One of the most critical workplace safety issues is fall protection. According to the National Safety Council, falling from heights is number three on the list of Top 10 Preventable Workplace Incidents. OSHA maintains that falls are the number one cause of workplace deaths on their incident list known as the “Fatal Four,” which were responsible for more than half of construction workers’ deaths in 2013. Fall injuries are also a financial burden: the Centers for Disease Control reports that workers’ comp and medical costs due to fall incidents have been estimated at more than $70 billion a year in the U.S. Finally, can you name the number one most frequently cited OSHA standards violation in 2014? You guessed it: fall protection.
Look Around Your Plant…
Have you thought about fall hazards around your plant, property, and office? In the course of doing our jobs we often overlook the simple things that may require fall protection:
- Working on ladders (especially extension ladders); climbing ladders on tanker trucks during loading or unloading
- Using a manlift or scissors lift
- Working on the roof
- Climbing scaffolding
- Using a forklift as an improper manlift
- Working in and around large storage shelving
- Walking near or working around open containment areas, in-ground tanks, sumps, or pits
- Doing work in a drop ceiling
- Cleaning equipment and tanks
- ANY WORK at more than 4 feet above the ground
Develop a Strategy…
When’s the last time you reviewed your fall protection strategy? Have you made certain that your provisions are compliant with OSHA regulations? Did you know that the OSHA website provides educational materials and resources regarding fall protection? Here are OSHA’s basic requirements for fall protection, straight from their website:
- Guard every floor hole into which a worker can accidentally walk (using a railing and toe-board or a floor hole cover).
- Provide a guard rail and toe-board around every elevated open sided platform, floor, or runway.
- Regardless of height, if a worker can fall into or onto dangerous machines or equipment (such as a vat of acid or a conveyor belt) employers must provide guardrails and toe-boards to prevent workers from falling and getting injured.
- Other means of fall protection that may be required on certain jobs include safety and harness and line, safety nets, stair railings, and hand rails.
For more information, visit the OSHA website here. You can also give us a call to talk about our fall protection program. We’d be happy to share our details. Give us a call at 800-399-2783.