Optimising protective equipment against falls from a height - biomechanical load limits of man (main study)

Status:

completed 03/1993

Aims:

Drop tests with rigid test bodies form the basis for the construction and dimensioning of protective equipment. The susceptibility of the human body to damage through the transmission of forces through the protective equipment is not taken into account. Goal: determining the biomechanical load limits of man when protective equipment comes into operation (safety scaffolds, safety nets and safety harnesses); establishing load take-up based on this: Evidence of the transferability of dummy tests.

Activities/Methods:

Arithmetical simulation of the fall and impact of the human body; tests with dummies and experimentees; derivation of load limit values; derivation of fall height limit values.

Results:

Body models comprising trunk and legs for arithmetical simulation (fall onto safety scaffolds and safety nets). Values derived from instances of body damage form the bases for the biomechanical load limits in which fractures occur with a 35 to 50 % frequency. A longitudinal force of 1. 000 dN resulted in ankle fractures (landing on feet). With falls onto safety scaffolds from a height above 1.5 metres and into safety nets from a height above 6 metres is a minimum 50 % probability of bone damage.

Publications:

Hospach, Grams, Kloß: Interdisziplinäre Forschungsansätze bei Schutzausrüstungen gegen Absturz. Die BG (1994) Nr. 9 (Teil 1) und (1994) Nr. 12 (Teil 2)

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