fall protection in construction © blr ® —business & legal resources association members...

Fall Protection in Construction

© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources

Association Members Workers’ Compensation Trust

Safety Awareness For Everyone from Cove Risk Services


Session Objectives

You will be able to:– Recognize fall hazards and identify when fall

protection is needed

– Use basic fall protection systems

– Prevent objects from falling

– Inspect personal fall arrest systems

– Rescue yourself and others from falls


Fall Statistics

– Leading cause of construction industry fatalities

– 700 workers killed each year

– 100,000 workers injured each year

– 40% of construction industry injuries are related to falls


Fall Protection Regulation

29 CFR 1926.500 to 1926.503– Construction sites

– All workers who might be exposed to fall hazards

– Recognize fall hazards and follow training procedures to minimize fall hazard

– Scaffolds, cranes and derricks, steel erection, tunneling, electrical transmission, and ladders and stairways not covered here


Employer Requirements

– Assess site conditions

– Select fall protection– Install fall protection

systems– Follow safe work

procedures– Train workers


Recognize Free Fall Hazards

– Edges– Sloping surfaces– Ladders– Holes or openings– Tools and

equipment

Image credit: State of WA-WISHA Services


When Is Fall Protection Needed?

– 6 feet or more above a lower level

– Hazard of falling into dangerous equipment

– Specific areas or activities

– While walking and working surfaces are being inspected


Fall Hazards —Any Questions?

– Do you understand the hazards of falls and fall protection requirements?


Fall Protection Systems

– Fall prevention (restraint) systems

– Fall arrest systems


Fall Prevention —Safe Work Practices

– Keep area clean

– Look

– Listen

– Use fall protection

– Avoid dropping objects

– Never run


Fall Prevention Systems and Practices

– Positioning device system — harness

– Guardrails

– Warning line systems

– Safety monitoring systems

– Controlled access zones (CAZs)

– Covers

– Protection from falling objects


Positioning Device System — Harness

– Harness connected by a lanyard to an anchor as fall restraint

– Allows movement around worksite

– Prevents going over the edge



Guardrail Systems

– Most common protection to restrain workers from falls

– Top rail withstand 200-pound force

– Midrail withstand 150-pound force

– Toeboard withstand 50-pound force


Guardrail Systems (cont.)

– Smooth, no projections– Fall arrest system

required when guardrails are removed

– Guards unprotected openings, excavations, and ramps



Warning Line System

– Warns workers to stay away from fall hazards

– Consists of ropes, wires, chains

– Flagged every 6 feet– Must be 34-39 inches

above working surface– Erected around all sides

of roof work area at least 6 feet from edge


Warning Line System (cont.)

– Stanchions must not tip over easily

– Workers must be trained to stay out

– Work outside the line requires another fall arrest system


Safety Monitor System

– Monitors and warns workers

– Recognizes fall hazards– Communicates with

workers– No other duties– Keeps unauthorized

workers away– Workers must comply

with safety monitor



Controlled Access Zones

– Regulated work areas without conventional fall protection systems

– Combination warning line and safety monitor systems

– Limited access to qualified employees

– Allow leading edge work without fall protection systems

– Designated and clearly marked work areas

– Lines run the length of the unprotected edge


Hole Covers

– Prevents worker or worker’s body part from penetrating a walking or working surface

– Required for all holes equal or greater than 2 inches wide

– Twice the load of people or equipment

– Secured to prevent accidental displacement

– Color-coded, or marked with “HOLE” or “COVER”


Prevent Objects From Falling

– Use screens or panels to prevent tools or equipment from falling on workers

– Store materials 4 feet from edge

– For roofing work, store material 6 feet from edge

– Use canopies strong enough to prevent collapse and prevent penetration

– Keep areas barricaded where objects are likely to fall


Prevent Objects From Falling (cont.)

– Use toeboards

– Keep tools, materials, and debris picked up

– Don’t throw objects down to lower levels

– Wear a hard hat


Fall Prevention—Any Questions?

– Do you understand basic fall restraint systems: guardrails, harnesses, controlled access zones, warning lines, hole covers, safety monitoring, or preventing objects from falling?


Fall Arrest—Safety Net System

– Nets intended to catch falling workers

– Installed under working surface

– 30 feet or less below workers

– Inspect regularly

– Sufficient clearance

– Remove fallen items


Personal Fall Arrest System — Harness

– Harness distributes arresting forces

– Harness for fall arrest, positioning, or suspension

– Body belt is not part of a fall arrest system


Effective Personal Fall Arrest System

– Maximum arresting force of 1,800 lbs.

– Free fall no more than 6 feet

– Avoid contact with a lower level

– Max deceleration distance of 3.5 feet

– Designed to withstand twice the impact forces


Fall Arrest System — Connectors

– Connectors (snaphooks and rings) attach the lanyard to the anchor and harness

– Ensure that snaphooks lock in place

– Non-locking snaphooks are prohibited


Fall Arrest System — Connectors (cont.)

Snaphook don’ts:– Webbing or rope– Another snaphook– D-ring with another

snaphook attached– Horizontal lifeline– Object incompatible in

shape or dimension



Fall Arrest System — Lanyard

– Flexible line with connector that connects harness to the anchor

– Often contains a deceleration device

– No knots or wrapping around sharp objects


Fall Arrest System — Lifeline

– Lifelines connect personal fall arrest system to anchor

– Vertical — hang from one anchor point

– Horizontal — stretched between two anchor points

– Ropes and straps made of synthetic fibers

– Protect against being cut or abraded


Fall Arrest System — Deceleration Device

– Dissipates energy during fall arrest

– Rip-stitch, tearing, or stretching lanyard

– Rope grab device– Retracting lifelines

or lanyards– Lanyard required

where there is no deceleration device


Fall Arrest System — Anchors

– Secure point of attachment for lifeline, lanyard, or deceleration device

– Withstand 5,000 pound force per person

– Anchor point above you– Ask if unsure about

proper anchor points


Inspect Personal Fall Arrest Systems

– Inspect before each use

– Check D-rings

– Check ropes, straps, tongue-buckle

– Ensure that parts move freely

– Remove defective components


Rescue Plan

– Safely rescue worker in the shortest time possible

– Blood pulls in legs when suspended, leading to fainting

– If suspended in a harness• Push legs against objects for blood flow• Raise legs if possible


Questions?

– Do you understand the information on fall arrest systems?


What’s Wrong Here?

– Identify the fall hazards

– What fall protection is missing?


Key Points to Remember

– Recognize fall hazards

– Use and operate fall protection systems

– Implement safe work practices

– Inspect fall protection systems

– Protect from falling objects

– Rescue

Association Members Workers’ Compensation Trust

Safety Awareness For Everyone from Cove Risk Services

fall protection in construction © blr ® —business & legal resources association members...

Documents

fall hazardscaffolds

fall restraintallows

fall hazardsconsists

protection requirements

construction sitesall

hazards of falls

projectionsfall arrest

state of wa