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Document ID (ISN)102312
CIS number 03-1391
ISSN - Serial title 0120-5684 - Protección y seguridad
Year 2003
Convention or series no.
Title Basic principles - Risks of falls
Original title Fundamentos teóricos - Riesgo de caída [in Spanish]
Bibliographic information Mar.-Apr. 2003, Vol.49, No.288, p.34-41. Illus.
Abstract This article recalls the laws of physics that apply to falls from heights, as well as the forces to which the human body are subjected during the acceleration, deceleration and static suspension phases of the fall. These principles are then applied to the understanding of the forces and effects on the human body when the fall is interrupted by a fall arresting device. During falls, fall arresters have to operate within the limits of certain physical parameters in order to avoid body injuries. In particular, the deceleration phase has to begin before the fall distance reaches 1.8m and the stop must not take place in less than 0.3s so as to ensure that the breaking forces remain tolerable to the body.
Descriptors (primary) falls of persons; fall arresters; falls from heights
Descriptors (secondary) acceleration; free fall; force; deceleration
Document type D - Periodical articles
Country / State or ProvinceColombia
Subject(s) Personal protection
Broad subject area(s) Mechanical hazards, transport
Browse category(ies) Falls from heights
Belts, harnesses and lifelines