ZT Safety Systems produces the ZT Safety Harness the safest work at height fall safety harness If you fall from height while wearing a conventional safety harness, 100 per cent of the falling force will be directed to your groin area. But the ZT range of harnesses feature a revolutionary design which eliminates groin straps, distributing the force to the whole body, leaving you at far less risk of discomfort. ZT equals Zero Trauma. Sounds too good to be true? See the harnesses in action, and all the technical information you need at our website: www.ztsafetysystems.com

2. It is a structure made from webbing,
designed to hold the human body in the
event of a fall.
It is NOT designed to prevent injury from it’s use

3. Video of crash test dummy
wearing a conventional front
mounted safety harness taken
at Millbrook laboratories.

4. Points of impact and force distribution in a
conventional harness

5. A conventional front mounted safety
harness over a 4 metre drop
produces enough whiplash to break
the neck.
* D a t a f r o m M i l l b r o o k l a b o r a t o r i e s

6. A poorly fitted
conventional
harness
can cause
strangulation
in a fall.

7. Possible injuries sustained in the event
of a fall wearing a conventional harness
• Trauma to testicles, womb, anus
• Spinal trauma
• Groin tissue damage
• Tearing to femoral artery
• Damage to kidneys and internal organs
• Hip dislocation
• Breast tissue damage
• Whiplash
• Collar bone fractures

8. Suspension Trauma?
Everybody who is suspended in a safety harness runs
the risk of shock and unconsciousness due to blood
flow insufficiency.
Unconsciousness can become life threatening after only
a few minutes.
* M L i e b l i c h a n d W R e n s i n g ( 1 9 9 7 )

10. Some form of pump is required in order to move fluid against gravity, and it is no different in
the legs. The heart is an efficient organ, but with up to 20% of the blood volume being in the
legs at any one time, it would have to work extremely hard at all times to maintain adequate
venous return. Additional methods are required. These are provided by one-way valves in
the veins and by the contraction of the calf muscles, which squeeze blood upwards towards
the heart.
If someone stood still for a number of minutes, up to 20% of the blood volume would be in
the legs. This would place the body in to class 2 shock which could easily lead to loss of
consciousness.
He gives the analogy of the soldier fainting while on guard duty, described earlier in 1.2, and
his rapid return to consciousness as the blood flow to the brain is restored. Having made the
point that an unconscious person suspended in a harness would not automatically assume
a horizontal position, he continues: “There are a number of factors that make suspension
trauma in a climber/casualty different from that in our soldier.”
* D r R D a w e s ( 2 0 0 0 )

11. * D r R D a w e s ( 2 0 0 0 )
To further complicate matters, after 20 or 30 minutes of
the harness directly compressing tissue, the condition
known as 'crush injury' will result. This causes the release
of large proteins (myoglobin) from damaged tissues and
when the harness (or bodyweight) is removed can be very
damaging to the kidneys.

12. F a i l u r e o f t h e
m u s c l e p u m p
t h e l e g s
R e d u c t i o n o f
v e n o u s r e t u r n
D e c r e a s e i n
v o l u m e o f
c i r c u l a t o r y
b l o o d
F a l l i n c a r d i a c
o u t p u t
F a l l i n b l o o d
p r e s s u r e
A c u t e O x y g e n
d e f i c i e n c y
O r g a n d a m a g e
C i r c u l a t o r y
i n s u f f i c i e n c y
P a u l S e d d o n H S E 2 0 0 2

13. Deputies were summoned Monday night to a rural area after other
workers heard a hardhat fall and looked up to see Stanley dangling
from his safety harness. Authorities believe Stanley slipped and fell,
striking his head and being left unconscious.
Another worker lowered the victim to the base of the rig. Stanley had
died by the time emergency personnel arrived. Sgt John Pape says the
worker had a visible head injury.
No cause of death was released. Investigators didn't say how far
Stanley fell. Additional details weren't immediately released.
* N e w s R e p o r t F e b r u a r y 2 0 1 5
GOLIAD, Texas - An oil field worker in South
Texas has died after falling while near the
top of a 50-foot rig.
The Goliad County Sheriff's Office on
Wednesday identified the accident victim as
40-year-old Scotty O'Neal Stanley of
Livingston.

14. To date, there is no ideal safety harness, but it is likely
that — whatever the appearance of the safety harness —
a relatively long period of time spent suspended
motionless can lead to death.
It is recommended as a matter of urgency that when a
safety harness is purchased, it should be tested while
suspended so that one can find the model which best fits
the shape of the body. No safety harnesses should be
used that does not adjust to the body….
* B a r i o d a n d T h é r y ( 1 9 9 7 )

16. ZT SAFETY HARNESS
A Safety Harness should NOT be considered as a first line of fall
prevention for persons working at height.
The ZT Harness, as with any other type of safety harness, should only
be considered for the primary means of fall prevention while working at
height as a last resort or as an additional safety measure.
Working at height risks must be properly assessed by a competent
person and alternate means of fall prevention considered first, such as
safe working platforms, fixed guard rails/toe boards, Mobile elevated
working platforms (Cherry Pickers, Scissor lifts etc).

17. • Comfortable to wear
• Create a stylish safety harness which becomes the users uniform
• Eliminate or reduce injuries sustained in the event of a fall
• Remains comfortable and pain free when in suspension
The Concept

18. Timeline
ü 2008 The idea is conceived
ü 2009 Initial testing is carried out by the UK HSE laboratories
ü 2011 Testing carried out by Sussex University and Millbrook Crash
Test laboratories
ü 2011 SATRA grants CE EN361-2002
ü 2015 SAI Global grants AUS/NZ AS/NZS 1891.1:2007

19. 2011 Winners of IPAF & IAPA
‘Contribution to Safe Working
at Height’ award

20. During rigorous testing at
Millbrook laboratories on behalf
of Satra (European CE testing
body) a more accurate
anthropomorphic dummy was
used providing extensive sets of
data relating to the forces
applied to the human body.
These tests exceed requirements
for a conventional harness.

21. Video of crash test dummy
wearing a front mounted
ZT safety harness taken at
Millbrook laboratories.

22. 22 of the 26 acceleration /
moment / load values are
lower for the ZT suggesting
the ZT reduces the potential
risk for certain adverse effects
on the body during a fall.
S u s s e x U n i v e r s i t y 2 0 11

23. The Fall forces experienced are almost identical to
those that would be applied to the body when
jumping down from a wall.
How does the ZT Harness work in the event of a fall?

24. Point of impact and force distribution in a
ZT harness

25. The ZT harness distributes
forces away from the groin to a
more appropriate load bearing
structure of the lower limbs and
pelvis
C o n v e n t i o n a l Z T

26. Conventional
The ZT harness reduces
whiplash and fall forces
by up to 60%
ZT

27. When deployed, the
orange webbing A slides
through the black upper
structure B preventing
the chest strap C from
being pulled upwards
towards the neck
Strangulation
C

28. ZT Front attachment
suspension position
The user comes to rest in
a semi-seated position.

29. ZT Rear attachment
suspension position
The user comes to rest in
a kneeling position.

30. Component Strengths
O r a n g e w e b b i n g :
B l a c k w e b b i n g :
L e g G a i t e r :
L e g G a i t e r R o p e :
C h e s t b u c k l e :
3,000kg
3,000kg
1,000kg (each leg)
500kg x 6 loops = 6,000kg (each leg)
18kN (rear & work position harness only)

31. The ZT Harness is rated
for persons up to
150kg, 23st, 330lbs
S t a n d a r d c o n v e n t i o n a l h a r n e s s e s a r e o n l y r a t e d t o 1 0 0 k g

32. The ZT harness does not need to be
adjusted tightly, contrary to guidance
for a conventional harness.
It will automatically tighten and adjust
to the body in the event of a fall.

33. The ZT harness is inspected in the
same manner as a conventional
harness, daily before use and every
6 months*
An individual trained on inspecting a
conventional harness should not
require additional training to inspect
a ZT harness.
* T h i s w i l l v a r y o n l o c a l l e g i s l a t i o n

34. Fully machine washable.
The harness is washed 70 times at
60°C, prior to final strength / drop
testing to achieve CE approval.

35. Optional flame retardancy, tested and
approved when used in conjunction
with flame retardant coveralls

36. BS EN361:2002

38. The ZT Harness is manufactured in the UK
using the finest quality materials and components*
* G a r m e n t s v a r y u p o n c u s t o m e r r e q u i r e m e n t s

39. Manufactured utilizing the same technology
as used in the production of car air bags

40. ZT Harness Types
Standard Harness
Front Attachment
Dual Harness
Front & Rear
Universal Harness
Front, Rear & Wo rk
Positioning

41. Garment options
W o r k w e a r
H e a v y d u t y
H i g h
v i s i b i l i t y
H i g h
v i s i b i l i t y
F l a m e
R e t a r d a n t
A n t i - S t a t i c
E x t r e m e
w e a t h e r
U n d e r g a r m e n t
F i r e
S e r v i c e

42. Companies who have adopted the ZT Harness

43. What does ZT stand for?
Zero Trauma

44. www.ztsafety.com