The Basic Principal Behind Safety Harnesses
October 3, 2017A safety harness is a type of protective equipment which is designed to ensure protection to an individual engaged in some risky task from any sort of injury or damage. Usually fabricated from rope or locking hardware, there are a few safety harnesses that are used in combination with a shock absorber. Some of the commonly used safety harnesses that are easy to use, comfortable and offer confidence to its wearer are multi-purpose harnesses, work positioning harnesses, ladder climbing harnesses, descent control harnesses and several others.
Parts of Safety Harness
A harness is not just a single device that can perform the desired function of protecting an individual working at height. Rather, it has a number buckles and straps that are used to ensure maximum safety of an individual. It is important for an individual uses these harnesses to make sure that it doesn’t make them feel suffocated and they have enough space for movement.
Strategically placed in different body areas to support the wearer’s weight, the safety harnesses is to be worn in key areas of the body, like shoulders and chest to ensure maximum safety to the wearer. In fact, doing so also allows the harness to meet OSHA standard which specifies that the arresting force of a fall arrest system for an individual should not exceed 1,800 pounds.
Removing Safety Harness
Similar to the ways in which safety harnesses are important to offer protection to an individual working at height, it is also important to understand that once the job is done, these should be removed at the soonest possible from an individual’s body parts. This is owing to the suspension trauma during which a person working at height is left dangling from above. Although, it is a protector, this might end up creating troubles for the person by cutting off the circulation.
Safety harnesses for full body protection of the workers are designed in a way that keeps the worker’s spine in a vertical position. However, this might end up in creating another trouble for the person by pooling his/her legs with blood. Once brought down, there can be a number of circulatory issues and other health concerns emerging. In such a situation, he/she should be rushed for seeking medical assistance. It is also important to remember that placing the concerned person on a stretcher is important to avoid exaggerating the condition.
Use Gender-Specific Safety Harnesses
It is important to remember that the majority of safety harnesses are not designed with females in mind. Even though a number of these offer required protection to females as well, one must try and use women’s harnesses available in the market. But before choosing them, judge them on grounds like whether they are able to keep shoulder straps to the side of the chest, support the hip and pelvic area are different, and if they reduce stress on the lower back.
Safety harnesses should be used in such a way that offers maximum security to the individuals. Even if you don’t feel their need, make their use to stay safe and secure.