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Stuck upside down on an amusement park ride.
Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2023 9:30 am
by kerrya1
So, apparently people were stuck upside down on a ride that failed for about 30 minutes.
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-66910324
How long would it take before people started getting serious physiological impacts from being upside down?
This is why I avoid all these things!
Re: Stuck upside down on an amusement park ride.
Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2023 9:58 am
by Grumble
kerrya1 wrote: Wed Sep 27, 2023 9:30 am
So, apparently people were stuck upside down on a ride that failed for about 30 minutes.
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-66910324
How long would it take before people started getting serious physiological impacts from being upside down?
This is why I avoid all these things!
Depends how they’re held in place I think. If you’re in an anti-fall harness, like you see people use when working at height, you go unconscious fairly quickly when held upright because the straps cut off blood supply when your weight is on them. I don’t think there’s anything about being upside down as such that causes a problem.
Re: Stuck upside down on an amusement park ride.
Posted: Wed Sep 27, 2023 11:39 am
by dyqik
Inversion tables get used for periods up to 30 minutes or so.
Re: Stuck upside down on an amusement park ride.
Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2023 10:39 am
by Al Capone Junior
Grumble wrote: Wed Sep 27, 2023 9:58 am
kerrya1 wrote: Wed Sep 27, 2023 9:30 am
So, apparently people were stuck upside down on a ride that failed for about 30 minutes.
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-66910324
How long would it take before people started getting serious physiological impacts from being upside down?
This is why I avoid all these things!
Depends how they’re held in place I think. If you’re in an anti-fall harness, like you see people use when working at height, you go unconscious fairly quickly when held upright because the straps cut off blood supply when your weight is on them. I don’t think there’s anything about being upside down as such that causes a problem.
I have been working as a rigger lately, so I've got some thoughts.
The general sentiment is that if you fall, your harness will cut off your circulation and you'll have physiological distress within minutes, and thus if anyone falls and winds up hanging from their harness, unable to get back on the steel, they must be rescued quickly.
However, some harnesses are made for hanging out, clipped on and working at height. My harness is pretty comfortable, with wide, padded leg, back and shoulder straps. I can clip off and use it as a chair for quite a while, especially if I keep shifting around to keep blood circulating in my legs. I was on a tower for over an hour recently with no problems.
Note that mine is an expensive petzl harness. The cheep ones have thinner straps and no padding. They surely cut off circulation much more so than mine.
Re: Stuck upside down on an amusement park ride.
Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2023 10:43 am
by Al Capone Junior
As for the amusement park ride, I guess it depends on how You're strapped in. Big shoulder pads that come down over your head (think metal coasters) are probably not going to strangle you. A lap belt might tho.
Re: Stuck upside down on an amusement park ride.
Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2023 10:49 am
by Grumble
Al Capone Junior wrote: Fri Sep 29, 2023 10:39 am
Grumble wrote: Wed Sep 27, 2023 9:58 am
kerrya1 wrote: Wed Sep 27, 2023 9:30 am
So, apparently people were stuck upside down on a ride that failed for about 30 minutes.
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-66910324
How long would it take before people started getting serious physiological impacts from being upside down?
This is why I avoid all these things!
Depends how they’re held in place I think. If you’re in an anti-fall harness, like you see people use when working at height, you go unconscious fairly quickly when held upright because the straps cut off blood supply when your weight is on them. I don’t think there’s anything about being upside down as such that causes a problem.
I have been working as a rigger lately, so I've got some thoughts.
The general sentiment is that if you fall, your harness will cut off your circulation and you'll have physiological distress within minutes, and thus if anyone falls and winds up hanging from their harness, unable to get back on the steel, they must be rescued quickly.
However, some harnesses are made for hanging out, clipped on and working at height. My harness is pretty comfortable, with wide, padded leg, back and shoulder straps. I can clip off and use it as a chair for quite a while, especially if I keep shifting around to keep blood circulating in my legs. I was on a tower for over an hour recently with no problems.
Note that mine is an expensive petzl harness. The cheep ones have thinner straps and no padding. They surely cut off circulation much more so than mine.
Yes, I was specifically talking about anti-fall harnesses rather than ones designed to take your weight while working. Anti-fall harnesses normally assume your weight is on your feet while working.