Fall Protection Basics

Fall Protection Safety

Unfortunately, falls are one of the leading causes of job related injuries and fatalities. On any given day, every worker – even one used to working at heights – is at risk of having a fall and needs the best protection possible.

It’s important to periodically revisit basic fall protection information to keep a safe working environment and maintain a substantial fall protection management program.

Common Causes of Falls

Many different events can lead to a fall, but the most common are slips. Falls can occur as a result of:

• Losing balance
• Losing grip on support
• Support moving or giving way
• Tripping
• Surface breaking
• Stepping in a hole

Frequently, just before falling, the employee was either climbing up or down or lifting/carrying something.
Other actions that often take place directly before a fall are:

• Stepping backwards
• Walking
• Using tools or equipment

When putting together a fall protection system, it’s important to keep these common causes in mind. It doesn’t a far fall to cause a serious injury, and its important to remember workers of all experience levels can be at risk of falling.

What Does Fall Protection Management Consist Of?

When you hear the words “fall protection”, images of equipment like rooftop guardrails, safety nets or harnesses likely come to mind. While these are critical pieces of fall protection, that’s not all there is to a comprehensive fall protection management program.

Fall protection can be broken down into two main categories – protective equipment and people. Both serve to help prevent falls and protect employees in the event a fall does occur.

Fall Protection Equipment

Fall protection equipment can be either passive or active. Passive equipment systems provide protection without requiring any action by people. Examples include:

• Covers
• Fences
• Guardrails
• Safety Nets

Active equipment systems contain components that require human training or manipulation to work effectively. Some examples are:

• Anchorage points
• Body harnesses
• Lanyards
• Lifelines
• Snap Hooks

 Questions about fall protection or fall protection equipment? Talk to a Fall Protection Specialist Now!

Keeping People Safe

All employers and employees play an important role in the fall protection system in place at their companies. Certain actions and behaviors can be encouraged to eliminate fall hazards, prevent falls and protect workers.

Employers can:

• Provide working conditions free of known dangers
• Identify and eliminate fall hazards at the work site
• Pre-plan for retrieval and ensure that employees aren’t seriously injured if a fall does occur
• Be diligent about educating and training employees how to properly identify fall hazards and follow safe practices

Employees Can:

• Follow safe work practices
• Properly use equipment
• Be proactive about receiving up-to-date training on a regular basis
• Learn to identify fall hazards and recognize unsafe practices
• Be aware of the tasks that increase the risk of falling
• Understand how to control exposure to fall hazards

OSHA Guidelines

OSHA requirements are the accepted standard for workplace fall protection practices. They state:

• Fall protection must be provided at elevations of 4 feet in general industry workplaces, 5 feet in shipyards, 6 feet in the construction industry and 8 feet in long shoring operations. In addition, OSHA requires that fall protection be provided when working over dangerous equipment and machinery, regardless of the fall distance
• Floor holes or openings must be covered or guarded immediately
• All floor hole covers must be constructed to effectively support two times the weight of employees, equipment and materials that may be on the cover at any given time
• Employers must develop, implement and commit to a fall protection management program, provide training about the program to employees, and evaluate the program regularly to determine if any changes or updates are necessary

Even if workers are only occasionally exposed to heights, it’s important to have a fall protection management program in place that is in compliance with OSHA regulations. It’s critically important to keep all workers safe at all times – and important to remember, it’s someone’s life.

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