Using a Fall-Arrest System
To use a fall-arrest system:
- Attach the FAS tree strap to the tree so that the strap is at, or above, head level when you are standing.
- After attaching the FAS tether, adjust both the tree strap and tether so that you have no slack in the tether while seated in your stand.
- Fasten the tree strap and the tether included on the FAS to the tree according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The tree strap and the tether should be attached so that you drop less than a foot if you fall and so that your knees cannot drop below a level that would prevent you from climbing back on the platform.
Hanging motionless and suspended in your FAS after a fall can cause the leg straps to constrict blood flow. This pressure can make blood pool in the legs, limiting circulation and depriving the brain and other organs of blood and oxygen. This is called suspension trauma and can lead quickly to unconsciousness followed by death.
Avoid suspension trauma by using the FAS suspension relief strap. If the strap is not available, move your legs continuously by pushing off from the tree, or raise your knees and pump your legs frequently.