Developing computational model of energy absorbing lanyards and assessing effect of free fall distance on performance of personal fall arrest system and risk of injury

A Personal Fall Arrest System (PFAS) is the safety equipment for preventing injuries and fatalities from falls from a height. It consists of a full body harness (FBH), energy absorbing lanyard (EAL), connectors, and anchors. While PFAS standards test each component individually, they overlook overall system performance, user body state, and risk of user injury. Computational models and simulations offer a solution, however, there is no computational model that effectively replicates the EAL behavior. By integrating force-time histories of experimentally tested EALs, rigid body dynamics, and optimization, computational models of EALs were developed and combined with human body and FBH models. Most simulations suggest low injury risk during falls; however, small females face heightened risk of cervical and lumbar spine injuries as compared to other users. These simulations are valuable design tools for manufacturers, enabling them to replicate various fall scenarios and evaluate PFAS effectiveness and user injury risk.