Workplace falls are a persistent threat to worker safety, ranking as a leading cause of severe injuries and fatalities across many industries. Slips, trips, and falls are a primary cause of occupational injuries that result in lost workdays, and for the construction industry, falls are the number one cause of death. Employers have a legal and ethical obligation to create a work environment where employees are not exposed to these dangers. This requires identifying potential fall hazards and implementing effective protective measures to mitigate them.
Implement Engineering Controls
The most effective strategy to protect workers from falls is to implement engineering controls, which are modifications to the workplace that eliminate the hazard at its source. These controls are a first line of defense because they provide passive protection, meaning they do not depend on worker behavior to be effective. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) mandates fall protection at specific heights—four feet in general industry and six feet in construction—making these physical barriers a common requirement.
Guardrail systems are a primary example of an engineering control. They are installed around the perimeters of roofs, mezzanines, balconies, and any floor opening to create a physical barrier. When guardrails are impractical, safety net systems can be used. These nets are positioned below the work area to catch a worker in the event of a fall, absorbing the impact and preventing them from hitting the surface below.
Another engineering control is using covers for holes and openings in floors and walls. Skylights, service pits, and temporary openings must be secured with a cover capable of supporting at least twice the weight of employees, equipment, and materials on it. These covers must be secured to prevent accidental displacement and marked to warn workers of the hazard.
Provide Personal Fall Protection Systems
When engineering controls are not feasible, employers must provide personal fall protection systems. The most common is the Personal Fall Arrest System (PFAS), a set of equipment designed to safely stop a worker who is already falling. A PFAS arrests a fall in progress, preventing the individual from striking a lower level. Proper use of these systems is required when working at heights where other protections are absent.
A complete Personal Fall Arrest System consists of three main components, often remembered by the acronym ABC.
Anchorage
The anchorage is the secure point of attachment for the system. Per OSHA regulations, anchorages must be capable of supporting at least 5,000 pounds per worker attached. Alternatively, they can be part of a complete system designed by a qualified person that maintains a safety factor of at least two. This point can be a structural element like an I-beam or a specifically engineered anchor point.
Body Harness
The body wear component is a full-body harness designed to distribute the forces from a fall across the thighs, pelvis, waist, chest, and shoulders. This distribution helps prevent serious internal injuries that could occur if the force were concentrated in one area. The harness features a D-ring on the back between the shoulder blades, which serves as the connection point.
Connector
The connector links the body harness to the anchorage point. Connectors can be lanyards, often with shock absorbers to decrease impact forces, or self-retracting lifelines (SRLs). SRLs pay out and retract automatically, allowing for greater movement while keeping the potential fall distance to a minimum. All components must be inspected before each use to ensure they are free of damage or deterioration.
Ensure Safe Work Practices and Procedures
Beyond physical equipment, establishing safe work practices and administrative procedures is part of a fall protection plan. These practices manage how employees perform their tasks and interact with their environment to minimize risk. They are the rules and routines that govern daily operations to ensure safety is an active consideration.
A primary element of safe work practices is good housekeeping. Work areas must be kept clean, orderly, and dry to prevent same-level falls. This involves promptly cleaning up spills, keeping walkways clear of clutter and tools, and ensuring cords do not create tripping hazards. Maintaining a tidy workspace can significantly reduce the frequency of slips and trips.
Proper procedures for using equipment like ladders and scaffolding are also necessary. For ladders, this includes maintaining three points of contact at all times, setting the ladder at the correct 1:4 angle, and never overreaching. Scaffolding must be erected on stable ground, inspected by a competent person before each work shift, and workers must use designated access points and never overload the platform.
Conduct Comprehensive Worker Training
Providing equipment and establishing safe procedures is insufficient if workers do not understand how to use them correctly. Employers must provide a training program for every employee who might be exposed to a fall hazard. This training must be delivered by a qualified person and enable each worker to recognize fall hazards and know the procedures to follow to minimize them.
The training curriculum should cover the nature of fall hazards present in the work area. It must include instruction on the correct procedures for erecting, maintaining, and inspecting the fall protection systems being used. Employees must be trained to properly use, inspect, and store their personal fall protection equipment.
Training is not a one-time event. Retraining is required whenever there are changes in the workplace that present new fall hazards, or when new types of fall protection equipment are introduced. If an employee is observed using fall protection systems improperly, retraining is needed. All training must be provided in a language and vocabulary that the workers can understand.