Safety Focus: Fall Protection
April 15, 2024
Fall protection, or lack of it, is the greatest cause of injuries and deaths on the jobsite almost every year. The Bureau of Labor Statistics supports this grim statement, citing that more than a third of all 1,069 construction employee deaths in 2022 were a result of worksite falls.
Despite these high numbers, injuries and deaths related to falls are also one of the easiest workplace incidents to prevent.
Falls Occur in a Variety of Workplace Situations
Fall protection covers a wide spectrum of jobsite situations, involving stairs, ladders, scaffolding, rooftops and more. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) addresses a variety of fall protection standards and resources including:
- Areas Covered and Training (Standard 1910.21 -1910.30)
- Fall Protection Systems (Standard 1910.140)
- Construction Jobsite Information (Standard 1926.500 – 1926.503)
Most slips, trips and falls are due to lack of awareness of surroundings, not paying attention or working in unsafe conditions. Fall-related incidents make up four of the top 10 OSHA-cited violations:
- Fall Protection
- Scaffolding
- Ladders
- Lack of training
Plan. Provide. Train.
With proper training and focus on the job at hand, almost all these accidents/incidents can be mitigated or avoided all together.
OSHA’s Plan. Provide. Train. campaign offers a variety of educational resources and materials including wallet cards, posters, websites, phone apps and more and are great references both for workers and employers. The materials are available in languages including English, Spanish, Russian, Polish and Portuguese.
Go Home Safe and Healthy!
Employers, it is your duty (and liability) to make sure all workers are educated, trained, checked and supplied with proper safety equipment.
Workers, your job is to take the training seriously and apply it at every jobsite.
If everyone works together, we will have a better, safer, happier workplace and home life.
Gary Giesen, CLMC CALT, is Principal Master Electrician and Field Quality Lead for EMC. In addition to a passion for Safety, Gary brings more than 40 years of Safety/EMS experience, with more than 20 years as an OSHA 10/30 Instructor, and almost 30 years as an EMT and CPR instructor.
