Falls are consistently among the leading causes of death in construction, and fall protection is one of the standards OSHA cites most often. Most of the decisions that prevent a fall are made long before anyone reaches the edge — in planning, scheduling and procurement.
Know the trigger height
In construction, OSHA generally requires fall protection when employees are exposed to a fall of 6 feet or more to a lower level (29 CFR 1926.501). Other trigger heights apply in specific situations, such as scaffolds and general industry work, and many owners and general contractors set stricter site rules. Find out which rules apply to your project before work begins.
Follow the hierarchy of controls
- Eliminate the exposure: prefabricate at ground level, use extended-reach tools, or design permanent guardrails into the structure.
- Prevent the fall with passive systems: guardrails, covers and safety nets.
- Restrain the worker: travel restraint systems that keep a worker from reaching the edge.
- Arrest the fall: personal fall arrest systems, which require anchorage, a rescue plan and trained users.
Plan these items in advance
- Leading edges and openings: how floor holes and openings will be covered, secured and labeled as the structure goes up.
- Anchorage: where anchors will be, who approves them and when they will be installed.
- Equipment: the right harnesses, connectors and self-retracting lifelines for the work — including leading-edge-rated devices where needed.
- Ladders and access: the right ladder, scaffold or aerial lift for each task.
- Rescue: how a fallen worker will be rescued promptly. A harness without a rescue plan is not a complete system.
- Training: workers exposed to fall hazards must be trained by a competent person to recognize and minimize those hazards (29 CFR 1926.503).
How we help
Fidelity Safety Group supports fall protection planning through jobsite inspections, JHA/AHA review and fall protection awareness training for crews and supervisors. Request a consultation.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Always follow the specific requirements of the current OSHA standards, your contract and your site safety program.