FALL PROTECTION AND PREVENTION

By: John Donovan, Risk Control Consultant

Out of 4,693 worker fatalities in private industry in calendar year 2016, 991 (21.1%) were in construction — that is, one in five worker deaths last year were in construction. The leading cause of private sector worker deaths (excluding highway collisions) in the construction industry were falls.

• Falls — 384 out of 991 total deaths in construction in CY 2016 (38.7%)

As you can see, there are more than 1 fatality every day, even if you include weekends and holidays.

There are several ways employers can protect workers from falls, including using conventional means such as guardrail systems, safety net systems and personal fall protection systems, the adoption of safe work practices, and the provision of appropriate training. The use of warning lines, designated areas, control zones and similar systems are permitted by OSHA in some situations and can provide protection by limiting the number of workers exposed. Whether conducting a hazard assessment or developing a comprehensive fall protection plan, thinking about fall hazards before the work begins will help the employer to manage fall hazards and focus attention on prevention efforts. If personal fall protection systems are used, attention should be given to identifying attachment points and to ensuring that employees know how to properly use and inspect the equipment.

Many times, a contractor’s fall protection plan is simply “we are just going to tie off”, without taking into consideration of the other types of fall protection that need to be considered first.

REMEMBER: PPE, such as personal fall arrest systems, are to be the last resort to eliminate or mitigate a hazard.