EVALUATION OF THE UPGRADED HEAVY EQUIPMENT OPERATORS' SAFETY BELT RESTRAINT SYSTEM

A proposed innovative restraint harness developed by U.S. Steel for the protection of heavy equipment operators was dynamically tested to evaluate design changes made as a result of prior testing. Five frontal impacts were conducted on the UMTRI sled facility. An instrumented 50th percentile male Part 572 dummy simulated the equipment operator. Fixed forklift and suspension-type seating surfaces were used. The upgraded harness performance was compared to previous results obtained with a conventional lap belt. This report presents the data from the sled testing and makes further recommendations for improving the restraint system.

• Corporate Authors:

  University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute

  2901 Baxter Road
  Ann Arbor, MI  United States  48109-2150

  United States Steel Corporation

  600 Grant Street
  Pittsburgh, PA  United States  15230
• Authors:
  • BENSON, J B
  • Melvin, J W
  • Snyder, R G
• Publication Date: 1983-10-26

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Photos; Tables;
• Pagination: 56 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Construction equipment; Dynamic tests; Manual safety belts; Performance tests; Shoulder harnesses; Sled tests
• Old TRIS Terms: Heavy equipment
• Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Vehicles and Equipment; I61: Equipment and Maintenance Methods; I91: Vehicle Design and Safety;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00387817
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: UMTRI-83-51 Final Rpt., HS-036 517
• Files: HSL, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Aug 30 1984 12:00AM