Techniques are described for monitoring and controlling fall protection equipment. For example, the techniques of this disclosure may be used to monitor the connection status of fall protection equipment, e.g., whether or not the fall protection equipment is connected to a support structure. The techniques described in the disclosure may determine whether the fall protection equipment is connected to a support structure based on changes in a resonant frequency of an electronic circuit of an inductive sensor within the fall protection equipment. The inductive sensor may be formed from sets of one or more coils, where a first set of one or more coils and a second set of one or more coils are wound in opposite directions.

An energy dissipating link includes: an elongated base having opposite, first and second end portions; and a plurality of touch fasteners permanently coupled to the base, each of the plurality of touch fasteners releasably engageable with at least one other of the touch fasteners. The plurality of touch fasteners is arranged on the base to form first and second closures, each including engagements between respective fastening elements of two or more of the plurality of touch fasteners. The plurality of touch fasteners is configured such that: in response to a tensile load applied to the end portions of the base, the engaged touch fasteners of the first closure are loaded in shear along a shear plane; and in response to a tensile overload condition causing shear displacement of the touch fasteners of the first closure, the engaged touch fasteners of the second closure are subjected to a peel load.

A case or support cradle (10) for a fall arrest device has a shape or configuration enabling rolling of the case or cradle (10) along an arcuate path. The rollable case or cradle (10) allows the fall arrest device received therein to smoothly follow a user's movements around a work site, thereby protecting the device from damage due to dragging or scraping along a floor surface.

A smart fall arrest system (30) is provided and includes a fall arrest device (32) and an intelligent module (34) fixed to the fall arrest device (32). The intelligent module includes a range finder (42), a user alert device (44), a processor (46) and an accelerometer module (50). The processor (46) is configured to determine a vertical clearance distance underlying a worksite based on signals from the range finder (42) and the accelerometer module (50), the processor determines if the fall arrest device (32) is appropriate and if the anchor point selected for connecting the fall arrest device (32) is at an appropriate height.

A lanyard for attaching a user's harness to a moveable member of a challenge course. The lanyard may comprise an upper section, a lower section, and a midsection arranged therebetween. The upper section may comprise an upper outer loop and an upper inner loop arranged within the upper outer loop, which form an opening configured to attach to the moveable member, and one or more structural connections. The lower section may comprise a lower outer loop and a plurality of lower inner loops configured to receive a coupling device for the harness. The plurality of lower inner loops may be sequentially arranged within the lower outer loop and attached to the lower outer loop via double shear connections.

A trunk control system having a harness assembly and a flexion control assembly. The harness assembly has a backrest member and a harness secured to the backrest member. The backrest member is configured to be moveably coupled to a wheelchair. The backrest member is selectively moveable about and between a fully retracted position and a fully extended position. The harness cooperates with the backrest member to define a receiving space for receiving at least a portion of a torso of a wheelchair user. The flexion control assembly is coupled to the backrest member of the harness assembly. The flexion control assembly is configured to selectively permit or restrict movement of the backrest member about and between the fully retracted position and the fully extended position.

A self-retracting lanyard system includes a self-retracting lanyard having a main body and a retractable line, a harness connected to the retractable line and wearable by the user of the self-retracting lanyard, and an electronic device disposable on the harness. The electronic device includes an accelerometer, a processor or programmable circuit, and a non-transitory program storage medium on which are stored instructions executable by the processor or programmable circuit to perform operations including receiving a measurement from the accelerometer, comparing the measurement to a threshold, detecting that the user of the self-retracting lanyard has fallen based on a result of the comparing, and instructing a wireless transmitter to transmit a wireless signal in response to the detection that the user has fallen.

Protective equipment for protecting a person from an emergency situation is disclosed. The protective equipment has a securing device, which is portable by the person, having a securing system for protecting the person from an emergency situation. Furthermore, the protective equipment has a sensor device for detecting a dangerous situation prior to the emergency situation of the person, when the sensor device is coupled with the securing system in such a way that upon detection of the dangerous situation of the person, the sensor device automatically sets the securing system in a securing state for protecting the person.

A system and method for a locking mechanism that includes an ability to indicate that a fall event has occurred as well as indicate proper engagement via a signal cable coupled through a harness. The locking mechanism includes a mechanical indicator that is disposed within the locking mechanism (as opposed to far away from the locking mechanism at a remote cable attachment point) that can visually indicate that a fall event has occurred. Further, the locking mechanism includes electronic components including three magnetic actuators and corresponding electronic switches that signal change of state. Locking tabs and a leading edge of the insert respectively include the three magnetic actuators. The electronic switches, which may be magnetically activated reed switches, signal status change to an external controller and, optionally, an external computer.

Embodiments relate generally to systems and methods for quickly detecting a fall and alerting appropriate parties of the fall. A fall protection device may comprise a fall detection module operable to sense when a fall occurs and generate wireless beacon, where the beacon may be received (or picked up) by any number of wireless devices, including wireless gateways, monitoring stations, and mobile devices.