Last data update: May 13, 2024. (Total: 46773 publications since 2009)
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Query Trace: Hsiao HW[original query] |
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Preface to the special section on occupational fall prevention and protection
Hsiao HW , Armstrong TJ . Hum Factors 2012 54 (3) 301-302 University of MichiganFalls represent a serious hazard to workers in many industries. Workers who perform tasks at elevation—such as structural metalworking, roof assembly and repair, tree trimming, and green energy construction—are at risk of falls from heights, with frequently serious or even fatal consequences. Many more workers, in nearly every industry, are subject to falls to floors, walkways, or ground surfaces; these falls, characterized as “fall on the same level” by U.S. statistical reporting agencies, are responsible for well over 15% of nonfatal injuries that result in days away from work (U.S. Department of Labor, 2011). | The most recent report on injuries, illnesses and fatalities by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that there were about 293,990 slip-and-fall-related nonfatal occupational injuries involving days away from work in 2010, which accounted for about a quarter of all occupational injuries in the year (U.S. Department of Labor, 2011). BLS also reported 645 fall-related fatalities for calendar year 2009, which accounted for 14.2% of overall occupational fatality cases. The health services and wholesale and retail industries experienced the highest frequency of nonfatal fall injuries, and the construction industry continued to suffer the highest rate of fall-related fatalities. Health care support, building cleaning and maintenance, transportation and material moving, and construction and extraction occupations were particularly at risk of falls to floors or ground surfaces. Workers’ compensation and medical costs associated with occupational fall incidents have been estimated at approximately $70 billion annually in the United Sates (National Safety Council, 2002). Many countries are facing the same challenges as the United States in preventing slip-and-fall injury problems in the workplace. |
Impact of harness fit on suspension tolerance
Hsiao HW , Turner N , Whisler R , Zwiener J . Hum Factors 2012 54 (3) 346-357 OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the effect of body size and shape and harness fit on suspension tolerance time. BACKGROUND: Fall victims may develop suspension trauma, a potentially fatal reduction of return blood flow from legs to the heart and brain, after a successfully arrested fall if they are not rescued quickly or the harness does not fit them well. METHOD: For this study, 20 men and 17 women with construction experience were suspended from the dorsal D-ring of a full-body fall-arrest harness. Their suspension tolerance time, physical characteristics, and harness fit levels were assessed. RESULTS: Body characteristics (i.e., weight, stature, upper- and lower-torso depths) were associated with decreased suspension tolerance time (r = -.36 similar to -.45, p <= .03). In addition, harness fit affected suspension tolerance time; workers with a torso angle of suspension greater than 35 degrees, a thigh strap angle greater than 50 degrees, or a poorly fitting harness size had shorter suspension tolerance time (mean differences = 14, 11, and 9.8 min, respectively, p <= .05). CONCLUSION: Body size and harness fit were predictors of suspension tolerance time. Selecting well-fit harnesses and establishing a 9-min rescue plan are suggested to ensure that no more than 5% of workers would experience suspension trauma. APPLICATIONS: The study provides a basis for harness designers, standards writers, and manufacturers to improve harness configurations and testing requirements for better worker protection against suspension trauma. |
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