Minimising the risk of suspension trauma

Much has been written about the risks of suspension trauma recently, some of it quite alarmist while some of it is more measured. While the research still continues, it is an accepted fact that complications to the blood circulatory system created by harness suspension are real, and can lead to a potential life-threatening situation.

Consider this scenario: company X has done its risk assessment and ascertained that there is a risk of workers falling from height. It diligently issues the appropriate safety harnesses, lanyards and necessary anchorage devices to make up a fall arrest system. The trained workers then go about their tasks, secure in the knowledge that they are protected from falling by the system they considered to be appropriate for the situation.

Then a worker makes a mistake and falls, hitting his head during the fall before his lanyard takes up and the energy absorber deploys and extends in length. The harness and lanyard have done the job they were designed to do and arrested the fall.

Now there is a worker who is suspended approximately three metres from his anchorage point due to the original length and extension of the lanyard. The worker is concussed from the head strike during the fall and likely to be progressing into the early stages of shock. He needs to be recovered to safety as fast as possible for medical treatment, and to prevent the onset of suspension trauma.

A crucial component of the fall arrest system has been left out of the initial risk assessment - the provision for rescue.

Without consideration this sounds the easiest, yet this is one of the highest risk options. A fellow worker must climb the portable ladder, drag the injured worker onto the rungs, cut him from his lanyard then somehow manage the injured worker down the ladder without dropping him. This is obviously a high risk option and needs to be discouraged at all cost.

This is a relatively effective method provided a] there is one available b] access is unhindered and c] it is rated for two persons. Consideration should also be given to the suitability of managing an unconscious worker within the confines of a rescue bucket.

It is certainly an effective rescue technique and one most commonly used by the mining industry which has designated rescue teams on site due to the remoteness of its locations.

This method requires a high level of skill and also puts a second person at risk during the rescue operation. The availability of a dedicated rescue team is an unreasonable expectation at the majority of workplaces.

From the first phone call to the time it takes to respond, locate the worker, make an assessment, assemble the relevant gear and perform the rescue, valuable time can be lost. This can be further exaggerated the more remote the site.

Using a purpose-built rapid response kit specifically for post fall rescue situations, such as the 'Gotcha' system, enables a rescuer to access the casualty, connect them to a rescue pulley system, release their lanyard and raise or lower them to safety.

All of this can be performed without leaving the structure to which the casualty was attached. The only requirement is that the rescuer needs to be able to access the original anchor point.