Sizing and Fit of Fall-Protection Harnesses

Details

• Personal Author:
  Bradtmiller B ; Hsiao H ; Whitestone J
• Description:
  Full-body fall-protection harnesses have been a critical work-practice control technology for reducing the number of fall-related injuries and fatalities among construction workers; yet, very little is known about the fit of these harnesses to the population that wears them. This study evaluated the fit and sizing efficacy of a harness system. Seventy-two male and 26 female construction workers participated in the study. Their body size-and-shape information was measured while they were suspended (with a harness) and standing (with and without a harness), using a 3-D full-body laser scanner and traditional anthropometric calipers. Fisher's discriminant analysis results did not point to the need for a change in the current sizing selection scheme by body height and weight for end users. However, an integrated redesign of harness components is needed because 40% of subjects did not pass fit-performance criteria in either the standing or suspended condition. A multivariate accommodation analysis has identified 15 representative body models for the 'standard-size' harness design. These models can serve as a useful population to test harness design until a larger survey of the nation's construction workers can be done. Finally, further developments in 3-D shape quantification methods are recommended to improve the harness design process; the point-to-point anthropometric information currently used seems to be insufficient for harness design. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Construction Industry Ergonomics Occupational Health Personal Protective Equipment Safety
• Keywords:
  3-D Scans Anthropometry Antibacterial-agents Author Keywords: Full-body Harness Construction Construction-equipment Construction-industry Construction-workers Control-equipment Control-technology Harnesses Injury-prevention Lasers Personal-protective-equipment Scanning-techniques Size

  More +
• ISSN:
  0014-0139
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Ohio ; OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 5 ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DSR - Division of Safety Research
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  46
• Issue:
  12
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20023753
• Citation:
  Ergonomics 2003 Oct; 46(12):1233-1258
• Contact Point Address:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Division of Safety Research, Protective Technology Branch, 1095 Willowdale Road, Morgantown, WV 26505
• Email:
  hhsiao@cdc.gov
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2004
• NORA Priority Area:
  Disease and Injury: Traumatic Injuries ; Research Tools and Approaches: Exposure Assessment Methods
• Performing Organization:
  West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  19940701
• Source Full Name:
  Ergonomics
• End Date:
  20050630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:dc9afdc7ab6b349ae596cc2d243899b887e876a3857b74a11f35f09ce10fce1ad082ca9343a38c7604d4a27b2dea6c598f60b0f78f019cb4d8553c3bfbd55301
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/195954/cdc_195954_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 729.50 KB ]