According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2012, there were 544 fall-related fatalities. Of those cases, about one in four occurred from a fall of 10 feet or fewer. This statistic suggests something rather stark: It doesn’t take a whole lot of distance for a workplace accident to be fatal. As the person responsible for safety at your factory, you’re likely aware of the gruesome statistics. But, are you fully informed of all the various ways that fall protection systems keep your personnel safe? Read more.

Rooftop fall protection is a necessity for keeping your workers safe while they perform tasks atop buildings. OSHA 1926.501(b)(1) states: “Unprotected sides and edges. Each employee on a walking/working surface (horizontal and vertical surface) with an unprotected side or edge which is 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above a lower level shall be protected from falling by the use of guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems.”  Read more.

Fall arrest systems are designed as a safety backup mechanism when a worker must be exposed to a fall hazard in order to accomplish assigned tasks. When the worker needs to be able to move along either a horizontal or vertical plane, lifelines are used to protect the worker. The lifelines can be constructed using either cable or fixed-track. Read more.

Does your facility feature elevated work areas, unstable walking or working spaces, unprotected edges, floor holes or wall openings?

If so, there are safety-netting solutions to help ensure your workers – along with pedestrians and nearby structures – are safe from this large variety of fall hazards.

There are, however, places where it’s most important to make sure these solutions are in place:               Read more.

As a facility manager in charge of worker safety on elevated job sites, it’s important to understand the differences between OSHA regulations and ANSI standards when developing your fall protection program.

By understanding these differences, you are better able to:

• Avoid stringent fines for non-compliance;
• Reduce fall hazards and related accidents;
• Improve worker safety and productivity; and
• Decrease lofty workers’ compensation claims.

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Conducting annual lifeline inspections goes hand in hand with proper training of your workers. Your equipment isn’t protecting anyone when it has missing, worn or defective components. Worse, it can create an unwarranted illusion of security. Installing fall protection equipment in your workplace is a great first step towards keeping your employees working at heights safe from fall hazards. Read more.

A rescue plan is critical to any well-managed fall protection program, but it is an often-overlooked factor. Having a plan in place is necessary for any organization with workers at height. No one wants to see a co-worker hurt. Every employee working at a height must be prepared to act quickly in the event of an accident, specifically, because suspension trauma starts to set in within minutes. Read more.

While a comprehensive or strategic fall prevention or protection plan is certainly admirable, advantageous and the right long-term solution, it’s not always practical to implement all at once. The implementation of a complete solution is often a costly and time-consuming undertaking.

Do you have to implement a comprehensive solution all at once, or piecemeal the installation? Read more.

As a facility manager in charge of worker safety, you know that when you have employees working from elevated areas, fall protection is essential. The potential for an accident to result in a serious injury or even death is very real.

Comprehensive fall protection for your workers requires more than simply installing safety equipment at elevated work areas. Without the proper training to instill best practices, your employees remain at risk.

The following six tips illustrate why your fall protection system is only as good as the instruction your workers receive.

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Fall prevention encompasses every kind of equipment and application that is specifically set up to keep a person from falling in the first place. The purpose of prevention equipment is to eliminate or control the possibility of a person moving into a dangerous area. Fall arrest protection, on the other hand, is the backup system for someone who must enter a dangerous area and could lose their balance while working at height. The purpose of protection equipment is to eliminate or minimize injury potential.

Coach Vince Lombardi said, “It’s not whether you fall down. It’s whether you get back up.” We agree with Coach Lombardi that, in life, getting back up is important. However, in the case of elevated work situations, whether you fall in the first place is equally, if not more, important. There are different mitigation techniques, depending on the hazard.

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