Arresting new harness

ZT a new harness manufacturing company headed up by Gordon Leicester, managing director of UK rental company Facelift and his partner Steve Morris, took advantage of the UK Vertikal Days exhibition to give the first demonstration of the company's innovative harness.

The harness consists of two shoulder straps built into workmen's trousers through an alternate thick/thin webbing system. In the event of a catapulting incident, the thin, movable webbing that is fitted within the thick webbing pulls tight. The load-bearing pressure is directed around the calf muscles and the force is spread through the strong trouser material.

The ZT harness is designed gives the fall victim a degree of deceleration in arresting the fall, which prevents some of the injuries generally associated with fall arrest.

The harness was tested by the HSE (Health and Safety Executive) nine months ago and ZT is confident that this type of harness reduces loading on the body by 40%. Mr Leicester said that Sussex University is currently carrying out tests on the harness using live people, which is "quite exceptional."

Mr Morris said that they had given lots of demonstrations of the equipment at the show, had pre-orders for 40 harnesses and 10 companies which were seriously interested.

The harnesses will go into full production in the nest few weeks look out for more information in the July/August issue of Access International.