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FallHazards

Introduction
Fallhazardsexistatmostconstructionworksitesexposingworkerstodangerous
workenvironmentsonadailybasis.Afallhazardisanythingthatmaycausea
person to lose his or her balance or bodily support resulting in a fall Any walking
persontolosehisorherbalanceorbodilysupportresultinginafall.Anywalking
orworkingsurfaceisapotentialfallhazard.

OSHAFallProtectionGuidelines
Constructionworkersworkonavarietyofelevatedworksurfaceswithuniquefallhazards.
Anyoneworkingataheightoffourfeetormoreisatriskforafall.
Therefore,OSHA:
Issuesregulationstoemployerstoensurethesafetyofworkers
Issues regulations to employers to ensure the safety of workers
Requiresemployerstoprovidefallprotectionforindividualsworking
ataheightofsixfeetorgreater,orabovedangerousequipmentormachinery.
Theseregulationsprovidespecificguidelinesfor:
Guardingfallhazards.
Usingladderssafely.
Constructingstairsproperly.
Assemblingandusingscaffoldssafely.

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OSHAFallProtectionRegulations
DuetoOSHAsrules,employersintheconstructionindustrymust:

Provideworkingconditionsthatarefreeofknowndangers.
Keep floors in work areas in a clean and sanitary condition
Keepfloorsinworkareasinacleanandsanitarycondition.
Selectandproviderequiredpersonalprotectiveequipmentatnocosttoworkers.
Trainworkersaboutjobhazardsinalanguagethattheycanunderstand.

FallProtectionMethods
Becauseofthedangersinworkingonelevatedsurfaces,itisimportantthat
constructionworkersusetherightequipmentandinformationtoStartSafe and
StaySafe andpreventfallsonworksites.
and prevent falls on work sites

Theprimarymethodsavailabletoprotectworkersfromfallhazardsare:
Fallprotectionequipment
Safeladderusage
Training

FallProtectionMethods
Takeafewmomentstoreviewthedefinitionsandmakesureyouunderstandthem.
Term
Guardrail

Definition
Consideredafallprevention systembecauseitstopsaperson
fromfallinginthefirstplace.
SafetyNetSystem Designedtocatchapersonandbreakhisorherfall.Mustbe
placeddirectlybelowtheworkingsurface,ifpossible,butnever
morethan30feetbelow.
PersonalFall
Consistsofananchor,connectors,andafullbodyharnessthat
ArrestSystem
worktogethertobreakafall.

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PreventingFallswithGuardrails
Whenthereareholesoropeningsinafloororwall,OSHAregulateshowemployers
mustprotectthesepotentialfallhazardsusingvarioustypesofguardsor
barriersintendedtopreventfalls.Themostcommonfallpreventionsystemisa
p
p
y
guardrailwhichisabarrieralongtheopensidesofstairwaysandplatformsthat
preventfalling.

PreventingFallswithGuardrails
TheOSHAsguardrailrequirementsareasfollows:
Openingscannotexceed19inches
Mustbesmoothenoughtoprotectworkersfromcutsandavoidsnaggingtheir
clothes
Screensandmeshmustextendfromthetoprailtotheworkinglevel
Guardrailsclosetoholesatpointsofaccess,likealadderway,requireagateto
preventsomeonefromfallingthroughthehole,orbeoffsetpreventingsomeone
fromwalkingintothehole
Wireropeguardrailsmustbeflaggedwithhighlyvisiblematerialsatleasteverysix
feet

SafetyNetGuidelines
Safetynetsystemsconsistofmeshnetsandconnectingcomponents.Whenan
employerusessafetynetsonaconstructionsite,heorshemust:

Install the net as close as possible below the working surface

Installthenetascloseaspossiblebelowtheworkingsurface.
Placethenetnomorethan30feetbelowtheworkingsurface.
Confirmthatthenetcanabsorbtheforceofafalling400poundbagofsand.
Verifythenethasaborderropewithaminimumstrengthof5,000lbs.
Inspecttheneteveryweekfordamageandafteranyeventthatcoulddamage
them.
Removeanypotentiallydangerousitemsimmediately.
UseOSHAsformulatodetermineifthenetsufficientlycoverstheworkingsurface.

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PersonalFallArrestSystems
Fallarrestisaformoffallprotectionthatinvolvesthesafestoppingofaperson
alreadyfalling.
Therearetwotypesoffallarrest:

Generalfallarrestsystem,suchassafetynets
Personalfallprotectionsystem,suchaslifelines

PersonalFallArrestSystems
Themostcommontypeoffallarrestinconstructionisthepersonalfallarrestsystem
(PFAS)alsocalledalifeline.PerOSHAsstandards,workersmustwearafullbody
harness one part of a PFAS when working:
harness,onepartofaPFAS,whenworking:

onasuspendedscaffold10feetorhigherabovetheworkingsurface,or
inabuckettruckoraeriallift.

EmployersmaychoosetouseaPFAS,insteadofaguardrail,whenworkersareona
supportedscaffoldmorethan10feetabovetheworkingsurface.

PersonalFallArrestSystems
APFASconsistsofananchor,fullbodyharness,andconnector.ManyPFASalsoinclude
adecelerationdevicewhichisasubsystemthatdissipatestheforcesassociated
withafallarrestevent.TheyareanintegraltoolinhelpingyouStartSafe
y
g
p gy
and
StaySafe.
AsimplewaytoremembertheprimarypartsofaPFASisbytheacronymABCwhich
standsfor
Anchor
Bodyharness
Connector

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PersonalFallArrestSystemsGuidelines
WhenworkingwithPFASbesureto:

Inspect your PFAS for damage each time before you wear it. If there are defects, or
InspectyourPFASfordamageeachtimebeforeyouwearit.Iftherearedefects,or
ifsomeonefellusingtheequipment,donotuseitandremovethisPFASfrom
service.
Makesurethatverticallifelinesorlanyardshaveaminimumbreakingstrengthof
5,000lbs.andcannotbecutorabraded.
Attacheachworkertohisorherownverticallifeline.
Verifythatthewebbingusedforropes,lifelinestraps,lanyards,andharnessesare
madeofsyntheticfibers.

PuttingonaPersonalFallArrestSystem
Thekeytoensuringapersonalfallarrestsystemprotectsaworkerfromafallisensuringheor
sheputsthePFASonproperly.So,letsreviewthecorrectwaytowearaPFAS.
Step
PFASInstructions
1
HoldontothetopshoulderstrapsortheDringonthebackandcheckto
ensurethatnosectionoftheharnessistwistedortangled.
2
Grasptheshoulderstrapsandslipintotheharnessasifyouwereputtingona
jacket.Checktoensurethateachshoulderstraplaysflatagainstthebody,and
thattherearenotwistsinthematerial.
3
Bucklethecheststrapbyconnectingthemalebuckletothefemalebuckle.
Whenitissecure,adjustthecheststrapuntilitrestscomfortablyacrossthe
chest.
4
Iftheharnesshasabeltattachment,buckleandadjustthebelt.Inspectthe
harnesstoensurethatthebeltpassedthroughalltheexistingbeltloops.
5
Reachbehindyourleftlegandgraspthelegstrap.Bringthestrapbetweenthe
legsandbucklesecurely.Repeatthisprocesswiththerightleg.
6
Afteryoubucklebothlegstraps,doublecheckallstrapstoensuretheyfit
properly.Thecheststrapshouldrestapproximatelysix(6)inchesbelowthetop
oftheshoulder,andtheDringonthebackoftheharnessshouldrestbetween
theshoulderblades.

PreventingFallsfromLadders
Laddersareoneofthemostcommonpiecesofequipmentonaconstructionsite.But
thatdoesnotmeantheyaresafe.Constructionworkersareinjuredorkilledfalling
fromaheighteveryday.Usingladdersmoresafelyisonewaytoreducethe
numberoffallsatyourworksiteandStartSafe
y
andStaySafe.
y
Keystopreventingafallfromaladderinclude:

Choosingtherightladderforthejob.
Tyingthetopandbottomoftheladdertofixedpointswhennecessary.
Keepingyourhandsfreeofcarryingtoolsorothermaterialswhenclimbinga
ladder.