Falls are the second leading cause of occupational fatalities and disabling injuries in the United States. Each year, over 500 workers die in fall-related accidents and over 300,000 workers suffer a disabling injury.
Fall protection is any means or system used to protect employees from falling from an elevated working/working surface. Fall protection involves the elimination, prevention, and/or control of fall hazards.
Fall Protection Equipment Is Divided into Two Categories:
One is fall prevention equipment. Guardrails and coverings at floor openings and safety-interlock gates on elevated platforms are designed to prevent falls. A body harness worn by workers can also be used to tether them to an area away from the fall hazard.
Fall arrest equipment is designed to save the worker if they fall. A worker may wear personal protective equipment consisting of a body harness and lanyard attached to a lifeline or an anchor point.
Fall Restraint:
Fall Restraint includes such item as guardrail or parapet walls. It can also consist of a personal fall restraint system, which keeps you from reaching an unprotected “fall” point. Guardrails are considered to a fall restraint type of fall protection.
Fall Arrest:
One type of appropriate fall protection equipment is the personal fall arrest system. The entire personal fall arrest system must be capable of withstanding the tremendous impact forces involved in a fall.
A personal fall arrest system includes a full body harness, a shock absorbing lanyard or a rope grab and vertical lifeline, and a sound anchorage able to support a load of 5,000 pounds.
CHANCE TAKERS ARE ACCIDENT MAKERS!!
Download flyer: STOTW_1331_Fall_Protection Download Spanish flyer: STOTW_1331_Fall_Protection_esp
