Establish Height Safety Through a Fall Protection Guide

What is Fall Protection?

Fall protection is equipment used to prevent individuals from falling from elevated surfaces or when working at heights. Fall protection is composed of different types of safety harnesses and protection systems, including fall arrest, work positioning, restraint, suspension, retreival, ladder climbing, and controlled descent systems, among others. It is typically used in high-risk industries such as construction, maintenance, and manufacturing.

Why is Fall Protection Safety Important?

According to the World Health Organization, falls are one of the major public health problems worldwide resulting in unintentional injury death after road traffic injuries. Thus, one of the recommendations for fall prevention is for employers and workers in a high-risk occupation to enforce a more stringent workplace safety regulation and multicomponent workplace safety programs.

Fall protection safety is critically important in preventing falls and accidents. Aside from that, investing in fall protection systems can help in:

• Ensuring compliance with OSHA requirements.

  OSHA mandates fall protection measures and failure to comply can result in hefty fines.

• Reducing costs for employers.

  Fall injuries can lead to downtime and lost productivity and then add that to the amount of average workers’ compensation claims, the financial impact can be damaging to a business.

• Protecting the well-being of employees.

  An unsafe working environment can not only damage the morale of employees but can also cause PTSD for both the victims and their families.

OSHA Requirements

To protect workers from falls, here are key OSHA fall protection requirements for employers to follow:

• Fall protection should be provided at elevations of 4 feet in general industry workplaces, 5 feet in shipyards, 6 feet in the construction industry, and 8 feet for long shoring operations.

• Regardless of the fall distance, fall protection should be provided when working over dangerous equipment and machinery.

• Apply guards such as railing and toe-board or a floor hole cover on every floor hole that a worker can accidentally walk on.

• Apply guard rails and toe-board around every elevated open-sided platform, floor, or runway.

• Other means of fall protection such as safety harnesses and lines, safety nets, stair railings, and handrails should be required for certain jobs.

7 Types of Personal Fall Protection Equipment

Employers must ensure that the following personal fall protection system and safety harnesses are used to comply with OSHA’s standard 1910.140:

Fall Arrest

A fall arrest system should be used when working at an elevated level and when exposed to a fall hazard. This fall protection equipment gives personnel freedom of movement. It allows them to reach a point where a fall can occur where it safely stops a person from hitting the ground.

Work Positioning

A work positioning system holds a worker in place, allowing them to work hands-free at elevated vertical surfaces such as walls or window sill.

Restraint

A restraint allows workers to reach the work surface safely thus avoiding reaching a location from which a fall hazard exists.

Suspension/Personnel Riding Systems

Suspension systems are designed to lower and support a worker to move vertically allowing a hands-free work environment. This is commonly used in the industry when doing paint work and window washing.

Retrieval/Rescue

A retrieval system or rescue system is used primarily for when working in confined spaces. It is designed to support a worker when entering tanks, manholes, etc. Should an emergency occur, it is used to retrieve the worker from above.

Ladder Climbing

A ladder safety system should be in place to eliminate or reduce the possibility of falling off when climbing or descending from a ladder.

For permanent fixed ladders:

For temporary, portable ladders:

Evacuation/Controlled Descent System

This is used when assisting a rescue via raising or lowering the rescue subject onto a safe working level. This is slightly different from a harness that can be used for ascent or descent because it is meant for very brief periods of use.

5 Fall Protection Safety Tips

Below are essential safety tips for preventing falls and related injuries:

1. Use proper PPE – Choose the appropriate PPE that addresses specific work environment issues and industry standards.

2. Conduct regular inspections – Inspections like risk assessments, and safety checks on work environment, equipment, machinery, and PPE are all beneficial in identifying potential fall hazards.

3. Keep work environment clean – work areas should be clean and as much as possible dry to eliminate risks of slips, trips, and falls.

4. Train workers – Inculcate a culture of safety for workers by equipping them with the information and skills they need to do their jobs safely and correctly. Help workers get familiarized with job hazards, safety measures, protocols, and proper use of their PPEs.

5. Practice, practice, practice – Develop safe habits and prepare teams to respond to emergency situations by regularly practicing fall protection procedures.