Suspension trauma

[Tom Dunlap]

An arbo friend of mine who also does tower work sent me this link:

http://www.mikeholt.com/mojonewsarchive/Safety-HTML/HTML/Will-Your-Safety-Harness-Kill-You~20040119.htm

This article has some good prevention and preperation tips included. Probably the best ST article that I've ever read.

If someone was looking for "theater points" during the AR at the TCC, this would be a good item. Instead of the drama attached to calling 911,find out from on-lookers [judges] how long the patient had been hanging.

From all that I've read about AR, this seems to be the most important factor to be aware of because it will become an issue within about five minutes of injury. Also, the subject isn't talked about by AR instructors.

Tom

 

[hillbilly]

Very good reading Tom!
There is more to rescuing the life of someone than
what is shown at the TCC rodeos. In my humble opinion.

Here are two links with older material that I posted some
weeks ago in "Awakenings":
Harness Hang Pathology
Harness Hang Syndrome: Fact and Fiction

And here is a link to an extensive article made for the
HSE in 2002:
Harness suspension: review and evaluation of existing information

 

[MinnButchV]

Whoa. I have never heard of such a thing. Has this ever happened to anyone here? Hope not. Any way, good info to know. I am going to pass it along.

 

[Gerald_Beranek]

Thanks for the link, Tom. It was very good reading.

As aborists we seldom come to get in that situation. Our belts and harnesses don't quite suspend us that way.

Though on the other hand, as arborists, and the belts and harnesses we use, we tend to get inverted, through mishap and accident. I recall a friend who cut the tip off a fir limb, quite a large one. When the weight of the tip left,,, the limb raised and threw him to the low side. Hanging upside down and tangle in his safety and climbline he was unable to remedy the situation. By the time we got up to him he was nearly unconscious.

Very similiar to the story in the link you provided, yet a secnario the arborist is more likey to encounter.

Keep'em comming, Jerry B

 

[Tom Dunlap]

Something that was covered in the article was how to render care after a person was suspended for a length of time. It the patient is moved and the pooled blood from the legs moves back into circulation too quickly they can die. Since the pooled blood is full of impurities the gush of blood would overload the rest of their system which can kill. Be aware of this phenomenon if you ever have to do an AR. While the rescuer is going to the patient the person on the 911 call can ask the dispatcher/EMS what to do for ST.

I was told that the tingling sensation we get from having our legs crossed for too long or sleeping on your arm and it "goes to sleep" is a mild dose of ST. Ever notice feeling icky after having a leg go to sleep and stand up? Amplify that and I think that is what ST could be like. Yuch!