Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
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.
1/3/2014
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.
1/3/2014
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:
1/3/2014
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
1/3/2014
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.