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Toolbox Talks

After the fall arrest: hanging in a harness is not the end

After the fall arrest: hanging in a harness is not the end

First aid and emergency 5 min 29 CFR 1926.502 · 29 CFR 1926.50

Roofing, Ironwork, Carpentry

Why it matters

A harness that catches you saves your life, but hanging in it is dangerous too. The straps squeeze your legs and blood pools there, and a worker can pass out in minutes. Every job that uses fall arrest needs a plan to get someone down fast.

The talk

A roofer slips off the edge and his lanyard catches him. Everyone cheers because the gear worked. Then the crew looks at each other. He is hanging 15 feet down the wall, and the ladder doesn't reach. The lift is at another job. Somebody calls 911, and the fire truck is 20 minutes out. After ten minutes he says his legs feel numb and he's dizzy. That's the danger after the catch. Your legs can't pump blood back up while you hang still, so it pools in them. Your brain gets less, and you can pass out. Some workers have died after hanging too long.

OSHA's fall protection rule says the employer has to provide for prompt rescue after a fall, or make sure workers can rescue themselves. That means the rescue is planned before anyone ties off. It is not figured out while someone hangs. OSHA also requires a plan for prompt medical care for serious injuries before the job starts. The rule doesn't set a time, but OSHA's own bulletin on suspension trauma warns that hanging still can become serious in a short time. Our harness and anchor talk covers the gear. This one covers what happens after it works.

Here is the plan. Before anyone ties off, know how you would get a fallen worker down. That might be a lift, a ladder that reaches, a rescue kit, or a self-rescue device, and somebody on site has to know how to use it. If you're the one hanging, stay calm. Use the relief straps if your harness has them, and stand in the loops. If there's no strap, push your feet against the wall or anything solid, and keep moving your legs. If you're on the ground, call 911, start the rescue plan, and talk to the worker so you know he's still awake. Once he's down, treat him as injured even if he feels fine, and tell the medics how long he was hanging.

Key points

  1. Hanging still in a harness can make you pass out in minutes.
  2. The employer must plan for prompt rescue or self-rescue.
  3. Plan the rescue before anyone ties off.
  4. Medical care must be arranged before the job starts.
  5. Use relief straps or push against something to move your legs.
  6. Talk to the fallen worker to check he's awake.
  7. Tell the medics how long he hung.

Do this

  • Know the rescue method before you tie off.
  • Keep the lift, ladder, or rescue kit close by.
  • Use relief straps and keep your legs moving if you're hanging.
  • Call 911 and start the rescue plan right away.
  • Treat a rescued worker as injured.

Do not do this

  • Do not count on the fire department as the only plan.
  • Do not leave a worker hanging while you figure it out.
  • Do not hang still with your legs limp.
  • Do not let a rescued worker go back to work right away.
  • Do not tie off where nobody can reach you.

Talk about it

  1. If someone fell on this job right now, how would we get them down?
  2. Do our harnesses have relief straps, and does everyone know how to use them?

This is a short crew briefing. It does not replace a competent person, training, or the law.

Training aid only. This talk is not legal advice. It does not replace your company's safety program, a competent person, the equipment maker's instructions, or the OSHA standard itself.

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