11: Fall Protection
“Do not think because an accident hasn’t happened to you that it can’t happen.” – Safety saying, early 1900’s
Overview
Slips, trips, and Falls account for 20% of all accidents, injuries, and fatalities in the workplace and up to 37% in construction environments. There is probably no one who has escaped a stumble, slip, or trip whether at work or play. Walking and working surfaces must be in conditions that do not contribute to falls. Elevated working surfaces which include rooftops, scaffolds, elevated platforms, and even ladders must meet the same standards for cleanliness, evenness, and capacity.
The first duty is to prevent a fall from occurring at all. The discussion that follows focuses on protecting workers if a fall should occur and describing the options for managing fall hazards.
Chapter Objective:
- Understand the Purpose of Fall Protection.
- Determine the Proper use of Floor Coverings to Prevent Falls.
- Be Aware of when Fall Protection is required.
- Apply the Provisions of the Fall Protection Standard.
- Discuss the Various Systems and Practices for Meeting the Fall Protection Standard.
Learning Outcome:
- Apply the hierarchy of controls to fall prevention methods.
- Describe the requirements for training and certification under Subpart M.
Standards: 1926 Subpart M-Fall Protection, 1910 Subpart D Walking-Working Surfaces, 1910 Subpart F Powered Platforms, Man lifts, Vehicle-Mounted Work Platforms
Key Terms:
Anchorage, Controlled Access Zones, Fall positioning device, Leading Edge, PFA
Mini-Lecture: Fall Hazards, Fall Protection
Topic Required Time: 2 hrs; Independent Study and reflection 1 3/4 hour.
Thumbnail: Falling, Pixabay free license