A preferred embodiment suspension trauma relief strap assembly for use with a full body harness includes a pair of straps connectable in two configurations. The first configuration is formed by engaging a hook of one strap with one of a plurality of closed loop arrangements of the other strap to form a sling upon which a person donning the full body harness may stand. The second configuration is formed by engaging the hook of the one strap with one of the plurality of closed loop arrangements of the one strap and engaging the hook of the other strap with one of the plurality of closed loop arrangements of the other strap to form two slings upon which a person donning the full body harness may stand.

Various embodiments are directed to relief apparatuses and methods of using the same. In various embodiments, a relief apparatus may comprise a housing comprising an interior housing portion configured to store a relief step device therein, and an activation assembly configured to facilitate an automated deployment of the relief step device from within the interior housing portion in response to a fall occurrence, wherein the automated deployment of the at least a portion of the relief step device is based at least in part on a load force acting on at least a portion of the activation assembly, wherein the load force is defined at least in part by a force generated as a result of the fall occurrence. In various embodiments, a relief apparatus may comprise an activation assembly that enables both an automated deployment and a manual deployment of a relief step device in a fall condition.

A relief apparatus and method of use for providing a flexible connection point between straps of a harness and mitigating suspension trauma for a user of the harness. In various embodiments, the relief apparatus comprises a base plate comprising one or more base strap slots and a central cavity defined by a cavity wall protruding out of a plane of the base plate, and an upper plate comprising one or more upper strap slots and an aperture configured to fit around the cavity wall of the base plate. The base plate and the upper plate are arrange concentrically along a central axis and may be configured to each rotate about the central axis. The relief apparatus further comprises a relief step comprised of a line and having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end being secured to a deployment feature.

Harnesses for supporting a person working at height are disclosed. They include a back, leg loops, two forward connection arrangements and a flexible load-bearing member that extends between the connection arrangements, the forward connection arrangements serving to transferring load from the back and the leg loops to the load-bearing member. Each forward connection arrangement includes: a base that is permanently connected to the harness and retention components that can be removably and rigidly connected to the base to removably secure the flexible load-bearing member to the body.

The device for adjusting and clamping a strap comprises superposed first and second rings to define a slot for the strap to pass through. The second ring presses on the first ring. The slot for the strap to pass through is bounded by an outer edge of the second ring and an inner edge) of the first ring. The two rings are movable with respect to one another so that the slot for the strap to pass through is of variable thickness. A bottom surface of the first ring opposite the top surface of the first ring has a textured area provided with several salient elements designed to form an increased friction area between the strap and the bottom surface of the first ring. The textured area is separated from the outer edge of the second ring by the slot for the strap to pass through.

A wearable body harness has first and second shoulder straps arranged in an X-shape, a back plate on a rear portion of the shoulder straps with the first shoulder strap crossing over the second at the back plate. The back plate includes a pair of lower guide slots, having a first lower guide slot side and a second lower guide slot side contiguous with the first and arranged at an angle relative thereto, and a pair of upper guide slots, having a first upper guide slot side and a second upper guide slot side contiguous with the first and arranged at an angle relative thereto. A first of the pair of upper and lower guide slots route a webbing material of the first shoulder strap. A second of the pair of upper and the pair of lower guide slots route the webbing material of the second shoulder strap.

Harnesses and methods of their manufacture are disclosed. The harnesses include a structural sub-assembly for use in construction of a waist band of a harness, the structural assembly including two primary load-bearing elements and a semi-loadbearing flexible substrate sheet, Each primary load-bearing element is formed from elongate, flexible textile webbing that extends, typically in a loop, that passes through multiple apertures in the sheet to form a woven structure with the sheet, Lengths of the two primary load-bearing elements (or one primary load-bearing element and another component of the structure) extend from a center line of the sheet upon one another and form a structure having three or more layers including the sheet The sub-assembly can be constructed by mounting the sheet on a jig and threading webbing components through apertures in the sheet prior to forming stitching to secure the webbing components.

Harnesses for supporting a person working at height are disclosed. They include a back, leg loops, two forward connection arrangements and a flexible load-bearing member that extends between the connection arrangements, the forward connection arrangements serving to transferring load from the back and the leg loops to the load-bearing member. Each forward connection arrangement includes: a base that is permanently connected to the harness and retention components that can be removably and rigidly connected to the base to removably secure the flexible load-bearing member to the body.

A preferred embodiment suspension trauma relief strap assembly for use with a full body harness includes a pair of straps connectable in two configurations. The first configuration is formed by engaging a hook of one strap with one of a plurality of closed loop arrangements of the other strap to form a sling upon which a person donning the full body harness may stand. The second configuration is formed by engaging the hook of the one strap with one of the plurality of closed loop arrangements of the one strap and engaging the hook of the other strap with one of the plurality of closed loop arrangements of the other strap to form two slings upon which a person donning the full body harness may stand.

A ratcheting strap adjuster comprising a bracket, a webbing plate, and one or more captive members. The webbing plate is rotatably coupled to the bracket. Each of the one or more captive members is moveable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, wherein the one or more captive members restrict rotation of the webbing plate in one direction when the one or more captive members are in the engaged position and allow rotation of the webbing plate in the one direction and in an opposite second direction when the one or more captive members are in the disengaged position.