Safety Harness Issues
Safety harnesses are worn by workers who are at risk for falling or are required to be suspended in the air to perform a specific task. While body harnesses are meant to keep workers safe, instances occur where harnesses pose a dangerous threat.
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Function
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Body harnesses are not intended for hoisting materials. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration says that harnesses are to solely be used as a personal fall-arrest safeguard or a positioning device.
Body Belts
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According to OSHA, as of January 1998, body harnesses shall not contain body belts, which strap across the worker's torso. Body belts have the potential to cause internal damage to workers when stopping a fall. Injuries such as ruptured muscles or organs are devastating to employees, so be sure the body harness does not contain body belts.
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Suspension Trauma
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After a fall arrest, harnesses pose a risk of suspension trauma. Suspension trauma is the sustaining of immobility as a result of the worker's being caught in one position, which causes a loss of blood and oxygen flow to the main parts in the body. OSHA says that prolonged suspension can lead to death, so it is crucial that workers who experience a fall arrest are retrieved from the harness.
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