PreventingFalls
FactSheet
Fallsandfallingobjectscanresult from unstableworkingsurfaces,ladders that are notsafely positioned,andmisuse offall protection. Workersarealsosubjecttofalls ortothedangers offallingobjectsifsidesandedges, floorholes, andwall openings arenotprotected.Anytime aworkerisataheightofsixfeet ormore (construction industry)orfourfeet ormore (generalindustry),theworkermust beprotected.
FallProtection
Fallprotectionmustbeprovidedforeachemploy- eeonawalking/workingsurfacewithanunpro- tectedsideoredgeattheheightrequired bythe OSHAstandardapplicable totheirworkenviron- ment.Managementisrequired to:
•Develop,implementandcommittoafallprotec- tionprogram
•Providetrainingonthefallprotectionprogram
•Evaluatetheprogramonaregularbasisto insuretheprogram’seffectiveness anddeter- minewhether itneedstobechangedorupdated
Employers arerequired toassesstheworkplace todetermineifthewalking/workingsurfaceson whichemployees aretoworkhavethestrength andstructuralintegritytosafelysupport workers. Onceemployershavedeterminedthatthesurface issafeforemployees toworkon,theemployer mustselectoneoftheoptions listedforthework operationifafallhazardispresent.
•Whereprotectionisrequired, selectfallprotec- tionsystemsappropriateforgivensituations.
•Useproperconstructionandinstallationofsafe- tysystems.
•Superviseemployees properly.
•Trainworkersintheproperselection,use,and maintenanceoffallprotectionsystems.
UnprotectedSides,WallOpenings, andFloorHoles
Almost allsiteshaveunprotectedsidesand
edges,wallopenings, orfloorholesatsomepoint during construction.Ifthesesidesandopenings arenotprotected atyoursite,injuries fromfallsor falling objectsmayresult,ranging fromsprains andconcussions todeath.
•Useatleastoneofthefollowingwhenever
employees areexposedtoafallof6feetor more[seecommentabove]abovealowerlevel:
•Guardrail Systems
•SafetyNetSystems
•FallArrestSystems
•Coverorguardfloorholesassoonastheyare created.
•Guardorcoveranyopenings orholesimmedi- ately.
•Constructallfloorholecoverssotheywilleffec- tivelysupport twotimestheweight ofemploy- ees,equipment,andmaterials thatmaybe imposed onthecoveratanyonetime.
•Ingeneral,itisbettertousefallpreventionsys- tems,suchasguardrails,thanfallprotectionsys- tems,suchassafetynetsorfallarrestdevices.
Ladders
Youriskfalling ifportable laddersarenotsafely positionedeachtimetheyareused.Whileyouare onaladder,itmaymoveandslipfromitssup- ports.Youcanalsoloseyourbalancewhilegetting onoroffanunsteadyladder.Fallsfromladders cancauseinjuries ranging fromsprainstodeath.
•Positionportable ladderssothesiderailsextend atleast3feetabovethelanding
•Securesiderailsatthetoptoarigidsupport anduseagrabdevicewhen3footextension isnotpossible.
•Makesurethattheweight ontheladderwillnot causeittoslipoffitssupport.
•Beforeeachuse,inspectladdersforcracked, broken,ordefectiveparts.
•Donotapplymoreweight ontheladderthanit isdesignedtosupport.
•Useonlyladdersthatcomply withOSHAstan- dards.
ThisisoneinaseriesofinformationalfactsheetshighlightingOSHAprograms,policiesor standards.Itdoesnotimposeanynewcompliancerequirements.Foracomprehensivelistof compliancerequirementsofOSHAstandardsorregulations, refertoTitle29oftheCodeofFederal Regulations.Thisinformationwillbemadeavailabletosensoryimpairedindividualsuponrequest. Thevoicephoneis(202)693-1999;teletypewriter(TTY)number: (877)889-5627.
ThinkSafety!
Formorecompleteinformation:
U.S.Department ofLabor (800)321-OSHA