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01/02/05 Doctor Prescribes New Safety Harnesses

Just what the doctor ordered! Dr Jon Leigh examines one of the new Checkmate harnesses.

Certex UK Ltd – the nation’s largest independent supplier of lifting gear and services – has launched a new range of personal protective equipment developed with the help of a leading osteopath and naturopathic physician.

Dr Jon Leigh, who has over 30 years’ experience of treating patients with industrial injuries, was brought in by manufacturers Checkmate UK Ltd to advise on the design of their new safety harnesses and lanyards.

The resulting products – known as the ‘Professional’ range and described by Dr Leigh as “a quantum leap forward in the provision of comfortable safety wear” – are now available through Certex’s distribution centres.

According to Dr Leigh, many safety harnesses are not used – even though they are designed to save lives – simply because they are too difficult to put on or are uncomfortable and restricting in use.

Checkmate has made the harness (models PBH 10 and PBH 11) easier to put on by integrating additional material into the design so that it is more like an ordinary jacket. This also prevents the harness from being worn incorrectly, for instance back to front or even inside out.

“If a safety harness is to be comfortable, it must fit well and not apply pressure to the wearer when worn in its passive role,” said Dr Leigh. “To this end, Checkmate has added an extra strap that acts as a seat, thus relieving pressure on the leg loops. Allied to this is the wide, supportive back strap, which gives both protection to the lumbar and lower thoracic spine and psychological reassurance to the user.”

Anterior chest and abdominal straps have also been incorporated into the design, which not only prevent the vertical restraining straps from separating but, in the event of a fall, stops the torso from pitching forward out of the harness.

According to Dr Leigh, the unique strapping system will also prevent the type of injuries that can be caused inadvertently by fall restraint devices, when the body experiences a sudden descent followed by an abrupt arrest. Such injuries include joint and soft tissue damage, shock and post-traumatic haemorrhage.

Also unique, is the way in which the harness’s lower straps pass around the ischial tuberosites (sitting bones) as opposed to the top of the thighs. This, reports Dr Leigh, greatly reduces the possibility of internal organ and soft tissue damage.

The harnesses come with a new shock-absorbing PAL lanyard designed to reduce whiplash type injuries by slowing down the rate at which the body falls. This differs from traditional lanyards by paying out more progressively over a greater distance.

In a written assessment, Dr Leigh concludes: “I have found that the key issues likely to cause death or injury of the worker in the event of a fall from height have been well researched, resulting in an excellent product.”

Charles Gillespie, Certex UK Director, comments: “With falls from height now accounting for a quarter of all work fatalities, quality personal protective equipment is an absolute essential. Certex prides itself on supplying only the best goods on the market and it is gratifying to know that Checkmate puts such effort into making its products as safe as possible.”