SAFETY TOPICS

Must-Have Fall Prevention Measures

Fatalities caused by falls from elevation continue to be a leading cause of death for construction employees, accounting for 351 of the 1,008 construction fatalities recorded in 2020.¹ Whether working from a ladder, roof, or scaffolding, it’s important to plan ahead, assess the risk, and use the right equipment. Both employers and workers should inspect the workspace to help prevent falling off overhead platforms, elevated workstations, or into holes in the floor and walls.² If employers plan before the job begins, provide proper fall protection equipment, and train workers on the setup and safe use of equipment, these deaths can be preventable.

How to reduce falls

To help prevent injuries from falls, employers must implement the following:³

Guard every floor hole into which a worker can accidentally walk (using a railing and toe-board or a floor hole cover).
Provide a guard rail and toe-board around every elevated open sided platform, floor, or runway.
If a worker can fall into or onto dangerous machines or equipment (such as a vat of acid or a conveyor belt), regardless of height, employers must provide guardrails and toe-boards.
Other means of fall protection that may be required on certain jobs include safety harnesses and lines, safety nets, stair railings, and handrails.

OSHA fall requirements

OSHA requires employers to do the following to help ensure the safety of workers.³

Provide working conditions that are free of known dangers
Keep floors in work areas in a clean and, so far as possible, a dry condition
Select and provide required personal protective equipment at no cost to workers
Train workers about job hazards in a language that they can understand

Online safety training videos

Our policyholders and agents have access to an extensive library of safety training videos. Access training videos on fall prevention by entering your username and password. Type Fall Prevention in the search bar for the available videos. Policyholders and agents can request login credentials by emailing [email protected]. (Videos provided through JER HR Group LLC, dba Training Network, a Summit vendor.)

If you would like additional resources, please contact your Summit loss prevention consultant.

Footnotes

“National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction (May 2-6, 2022).” Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), U.S. Dept of Labor, www.osha.gov/stop-falls-stand-down (Accessed Apr. 18, 2022).
“Fall Protection.” Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), U.S. Dept of Labor, www.osha.gov/fall-protection (Accessed Apr. 18, 2022).
“Fall Prevention Safety.” Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), U.S. Dept of Labor, osha10hrtraining.com/blog/worker-safety-articles/fall-protection-and-prevention-construction/ (Accessed Apr. 18, 2022).

Disclaimer

The information presented in this publication is intended to provide guidance and is not intended as a legal interpretation of any federal, state or local laws, rules or regulations applicable to your business. The loss prevention information provided is intended only to assist policyholders of Summit managed insurers in the management of potential loss producing conditions involving their premises and/or operations based on generally accepted safe practices. In providing such information, Summit Consulting LLC does not warrant that all potential hazards or conditions have been evaluated or can be controlled. It is not intended as an offer to write insurance for such conditions or exposures. The liability of Summit Consulting LLC and its managed insurers is limited to the terms, limits and conditions of the insurance policies underwritten by any of them.