Daily Archives: July 17, 2023

Is Your Construction Worksite Safe from Falls? Here’s How to Find Out! 

Do you cringe at the thought of potential slips, trips, or falls off ladders, scaffolding, and other essential pieces of equipment typical found on any construction site? If so then this blog post is here to help. From extreme heights to falling objects, it’s important to take precautionary measures when it comes to workplace safety. Use this guide offered by OSHA to determine if you need fall protection. 

Step 1. Check the stability of the surfaces where your workers will be walking and working. If they pass the test, move on to step 2. 

Step 2. Determine if you need fall protection or protection from falling objects. 

According to OSHA Subpart M, fall protection is required for workers at a height of 6 feet or more. It’s also necessary for those working near dangerous equipment, even if it’s under six feet. 

Employers must assess the risks of potential falls, such as floor holes, wall openings, and unprotected ledges. Falling object protection should be provided if there’s a chance of objects falling on workers. 

Step 3. Choose the right type of fall protection. Common options include guardrails, safety nets, and personal fall arrest systems. These are often referred to as “conventional fall protection.” 

PROTIP: Even if workers aren’t actively working, they still need fall protection when entering or walking on the worksite. 

Although falls are fairly common, they don’t have to be. With the right precautions, you can protect workers from potential injuries or fatalities caused by slips, trips, and falls. For more details on different types of protection solutions check out our blog on common types of fall protection or the ABCs of Personal Fall Arrest Systems – and don’t forget to shop our fall protection products! Keeping your workplace safe doesn’t have to complicated; now you know how to make sure your employees stay safe on site– and that’s no joke! 

1. Risk Assessment

Learn more about conventional fall protection systems here.

Read about the ABCs of fall protection here.

Falling off a ladder might sound funny, but it’s really no laughing matter. If you work at heights, then fall protection systems are an essential part of maintaining safety and preventing accidents. In this article, we will introduce you to the basics of fall protection so that you can better understand how these life-saving measures can help keep you safe on the job site. 

Guardrails: Keeping you on top and out of the drop! Guardrails are like your personal bodyguards, protecting you from falling off edges and walls. They are put up along any dangerous edges to keep workers from taking a tumble.  

According to OSHA, the top rails should be about 42 inches high, with some wiggle room of plus or minus 3 inches. You’ll also need to add some extra support between the top and bottom edges, like mesh, screens, or midrails. Just make sure those midrails are right in the middle, and that screens and mesh extend all the way down.  

Now, let’s talk strength. Guardrails need to be able to handle a force of at least 200 lbs, while the intermediate parts should hold at least 150 lbs and at least ¼ inch thick. And hey, let’s make sure they have a smooth surface too, so workers don’t get jabbed or snagged.  Oh, and remember, no steel or plastic banding allowed! 

If there is a hoisting area to get up onto the working surface, it must have a chain, gate or removable guardrail in place when it is not being used as a hoisting area. Like most things, guardrails must be inspected frequently!  

Safety Net Systems: These won’t stop a fall, but they’ll be there to catch you if you slip up. The nets should be installed as close as possible to the working area, but never more than 30 feet below. And we want to make sure the drop area is clear, so you won’t bump into anything but the net. There should also be enough room underneath the net that you won’t hit the ground or any structures.  

OSHA requires regular drop tests to make sure they’re in good working order. Once a week, they should be inspected for any signs of wear and tear. The border rope of the net needs to be strong, with a minimum breaking strength of 5,000 lbs. 

Personal Fall Arrest Systems: These systems are like your superhero sidekick, stopping you from falling and saving the day. They’re equipped with an anchorage, connectors, and a body harness and may include deceleration devices or self retracting lifelines. Check out our blog post on the ABCs of Personal Fall Arrest Systems if you want more details.  

When it comes to personal fall arrest systems, we don’t want to go overboard. The maximum arresting force on a worker should be 1,800 lbs, and they can’t fall more than 6 ft or touch anything below. (2)The system should bring them to a complete stop and limit their distance of travel to 3.5 ft. (2) It needs to be strong enough to handle double the potential impact energy of a 6 ft fall, or whatever distance the system permits.  (2) Learn more about Personal Fall Arrest Systems here.

 And of course, inspected before each use.  

TIP: safety belts  and body belts are not allowed as personal fall arrest systems. (2) 

So there you have it! Make sure your workers are trained up on fall protection, and let’s keep everyone safe and sound. 

Learn how to determine if your worksite needs fall protection here.

1. https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/OSHA3146.pdf (p. 6) 

2. https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.140 

– according to OSHA 

When it comes to working at heights, best believe I want some serious protection. After all, falls are the top OSHA violation (2), and they can lead to some pretty nasty injuries or even death. Fall protection is a bit more complicated than just slapping on some run-of-the-mill PPE. It requires training, attention to detail, and a whole lot of care. Lives are on the line here, folks – literally!  

There are many types of fall protection (learn more about them in our related blog post here) but the most common and complicated is the Personal Fall Arrest System. Personal Fall Arrest Systems are designed to catch you should you fall and have several components in order to function.  To understand these symptoms, we can remember the ABCDs of Fall Protection.

A is for Anchorages. These babies are what keep your fall arrest system securely in place. They need to be independent of any platforms and capable of supporting at least 5000 lbs per worker or twice the expected impact load. (1) Talk about heavy-duty stuff!  

B is for body support. Think of it as a full-body hug (harness, that is) that evenly distributes fall force across your legs, pelvis, chest, and shoulders. (1) And let’s not forget the trusty D-ring that connect that harness to all the other components.  

C is for connectors. These are all the components that keep you attached to the anchor point.

And of course, we’ve got lifelines – both horizontal and vertical. They’re the line of connection from you to the anchorage. Make sure they have a minimum breaking strength of 5000 lbs. (1) That’s some serious strength right there. 

Let’s not forget about self-retracting lifelines and lanyards. These nifty devices can stretch, extend, and retract, but when it’s fall time, they’ve got your back (pun intended!). They’ll lock in place and save the day. The ones that limit free fall to 2 feet or less need a minimum tensile load of 3000 lbs, while the others need a whopping 5000 lbs. (1) Safety first, people! 

Snap Hooks keep the system together, they must be locking types that won’t let you disengage from the system. (3) They connect all the different systems together.  

D is for descent and rescue plans. (1) If someone takes a tumble, we’ve got to have a plan in place to get them back on solid ground safely. OSHA has got a handy checklist to help prepare for any rescue mission. 

Remember, folks, falls can be seriously dangerous – and we don’t take danger lightly. That’s why we’re here at Safetyvibe to provide you with all the top-notch fall protection gear you need. Trust our expertise and let us make your workplace safe and comfy for all your employees. 

Learn how to determine if your worksite needs fall protection here.

1. https://www.3m.com/blog/en_US/safety-now/science-of-safety/hazard-awareness/stpand-falls-learn-abcds-fall-protection/ 

2. https://www.osha.gov/top10citedstandards 

3. https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.140