Working alone and working at heights for me began years ago as an instrument technician in a large steel mill in western Pennsylvania. We always tried to work in pairs but there were occasions when I had to work alone or apart from my buddy. Working alone at heights in the basket of a lift or tied off on a rooftop is typical for many. On the best day, my comfort was in thinking that I would have my buddy and/or plant protection to respond to a radio call for help.
Let’s begin by defining suspension trauma. “Suspension trauma (also known as “harness‐induced pathology” or “orthostatic shock while suspended”) is the development of presyncopal symptoms and loss of consciousness if the human body is held motionless in a vertical position for a period of time.”1