1. Fall Protection
Nick Senior, MPH
Industrial Hygienist

2. Why is Fall Protection Important
Slips, trips and falls cause:
the majority of general industry accidents
15 percent of all accidental deaths
more fatalities than all other causes

3. The Numbers
Falls — 364 out of 937 total deaths in CY (38.8% of total fatality)

4. Objective The purpose of this presentation is to inform you about:
Fall hazards
Fall prevention
Welcome
Emphasis the Safety System, not the same old Fall Protection Training
Why Focus on these three – leads into the next slide

5. Did You Know That… If injured in a fall:
Half of the injuries are to the head
Nearly 1/3 involve multiple injuries
2 of every 3 persons will die from that fall
Falls to lower level account for 85% of fatal falls
Here are the reasons that falls cause deaths more often than other hazards
2 of every 3 persons will die from that fall (at the scene or later as a result of injuries)
Head injuries may not always be fatal but they have long lasting effects

6. Did You Know That… When falling:
28% are stepping or climbing between elevations (up or down)
13% are just walking about
11% are stepping from one surface to another
10% are moving backwards
When falls are not fatal they are usually life changing, very rarely are these accidents ones that you get up and walk away from
Here are the top four, notice that nothing extravagant was being done, nothing out of the ordinary just normal work procedures and the people fell!
According to Bureau of Labor Statistics

7. The Danger is Real
Most falls involve fractures or other injury to:
Head – a prime target and often fatal
Chest
Neck
Back
Abdomen
Arms and Legs
Death, brain damage, paralysis, and severe internal injuries are common outcomes
Fall injuries are severe not just bumps and scratches
Head injuries are many times fatal
But if you do walk away from a fall will your quality of life be the same?

8. I just have one quick thing to do
Did You Know That…
Why?
I just have one quick thing to do
This won’t hurt me
If I fall I won’t get hurt
What about a fall from 20 feet or less onto your head?
Low perception of risk

9. I’ve been doing the same job for years, what could possibly go wrong?
2 most common statements after a fall:
That’s never happened before!
I can’t believe I did that!

10. When Is Fall Protection Required?
If workers are working over dangerous materials, they have to have fall protection regardless of the fall height

11. Fall Protection in Order of Effectiveness
Elimination
Engineering/ Prevention
Fall Arrest
Warning Lines
Safety – Monitoring/ Administration
You can keep your workers alive by considering this hierarchy of fall protection steps. First off, eliminate the need to go up there in the first place. This takes design, but why do we always put the air conditioning units on the roof, then ask our workers to climb up there daily and inspect them?
If you can’t eliminate the hazard, the next step is to keep workers from falling off, by using guardrails or fences around the work site.
If that isn’t possible, then perhaps when the worker falls off the roof, we can catch him with a safety net or fall arrest system.
This hierarchy goes from the best solution, don’t go there, to the weakest solution. Now we’re up to the portion on warning lines. If you place a warning line around the work area, it won’t keep the worker from falling through, but it will warn him that he is getting close to the edge.
Next, a safety monitor can be selected to stand on the roof and yell at workers who get too close to the edge.

12. Eliminate the Hazard
If the job can be done without the worker going up, why place them in danger?
Design safety into building construction
If the worker isn’t exposed to a hazard, they cannot be hurt
Let’s examine each of these options a little further. Ideally it would be great if we would just design buildings so that workers don’t have to go on the roof to fix things. Perhaps mount the air conditioning units that need monthly servicing on the ground.

13. General Requirements Covers and Guardrails
Provide covers and/or guardrails to protect workers from the hazards of open pits, tanks, vats, ditches, and the like.

14. Floor Opening
An opening measuring 12 inches or more in its least dimension in a floor, platform, pavement, or yard, through which persons may fall.
Wall OpeningsWall Openings

15. Wall Openings
Opening at least 30 in. high and 18 in. wide, in a wall or partition, through which persons may fall
Wall openings from which there is a drop of more than 4 feet must be guarded

16. Stairway Floor Openings
Must be guarded by a standard railing on all exposed sides (except at entrance).

17. Guardrails Requirements
Guardrail includes a top rail, a mid rail and a toeboard. The top rail is 42 inches high, and the mid rail is approximately halfway from the surface to the top rail.
Toeboards must be at least 4 inches high and distance from floor not over ¼.

18. Open-Sided Floors and Platforms
Open-sided floors or platforms 4 feet or more above adjacent floor or ground level must be guarded by a standard railing (or equivalent) on all open sides, except where there is an entrance to a ramp, stairway, or fixed ladder

19. Open-Sided Floors, Walkways, Platforms, and Runways
Regardless of height, a standard railing and toeboard must be used to guard:
- open-sided floors
- walkways
- platforms, or
- runways
above or adjacent to dangerous equipment, pickling or galvanizing tanks, degreasing units, and similar hazards.

20. Stairways
Flights of stairs with four or more risers must have standard stair railings or handrails.

21. Ladders

22. Did You Know That…
Falls from ladders is the third leading cause of fatalities in the workplace.
People are taught to do work wrong
This is how they see others doing the work
Told it is not macho to use fall protection
That is all we know how to do

23. Portable Ladders
Ladders used to gain access to a roof or other area must extend at least 3 feet above the point of support
Withdraw defective ladders from service and tag or mark "Dangerous, Do Not Use“
Never use ladders in a horizontal position as scaffolds or work platforms

24. Ladder Angle
Use at angle where the horizontal distance from the top support to the foot of the ladder is ¼ the working length of the ladder (length along ladder between the foot and top support).
Caution: Never stand on the top two rungs of the folding ladder.

25. Critical Outcomes for Ladder Safety
Three-point rule is applied
Climbing ladder only when facing ladder and using both hands while climbing up or down
Belt-buckle rule is applied: Keep body centered between the ladder rails
The three-point rule is applied: When climbing either two hands and one foot or two feet and one hand
When working Keep at least both feet and one hand (if not fall protection is required)

26. Types of ladders
Metal – light weight – DO NOT USE AROUND EXPOSED ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
Fiberglass – durable, use for electrical work
Wood – not as durable
Job Built – heavy duty, custom-made for the job
Straight Ladder
Extension Ladder
Step Ladder
Talk about the different types of ladders
Explain when to use a step versus straight ladder (a step ladder must be fully opened and locked, it does not need to be used leaned up against something
A straight or extension ladder needs to be used when working against a surface and but needs to be secured against falling over

27. Ladder capacity and strength
Read and follow all manufacturer instructions
Step ladder max. 20 ft
Single ladder max. 30 ft
Two-section ladder max. 60 ft
Explain the different types of ladders and the max heights for each type

28. Scaffolds

29. Scaffolding Hazards
Falling caused by slipping, unsafe access, and lack of fall protection
Hit by falling tools/ debris
Electrocution by contacting overhead power lines
Scaffold collapsing due to instability or overloading
Bad planking giving way
About 2 of every three construction workers (2.3 million) work on scaffolds frequently.
Protecting these workers from scaffold-related accidents would prevent 4,500 injuries and 50 deaths every year, at a savings of $90 million in workdays not lost.

30. Did they forget to do something?
Inspection

31. Elevated Work Surfaces

32. Elevated Work Hazards Falling caused by slipping
Falling due to lack of fall protection
Falling due to poorly constructed fall protection
Falling due to improper types of fall protection

33. Where they using the best form of fall protection?
Remember the fall protection hierarchy
Elimination
Engineering/ Prevention
Fall Arrest
Warning Lines
Safety – Monitoring/ Administration

34. Fall Protection-Guardrails
Top Rail at 42 inches (+ or – 3 inches)
Top Rail withstand 200 pounds of force Mid rails withstand 150 pounds of force All rails at least 1/4 inch in diameter
Mid Rail – Halfway between top rail and working surface
The requirements for guardrails are clearly stated in the regulation. They must withstand 200 pounds of pressure in any direction and they must have a top rail and a mid rail. So you can put a top rail of 2X4 wood at 42 inches (plus or minus 3 inches) and a midrail at 21 inches to make your guardrail. Intermediate members must be less than 20 inches apart.
Toe board must be a minimum of 3.5 inches tall

35. Fall Protection-Mid Rail
Required if no wall or parapet at least 21" high
Installed midway between top rail and working level
May use screens, mesh or balusters instead of mid rail
Screens & mesh run all along entire opening
Balusters (vertical rails, when used, not more than 19 ” apart
Midrails, screens, mesh, intermediate vertical members must be installed between the top edge of the guardrail system and the walking/working surface when there is no wall or parapet wall at least 21 inches high.
Midrails, screens, mesh, intermediate vertical members, solid panels, and equivalent structural members shall be capable of withstanding, without failure, a force of at least 150 pounds (666 N) applied in any downward or outward direction at any point along the midrail or other member.
19”

36. Fall Protection- Personal Fall Arrest Systems
Personal Fall Arrest System (PFAS) includes
D Ring
Lanyard
The personal fall arrest system includes Lanyards, harnesses and an anchorage point. D rings can also be included in the personal fall arrest system. Remember, you cannot use body belts or non locking snap hooks on a construction site!
Carabineer
Snaphook
Anchor Point
Harness

37. Fall Protection- Personal Fall Arrest Systems
Must restrict free fall to less than 6 feet
No contact with lower level
Provide prompt rescue
Inspect prior to each use
No body belts (for fall protection)
A qualified person must install these systems and the system must be capable of withstanding 5,000 pounds pressure. You can’t use body belts any more, and all snap hooks have to be self closing and locking!

38. Fall Protection - Harnesses
Harnesses come in all shapes, sizes, options and prices. If you are using a fall prevention system, you have to have one. You can also use it if you are going in to a permit required confined space! You don’t need to buy a separate harness!

39. Summary
Slips, trips, and falls constitute the majority of general industry accidents
OSHA’s standards for fall protection include requirements for guardrails, floor and wall openings and holes, industrial stairs and ladders.

40. It is better to tie off, than to fly off
Did You Know That…
It is better to tie off, than to fly off