Taking the trauma out of rescue
November 10th 2008 The HSE recently issued new guidance – First aid management for harness suspension when working at height - following a review of published medical literature on the effects of harness suspension. This guidance includes some key new recommendations that everyone who is responsible for, or actually carries out work at height, should be aware of.
It has long been the view that a person must be rescued quickly following a fall from height in order to prevent suspension trauma. Once rescued, the casualty must then be recovered to the sitting position in order to overcome the possibility of toxic blood which has pooled in their legs during the suspension, flooding back into their vital organs. This could potentially lead to toxic shock and even death.
Following a review of evidence however, the HSE now suggests that recovery in a sitting or semi-recumbent position might actually be dangerous as it could prolong the return of blood to the brain. As a result, it is now recommended that the casualty must be laid down and standard first aid guidance for the post recovery of a semi conscious or unconscious person should then be followed by a competent first aider.
Whenever work at height is carried out, the HSE advises that employers need to consider rescue procedures and draw up a rescue policy for any work at height where a fall arrest system is being used. Rescue should be covered in the risk assessment and planned before any work at height is carried out. Should a rescue situation occur the emergency services must not be solely relied upon. The aim must be to rescue the casualty as quickly as possible, before the emergency services arrive. If this is not possible then an assessment should be carried out as to whether a harness is the correct system of work.
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