Suspension Trauma Relief Strap Assembly for Full Body Harness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Workers using full body harnesses for fall protection are at risk of orthostatic intolerance and potential fatal outcomes due to venous pooling when suspended in a vertical position, leading to reduced blood flow and oxygen delivery to vital organs.
Innovation Solution
A suspension trauma relief strap assembly with straps that form a sling, allowing workers to stand and alleviate pressure, comprising connectors, hooks, and closed loop arrangements to distribute the load away from the body, reducing venous pooling and its associated risks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a worker is suspended in a full body harness after a fall, then the worker is protected from further injury, but venous pooling occurs in the legs leading to orthostatic intolerance and potential death
Solution Approach 1:
The strap assembly divides the suspension load into multiple segments by providing separate footrest straps for each foot, allowing independent positioning and weight distribution. This segmentation enables the worker to maintain proper leg positioning to prevent venous pooling while remaining suspended
Solution Approach 2:
The footrest straps act as an intermediary element between the worker's feet and the full body harness, providing a mechanical interface that enables the worker to elevate their feet and activate muscle pumping without requiring rescue or changing position
2Reliability
If the worker remains suspended in a vertical position, then fall protection is maintained, but blood flow to the brain is reduced causing orthostatic intolerance
Solution Approach 1:
The strap assembly enables dynamic adjustment of leg and foot positioning while suspended, allowing the worker to actively pump muscles and promote blood flow back to the heart and brain, rather than remaining completely static in a vertical position
3Object-affected harmful factors
If footholds are added to the full body harness, then muscle pumping is activated to reduce venous pooling, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The footrest strap assembly serves multiple functions: it provides footrests for muscle pumping, acts as additional anchoring points for the suspension system, and can be configured in different arrangements (single sling or separate straps). This multi-functionality adds trauma prevention capability without requiring completely separate foothold devices
Solution Approach 2:
The footrest straps are integrated with the full body harness system by connecting to existing D-rings and webbing, merging the trauma prevention function with the existing fall protection structure rather than adding completely separate components
Data Source
AI summary
A preferred embodiment suspension trauma relief strap assembly for use with a full body harness includes a pair of straps connectable in two configurations. The first configuration is formed by engaging a hook of one strap with one of a plurality of closed loop arrangements of the other strap to form a sling upon which a person donning the full body harness may stand. The second configuration is formed by engaging the hook of the one strap with one of the plurality of closed loop arrangements of the one strap and engaging the hook of the other strap with one of the plurality of closed loop arrangements of the other strap to form two slings upon which a person donning the full body harness may stand.