Fall Protection

In the construction industry falls are one of the major causes of work-related injuries and deaths. To keep workers safe, OSHA had enacted numerous rules, regulations and practices for working at elevated heights. Such practices include, fall elimination (finding ways to perform the task without working at heights), fall prevention (placing barricades at the edge where a fall hazard could occur), fall arrest (use of protective equipment to control the fall of a worker), and administrative controls (placing warning lines or safety observers near edges and at heights). One of the protective equipment required by OSHA is the use of safety harnesses, which can be worn when working on elevated surfaces to prevent serious injuries.

When wearing a safety harness, you should always keep the following in mind:

• Always be tied off when working 6 feet or higher.

• Always tie off to a steady structure at a proper height above you, and select an acceptable anchor point.

• Make sure your harness is fastened correctly: all straps are fitted snug around the body, the D-ring is on the back, centered between the shoulder blades.

• Always inspect your safety harness and lanyard before use.

In combination with providing personal safety equipment, such as safety harnesses, employers should provide workers with hands-on safety training and be vigilant regarding safety practices, not only to follow OSHA guidelines, but also to ensure the well-being and safety of their workers.