Module 3: Fall Protection

Course Description

Falls are the leading cause of deaths in the construction industry. Each year, on average, between 150 and 200 workers are killed and more than 100,000 injured because of falls at construction sites. OSHA’s construction industry safety standard for fall protection 29 CFR, Subpart M, outlines systems and procedures designed to prevent employees from falling off, onto, or through working levels and to protect employees from being struck by falling objects. This 1-hour interactive online course provides information to assist the learner in the identification, avoidance, and control of hazards in the workplace. While workers may need additional training based on OSHA standards and the specific hazards of their jobs, RedVector’s Worksite Safety courses can help inject entry-level workers with critical knowledge on a variety of OSHA-regulated safety and health topics.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of the lesson, participants will be able to:

• Identify major fall hazards
• Describe types of fall hazards
• Protect him/herself from fall hazards
• Recognize employer requirements to protect workers from fall hazards

Introduction
No matter which way you slice it, falls are still the leading cause of death in the construction trade. Each year, on average, between 150 and 200 workers are killed and more than 100,000 injured because of falls at construction sites.
Falls of as little as 4 to 6 feet can cause serious injuries, significant loss of productivity (for instance, if a worker breaks an arm or leg) and even death (for instance, if a worker falls and hits his head on cement or breaks his neck). In 2009, according to BLS, falls accounted for more than one third of fatal occupational injuries in construction (34%). Nearly half (48%) of all fatal falls in private industry involved construction workers.
OSHA’s construction industry safety standard for fall protection (29 Code of Federal Regulations, Subpart M, Fall Protection, 1926.500, 1926.501, 1926.502, and 1926.503) outlines systems and procedures designed to prevent employees
from falling off, onto, or through working levels and to protect employees from being struck by falling objects.
Since there are so many different circumstances that can comprise fall hazards for a worker, there is no one set of rules that apply to every site or every situation. Therefore, the issue of how to best protect employees in diverse situations is not a simple one.
OSHA has acknowledged that accidents involving falls are “generally complex events frequently involving a variety of factors.” Thus, the standard for fall protection takes into consideration not just the equipment-related issues in protecting workers from fall hazards but also the human element – how people tend to work, perhaps cut corners, and react.
Accidents themselves most often involve a number of factors, including unstable working surfaces, misuse of fall protection equipment, and human error. Studies have shown that the use of guardrails, fall arrest systems, safety nets, covers, and travel restriction systems can prevent many deaths and injuries from falls.
The OSHA Construction standard mandates that any time a worker can fall six feet or more to a lower level, the worker is at risk and needs to be protected.
Most fatalities, however, happen when workers fall from open-sided floors or through floor openings.
OSHA ground rules have established that employers and employees need to do
the following:

• Where protection is required, select fall protection systems appropriate for
  given situations.