Source
NOIRS 2008-Abstracts of the National Occupational Injury Research Symposium, October 21-23, 2008, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Morgantown, WV: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 2008 Oct; :B1.4
Abstract
Introduction: Updated fall-arrest-harness designs are needed to accommodate diverse populations in the current workforce, and the successful design of efficient harnesses relies on quantitative data of human body shape variation. This study determined (1) body shape factors that associated with harness-fit problems, (2) the most favorable number of harness sizes, and (3) the adjustable range for each harness component for harness design. Methods: An Elliptic Fourier Analysis (EFA) procedure with 123 coefficients was developed to quantify torso-shape effect on harness fit, using 3-dimensional torso scan data of 108 women and 108 men. Results: The EFA coefficients were then applied to 600 representative body scans from a national database of 2,382 participants to establish an improved sizing system. Conclusions: The study identified that increased inclination of torso suspension angle (hence fit failure) was associated with a reduction in torso length and a more developed chest; harnesses for women can be designed with a more upward back D-ring than that of the current unisex design to mitigate this problem. Study outcomes also suggested a system of 3 sizes for women and 3 sizes for men, of which the adjustment ranges of the torso straps were approximately within 17 cm and the thigh and hip straps within 23 cm. This research could help reduce the risk of worker injury that results from poor fit, improper size selection, or the failure to don the harness properly.