Clearing Up the Confusion Surrounding Fall Protection

Falls from heights are a concern at many worksites and there are threshold heights established where various types of fall protection are required. For employees in general industry, the height is 4 feet above a lower level. In construction work, the threshold height is 6 feet above a lower level. Fall protection on scaffolding is required at 10 feet. In addition to falls from heights, workers also can slip or trip on ground surfaces that are uneven or cluttered with debris.

GENERAL INDUSTRY

Employees in general industry perform work on scaffolds, climb up and down ladders, walk on stairs, work in areas where there may be holes in the floor or work on elevated floors which have unprotected sides and edges. These workers often need fall protection, and training in how to use it.

The key to protecting employees in these situations is to use the right type of fall protection systems or equipment.

Ladders — First, fall protection is not required for portable ladder use in either general industry or construction work. You don't want employees tying off to ladders or other objects nearby. Fixed ladders are a different story, as they may or may not have cages or ladder safety devices.

OSHA's general industry fall protection regulations are at 29 CFR 1910.23, Guarding Floor and Wall Openings and Holes. Fall protection systems (e.g., guardrails for platforms and railings for stairs) are addressed, but personal fall arrest equipment, such as lanyards and harnesses, are not.

Housekeeping — High traffic areas should be kept free from tools, materials, debris or spilled or leaked liquids. These types of items can contribute to slips and trips on the same level. OSHA requires employers, in 1910.22(a), to keep their facilities clean, orderly and as dry as possible.

For work on a level surface that could pose a slip hazard, you can install slip-resistant floors. Options to increase slip-resistance include materials such as textured, serrated or punched surfaces and steel or metal grating. These types of floor surfaces often can be installed in work areas that are slippery because of wet, oily or dirty operations. Another option is to provide slip-resistant footwear, which also may be useful in reducing slipping hazards.

Guardrails and handrails — Falls from an elevation involve falling from one level to another. Examples include falling from a scaffold to the ground below. There are several types of fall prevention systems you can use to stop a fall from an elevated surface:

A guardrail is a vertical barrier, normally consisting of an assembly of toprails, midrails and posts, erected to prevent employees from falling to lower levels. A toeboard is a barrier placed to prevent the fall of materials to a lower level, or to keep employees' feet from slipping over an edge. Falling objects also can be hazards, especially tools dropped or kicked from scaffolds or work platforms such as scissor or aerial lifts.

A standard railing consists of a top rail, intermediate rail and posts, and has a vertical height of 42 inches from the upper surface of the top rail to floor, platform, runway or ramp level. The top rail must be smooth-surfaced throughout the length of the railing. There must be an intermediate railing approximately halfway between the top rail and the floor.

A standard toeboard needs to be 4 inches in vertical height from its top edge to the level of the floor, platform, runway or ramp. It has to be securely fastened in place and with not more than ¼-inch clearance above floor level. The toeboard can be made of any substantial material that either is solid or has openings 1 inch or less in size.

A handrail is used to assist employees going up or down stairways, ramps or other walking/working surfaces by providing a handhold for support. A stair rail protects employees from falling over the edge of an open-sided stairway.

A handrail is mounted directly on a wall or partition by brackets attached to the lower side of the handrail. The height of handrails must be between 30-34 inches from the upper surface of handrail to the surface of stair tread.

GENERAL INDUSTRY AND CONSTRUCTION

Personal fall arrest equipment — Sometimes fall prevention systems can't be used. In these cases, employers need to provide personal fall arrest equipment. These systems often consist of lanyards, harnesses and anchorage devices that may not prevent the fall, but reduce the chance of injury or death if the employee does fall.