Crash (accident)

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DIN 4844-2 W015
Warning of the risk of falling
Lead fall while climbing

A fall is an accident that, in contrast to falling / stumbling and sliding / slipping, is caused by falling from an elevated position.

Occur

For example, fall accidents occur

If you crash yourself intentionally with suicidal intent , it is not an accident in the strict sense.

consequences

Even a fall from a small height, e.g. B. from a ladder, can lead to the most serious injuries, as it is usually not possible to catch the limbs.

The consequences depend on a large number of factors, for example

  • the height of the fall
  • body parts striking it
  • the impact area (striking stones will result in more serious injuries than falling into powder snow)
  • Obstacles in the course of the flight path; falling on a protruding object, such as B. a rebar can be fatal even on the ground
  • the behavior of the person falling; the severity of the injury is often lower in the case of unconsciousness or "accepting the inevitable" because of the low muscle tone
  • the body stature (small children often survive falls from great heights, cats are able to turn in the air and catch them with their limbs)
  • Age (especially the bone structure that becomes more brittle with age)
  • The rescue options (consequential damage is to be feared when mountain climbing, e.g. from the cold or hanging on the rope)

Injuries

The injuries can affect almost all organs depending on the height of the fall. Since you instinctively try to get your feet up first, fractures of the ankle , knees , legs, spine and pelvis usually occur . About 75 percent of the victims die in the first few seconds after impact. The following are particularly critical:

In addition, there are usually other injuries, such as

An analysis of 100 cases of suicide on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco (drop height about 75 meters, impact velocity about 120 km / h) revealed numerous cause of death: lung contusions , collapsed lungs , exploded hearts and a pierced of ribs aorta or vena cava .

Protection against falls

Danger of falling

The best protection against falling is not to go to high areas from which one could fall. If this is not possible, the edge is protected with a suitable railing. If you inevitably have to move in areas at risk of falling, climbing or safety harnesses are usually used in conjunction with dynamic ropes and, if necessary, energy absorbers.

If a fall into a rope is to be expected, rapid recovery must also be possible, since prolonged hanging in the rope can lead to a circulatory breakdown and possibly death.

Rescue harnesses are used when people can no longer save themselves on their own (e.g. working in containers).

The consequences of falling from low heights for particularly critical body parts can at least be reduced by using protectors (spine, knees and elbows) and helmets.

Personal protective equipment against falls

There are two types of protective equipment to choose from:

  • the restraint system, consisting of a belt , lanyard and anchor point and
  • the fall arrest system, consisting of a full body harness, lanyard, energy absorber and anchor point.

If other technical measures against falling are not possible, safety harnesses must be used. These include:

  • Safety harnesses (consisting of several straps from the thigh to the shoulder with an attachment point on the back or on the front)
  • Tether straps
  • Fire brigade seat belts
  • Lanyards (safety ropes, suspension lines, retaining straps)
  • Other devices such as B. Fall arrestors , fall arresters or descenders

Curiosities

  • Vesna Vulović holds the record for the highest surviving fall height . She survived a fall from an alleged 10,160 meters on January 26, 1972.
  • American Darren Taylor, known as Professor Splash, set several world records by jumping from a great height into a paddling pool with little water. His current record is a jump height of 36 feet and 8.94 inches (about 11.2 meters) into a pool with only 12 inches (= 1 foot = 30.48 cm) deep water.
  • Experienced British skydiver Michael Holmes survived a jump from 3,600 meters after his parachute failed to open. His helmet camera recorded the accident.
  • In December 2019, the 5-year-old boy in Traisen , Lower Austria, fell from a window 8 m high onto a damp meadow. After the fall, he had hardly any pain and no major injuries. He was allowed to leave the hospital after 6 days. Serious injuries can occur if you fall from a height of 0.5 m or less. Falls from children from a height of 1.5 m are considered falls from a great height. The fact that a fall from a height of 8 m can be survived almost unscathed is a "rare exception."

Norms

Employer's liability insurance association regulations in Germany include:

  • Accident prevention regulation “General Regulations” BGV A 1 (previous VBG 1) Section 33, Paragraph 3
  • Accident prevention regulation "Construction work" BGV C 22 (previous VBG 37) § 12 para. 3
  • Rules for the use of personal protective equipment against falling BGR 198 (previous ZH 1/709)
  • Rules for the use of personal protective equipment for holding and rescuing BGR 199 (previous ZH 1/710)

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Zeit Wissen, October / November 2008, p. 87
  2. ↑ 'Professor Splash' dives record 11m into paddling pool. In: The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group Limited, July 2, 2012, accessed October 20, 2013 .
  3. ↑ 'Skydiver survives free fall from a height of 3600 meters'. In: Spiegel Online. February 13, 2007, accessed July 12, 2018 .
  4. ↑ Boy is allowed to go home after a fall from a window orf.at, December 14, 2019, accessed December 14, 2019.