08/24/09
The United States Department of Labor, Occupational Health and Safety Administration has issued a safety bulletin on the hazards of Suspension Trauma and Orthostatic Intolerance, and provides an in-depth look at the hazards associated with safety harnesses, should you be suspended in one, and recommendations for those types of situations. Furthermore, it provides employees and employers with important information about the hazards of orthostatic intolerance and suspension trauma when using fall arrest systems.
This bulletin: describes the signs and symptoms of orthostatic intolerance; discusses how orthostatic intolerance can occur while workers are suspended following a fall; and outlines recommendations for preventing orthostatic intolerance, as well as recommendations for worker training and rescue.
Click here to view the full bulletin.