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Controls for workplace fall hazards
This article is about fall protection in the workplace. For prevention of domestic falls in older adults, see Fall prevention.
Fall protection is the use of controls designed to protect personnel from falling or in the event they do fall, to stop them without causing severe injury. Typically, fall protection is implemented when working at height, but may be relevant when working near any edge, such as near a pit or hole, or performing work on a steep surface. Many of these incidents are preventable when proper precautions are taken, making fall protection training not only critical, but also required for all construction workers. Fall Protection for Construction identifies common hazards and explains important safety practices to help ensure every team member is prepared to recognize fall hazards on the job and understand how to keep themselves and others safe.
There are four generally accepted categories of fall protection: fall elimination, fall prevention, fall arrest and administrative controls. In 2021, there were 5,190 fatal workplace injuries in the United States alone, with 680 (approximately 13%) resulting from falls from elevations.The American Society of Safety Professionals stated that falls account for 80.1% of the slips, trips, and fall category. The World Health Organization reported that fall is the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths worldwide, with an estimated 684,000 individuals dying annually due to falls. statutes, standards and regulations in the United States pertaining to the requirements for employers to provide fall protection are administered by OSHA.
Falls in the workplace
Falls from elevations were the fourth leading cause of workplace death , In 2022, nearly 1 in 5 workplace deaths occurred in the construction industry, with 38.4% of these fatalities due to falls, slips, and trips.
Falls are a concern for oil and gas workers, many of whom must work high on a derrick. A study of falls over the period 2005–2014 found that in 86% of fatal falls studied, fall protection was required by regulation, but it was not used, was used improperly, or the equipment failed. Many of the fatalities were because, although the workers were wearing harnesses, they neglected to attach them to an anchor point.
Additionally, falls are the leading cause of death among construction workers in the United States. Moreover, Hispanics face a disproportionate burden of fatalities from falls, as well as small business contractors. Nevertheless, falls can be preventable through trainings, correct use of personal protective equipment and the implementation of hierarchy of controls.
Types of fall protection
In most work-at-height environments, multiple fall protection measures are used concurrently.
Fall elimination
Fall elimination is often the preferred way of providing fall protection. This entails finding ways of completing tasks without working at heights. Although this solution is highly recommended, job performance may have an impact on whether this route is even possible or would be affected enough for the employees. One example of elimination is to moving equipment to a lower location, this will make it easier for any employee that needs to use the equipment for repairs or maintenance without having possession of a lift or ladder. The main challenge with using elimination for fall protections is figuring out what change is need for the practice, procedures, or location of the equipment that is exposed to fall hazards.
Fall prevention
Fall prevention will be used when working from elevated areas are unavoidable, the most efficient way to protect employees from fall injuries or casualties is to prevent them from being able to fall from the start. There are passive and safety systems that are put in place to aid fall prevention, some examples are listed down below. Aside from having elevated locations, hazardous machinery and open holes install fall prevention equipment around and in them, OSHA also required that all workplace apply the following:
Decrease the total amount of know dangers in the workplace
Housekeeping (keep the work areas clear, dry, and clean)
All employees should be well trained on identifying fall hazards and how to properly use the fall protection equipment that is provided for them.
Passive Fall Prevention
This is a system that is stationary, non-dynamic, and can't move, change, or adapt when it is being used.
Fall guarding is the use of guard rails or other barricades to prevent a person from falling. These barricades are placed near an edge where a fall-hazard can occur, or to surround a weak surface (such as a skylight on a roof) which may break when stepped on.
Fall Guarding Opening and hole covers, netting systems.
Active Fall Prevention
This system involves the worker to be active participating and either for it to function or do its job to protect the worker.
Fall protection safety harnesses are designed to keep the users body attached to their lanyard.
Hole and Open CoversFall restraint is a class of personal protective equipment to prevent persons who are in a fall hazard area from falling, e.g., fall restraint lanyards. Typically, fall restraint will physically prevent a worker from approaching edges.
Fall arrest is an active form of fall protection which main purpose is to stop a person from falling and the fall impact on the ground after they had fallen. These fall arrest assist of harness, single or multiple anchor points, and a self- retracting lifeline or safety lanyard.
Full Body Safety Harnesses
Administrative controls
Administrative controls are used along with other measures, but they do not physically prevent a worker from going over an edge. Examples of administrative controls include placing a safety observer or warning line near an edge, or enforcing a safety policy which trains workers and requires them to adhere to other fall protection measures, or prohibiting any un-restrained worker from approaching an edge.
Future Directions in Fall Protection
The future of fall protection is being transformed using advanced technologies such as camera footages, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and geofencing. Camera-based system combined with artificial intelligence (AI) can monitor worksites in real time, identifying potential fall hazards/Unsafe acts/Unsafe conditions and notifying workers and management before any mishappening. AR and VR are revolutionizing worker training needs by offering breathtaking simulations that allow workers to practice using fall arrest equipment and get used to heights/hazardous environments safely. For Example, the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) has developed a VR Fall Protection Experience based on the ANSI/ASSP Z359 Fall Protection and Arrest standard, placing trainees in realistic scenario to identify common fall hazards.
Geofencing is a technology that creates virtual boundaries around the periphery of hazardous area, restricted areas and floor openings etc. and automatically triggering alerts (mails/SMS/App notifications or buzzer alarm) whenever workers approach these zones without proper protective measures (PPE detection). This proactive approach ensures that safety protocols are adhered on field in real time. Also, wearable devices equipped with IoT capabilities can recognize and monitors a worker's movements and environmental condition, providing immediate feedback and datasets to cloud in real time and alerts to prevent falls. These advancements in technologies not only enhance worker safety but also offer data-driven insights and analytics to improve workplace health safety. As these technologies continue to grow, they hold the promise of significantly reduce fall-related incidents removing unsafe conditions and eliminating unsafe acts in various industries.
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