The type of Suspension trauma referred to in this article is where a person has fallen while working at height and is suspended in a safety harness. This can ultimately lead to the person losing consciousness and if not rescued quickly, death is certain.

When a person has fallen the body is held in the upright position. Gravity pulls the blood into the legs where it stays, depriving the brain of oxygen which leads to suspension trauma. We are able to stand and walk about daily as the muscles in our legs help push the blood up to the heart. If your legs remain still for long periods of time the much needed oxygen rich blood is not pumped up to your heart, the person faints, falls to the ground which enables the blood to flow easily to the heart since the person is now in the horizontal position. However when a person is suspended in a harness he remains in the vertical position, which is why it is vital he / she is rescued immediately.
If your legs are motionless, then you can go into shock from anywhere between three to twenty minutes. After this you faint and if you do not lie down immediately your brain dies a few minutes later. Once you faint and if you are upright, you lose control of your airway and you can choke on your tongue and suffocate within seconds. Time is a luxury the suspended person does not have!
It is therefore absolutely essential that persons working in a fall risk position, are properly trained on the use of the safety harness and related fall prevention and fall protection systems. The fall protection plan must be drawn up by a competent person who will include the rescue procedures to be implemented in the event of a fall. A good plan and task specific risk assessments will allow you to foresee possible problems and afford you the opportunity not only to prevent a fall but effectively rescue a person who has fallen and ultimately save lives.