
I have managed to slip off the ladder early in the morning due to ice on the rungs, while wearing a pole belt.
Now so far, I have been able to get back onto the ladder rungs.
Now,
Any pole belt that could concievably restrict the blood flow to the lower legs (bearing in mind that there is a major artery running down both of your legs) should be banned.
Because even if you are rescued in time, you run the risk of poisoning from acids accumulated from the lack of blood flow, culminating in Toxic Shock syndrome when the person is released from the said harness.
I like the one that mainly just sits around my backside, without other support.
I'm still wearing it to this day, it hasn't done me any harm.
Your thoughts guys?.

It is extremly hard to design a harness for both fall arrest, and work placement. Doing some work for a Rock Climbing gym, (not electrical), I spend a LOT of time in a harness. I use a climbing harness, as it is ok with WCB for what i'm doing.

A challange for the people here would be to come up with a harness that does not restrict blood flow.

Now, for the ladder, one thing you could do is use a lanyard that is no longer than your arms, so that you can reach to pull yourself back up, but that restricts your working space.

For work positioning, while still using a WCB (OSHA for you guys?) harness, perhaps a bausins (spelling?) seat would work. Basically just a simple seat, kinda like a swing, that has a rope clamp on it, can go on your main line. I spent about $150 US on a harness that is padded and comfortable enough that I can hang in for an hour or more at a time, but it won't work with WCB for an exectrician.

Now, I don't know what design of harness you are using, perhaps you could post a link or photo of it? But, if you are stuck hanging in it, stay calm, and stay moving. You can also take some pressure of your legs occasionally by moving around, almost going into an upside down position so that your sholder straps are taking alot of the force.

If you are low enough and have a safe landing, it is even an option to cut your lifeline if nothing else will work for you. (You look better if you don't tell anyone what you had to do. ).

Just some thoughts...