Fall Protection: Failure is Not an Option

MISTAKE NO. 3: LACK OF COMMUNICATION/TRAINING

Lack of instructions — in the appropriate language — is a key reason equipment is misused or not used at all. Safety directors need to check the instructions provided with equipment, and assure proper training is provided.

As an employer, you can determine the training format. What's important is that, through training, your employees can recognize fall hazards and know procedures to minimize the hazards.

It's important that the trainer knows the hazards at the work site, knows how to eliminate or control the hazards and knows how to teach workers to protect themselves. That's why the trainer must be a competent person. (A competent person is one who can identify work-site hazards and who has management authority to control them.) The trainer must know and be able to explain the following:

• The nature of fall hazards at the work site.
• Procedures for erecting, maintaining and disassembling fall protection systems and personal fall arrest systems.
• How to use and operate fall- protection systems and personal fall arrest systems.
• The role of each employee who may be affected by a safety- monitoring system.
• The restrictions that apply to mechanical equipment used during roofing work.
• The procedure for handling and storing materials and for erecting protection from falling objects.
• OSHA's fall protection standards.

MISTAKE NO. 2: ANCHORAGES THAT MISS THE MARK

Selecting inadequate anchorages is a major problem. The best harness with the best lanyard or lifeline cannot arrest a fall if unsuitable anchorages are selected.

An anchorage must support 5,000 pounds for a single tie-off point for one individual. In all cases, the free fall should be limited to 6 feet or less.

An anchorage should be positioned directly overhead whenever possible to avoid a swing fall injury and anchorages should be selected based on how a rescue would be performed.

MISTAKE NO. 1: WAITING FOR THE FREE FALL.

Don't wait for a fall to occur before taking action to update your fall protection plan. When identifying a fall hazard, analyze the likelihood of fatal or serious injury, as well as the amount of time employees will be exposed to the hazard. Basically, you want to eliminate the fall by changing the work process or environment.

If you remember these three steps for proper fall protection — eliminate a fall hazard entirely, prevent a fall from happening and provide personal fall arrest equipment — you will save lives and prevent serious injuries.

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Edward J. Bickrest is the marketing communications manager for Miller brand fall protection, Sperian Fall Protection Inc. He can be contacted at 401-233-0333 or ebickrest@sperianprotection.com.

Fall Protection Tips From OSHA

• Identify all potential tripping and fall hazards before work starts.
• Look for fall hazards such as unprotected floor openings/ edges, shafts, skylights, stairwells and roof openings/ edges.
• Inspect fall protection equipment for defects before use.
• Select, wear and use fall protection equipment appropriate for the task.
• Secure and stabilize all ladders before climbing them.
• Never stand on the top rung/ step of a ladder.
• Use handrails when you go up or down stairs.
• Practice good housekeeping. Keep cords, welding leads and air hoses out of walkways or adjacent work areas.

Make fall protection part of your workplace safety and health program.

• Be committed to preventing and controlling fall hazards.
• Identify and evaluate fall hazards.
• Eliminate fall hazards, if possible.
• Use appropriate fall-protection systems to prevent or control falls when hazards can't be eliminated.
• Report fall hazards and suggest how to control them.
• Ensure that employees receive fall-protection training.
• Inspect and maintain equipment.
• Know how to respond promptly to emergencies.
• Understand regulations related to fall-protection requirements.
• Enforce safe work procedures and practices.
• Investigate all falls and near-miss incidents.
• Evaluate fall-protection procedures regularly.

Source: Oregon OSHA