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Objectives

• Identify common fall hazards

• Know when to provide fall protection
• Discuss hierarchy of controls for fall
hazards

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STATISTICS
Falls are the number one cause of fatalities in the construction
industry.
• Falls 33%
• Struck By 18%
• Caught In 18%
• Electrical 17%
In 2004, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 1,224 workplace
fatalities resulted from falls with more than 100,000 injured.
Data from US BLS

STATISTICS

• 40% of fall fatalities were from heights over 40 ft.

• 25% of fall fatalities were from heights of 20-30 ft.
• 25% of fall fatalities were from heights of 11-20 ft.

Most falls occur on scaffolds or roofs.

Data from US BLS

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Fatal Falls Most Often From

Non-moving
Vehicles 5%
Other 20%

Floors, Loading
Docks, Ground
Level 1%

Roofs 36%

Scaffolds 17%
Structural Steel
4%
Ladders 17%

Data from US BLS

Identifying
and Evaluating
Fall Hazards

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Fall Hazards
A fall hazard is any condition in the construction
workplace which exposes an employee to an
unprotected fall that may result in injury or death.

1. Fall from an elevation

2. Fall on same level
3. Being struck by falling
object

Common Injuries Associated with

Falls from Height
Falls from height can result in;
• fractures
• serious head injuries
• in some cases, death
It is therefore, essential that special care is
taken to protect workers when they are
working at height.

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Elevated locations which require

increased fall hazard awareness
 Scaffolds
 Ladders
 Roofs
 Open sides & edges
 Excavations
 Bridges Falls from any of these
 Floor openings locations may occur while
 Form works accessing, climbing,
traveling, or working.

Duty to Have Fall Protection

Fall protection is required when one or more
employees have exposure to falls of six
feet or greater to the lower level.

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Unsafe Practices
and some
Common Hazards
at Elevated Workplaces

Working Unsafely at the Edge of Roof

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Excavations

Wall Openings

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Unsafe Floor Opening

No Stair Rails

No stair rail along each

unprotected side or
edge.

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Hierarchy of Fall Hazard Control

• Eliminate the fall hazard
• Prevent / prohibit exposure to fall
• Control the fall

Eliminating the fall hazard

(from elevated work-area)

Fall hazards can be eliminated

through engineering controls
and/or alternative work methods.

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Engineering Control
Performing as much work on the ground
as possible to eliminate the hazard of
climbing/working at elevation.
Examples:
1. Assembling guardrail systems at
ground level rather than at elevation.
2. Maximize pre-assembly of structural
components on the ground.

Alternative Work Methods

Example:
Use of radio communication for signaling
instead of employees hanging over the
edge giving signals

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Preventing employee
exposure
Fall prevention methods include:
 Use of a properly erected scaffoldings
 Protecting openings with covers or
guardrails
 Providing leading edges with guardrails
 Providing proper access to elevated work
area using standard ladders and stairs with
handrails
 Use of fall restraint system

1064.03: Manholes and Other Openings:

(1) Manhole floor openings shall be guarded by

manhole covers of adequate strength, which need not
be hinged.

(2) Other floor openings into which persons can

accidentally walk shall be guarded either by
permanent railings and toeboards on all exposed sides
or by hinged-floor opening covers of adequate
strength.

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Guarding Floor Openings

Guardrail
• A guardrail is a permanent or portable
horizontal structural system consisting
of a top rail, mid-rail and toe board
secured to vertical posts intended to
stop a worker from inadvertently
stepping off a working level and falling
to a level below. May be of wood or
pipe material.

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Rule 1064.04 Construction of Railings

(1) All railings shall be permanently constructed of wood, pipe,

structural metal or other material of sufficient strength.
(2) Standard railings shall be at least 1 meter (3.3 ft.) from the
floor level to the upper surface of the top rail.
(3) Standard railings shall have posts not more than 2 meters
(6.6 ft.) apart and an intermediate rail halfway between the top
rail and the floor.
(4) The dimensions of railings and posts anchorage and
framing of members shall be such that the completed structure
shall be capable of withstanding a load of at least 100 kgs. (220
lbs.) applied from any direction to any point of the top rail.

Rule 1964.05 Construction of Toeboards

1) Toe boards shall be at least 15 cm. in height.

2) Toe boards may be made of wood, iron, steel or other
equivalent material.
3) Toe boards shall be securely fastened in place, with not more
than 6 mm. clearance above the floor level.

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Safe Construction of Stairs

Rule 1065.07 Railings
Item (1) All stairs having four or more risers shall be equipped with
stair railings on any open side.
Item (4) Stairs railings shall be constructed in a permanent and
sufficient manner of wood, pipe, structural metal or other materials of
adequate strength.
Item (5) The height of the stair railings from the upper surface of the
top rail to the tread in line with the face of the riser at a forward edge
of the tread shall not be more than 90 cm. or less than 80 cm.
Item (6) Handrails shall be continuous throughout a flight of stairs
and at landings without obstruction other than those intended to
prevent persons from sliding.
Item (10) The completed structure shall be capable of withstanding a
load of at least 100 kgs. applied in any direction at any point of the
trail.

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LADDER SAFETY
Ladder Angle
Non-self-supporting ladders:
(which lean against a wall or
other support)

 Position at an angle
where the horizontal
distance from the top
support to the foot of the
ladder is 1/4 the working
length of the ladder

Painting Wood Ladders

Don’t paint ladders

Don’t use an opaque

covering (like
varnish) on a wood
ladder

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LADDER INSPECTION
Inspect ladders before each use.
• All rungs and steps are free of oil, grease, dirt,
etc.
• All fittings are tight.
• Spreaders or other locking devices are in place.
• Non-skid safety feet are in place.
• No structural defects, all support braces intact.

FIVE RULES OF LADDER SAFETY

1. Select the right ladder for the job.
2. Inspect ladder before you use it.
3. Setup the ladder with care.
4. Climb and descend ladders cautiously.
• Face ladder and hold on with both hands.
• Carry tools on belt or raise and lower with hand line.
• Check shoes and rungs for slippery surfaces.
5. Use safe practices when working on a ladder.
• Always hold on with one hand and never reach too far to
either side or rear to maintain balance.
• Never climb higher than second step from top on a
stepladder or third from the top on a straight ladder.
• Never attempt to move, shift, or extend ladder while in use.

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Fall Restraint Systems

Travel Restraint System – is an

assembly composed of body belt and
proper accessories that prevent a
worker from traveling to an edge where
the occurrence of a fall may happen.

Use of Body Belts

Effective January 1, 1998, body
belts are prohibited as a fall arrest
device. (OSHA)
Body belts can still be used as a
travel restraining device.

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Fall Restraint Systems

Use to prevent the user from reaching an
area where free-fall could occur (e.g. leading
edge roof work)

Controlling the fall

Least desirable method of protection because it

minimizes the consequences of a fall rather than
preventing its occurrence
Should only be considered after determining that
the fall hazard cannot be eliminated or the
possibility of falling prevented

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Fall Arrest Systems

Protect you AFTER you fall by stopping

the fall before you hit the surface below

Requires the use of personal fall protection

equipment or a safety net to prevent a
complete fall

Slide 37

components of a personal fall

arrest system

Rope/Lanyard

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Full-Body
Harness

It consists of straps passed over the shoulders, across the

chest, and around the legs. In a fall, a full body harness
protects you more than a safety belt, because it distributes
the force of impact over a greater area of your body.

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Anchor
A secure point of attachment capable of
withstanding the anticipated forces
applied during a fall
Shall be located above the worker

► Anchoring Points Non-Anchor Points

– Structural Members  Guardrails

– Imbedded Eyebolts  Railings
 Ladders
 Scaffoldings
 Ductworks/Pipe Vents
 Conduit/Plumbing
 C-clamps
 Roof stacks, vents,
fans

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Lifeline
- is an independent length of synthetic
fiber or steel wire rope attached to a point
of anchorage at one or both ends. It is
used to guide a fall arrest device.

Horizontal Lifeline

 Consists of a fixed rail or synthetic fiber rope or

wire rope rigged between two substantial
anchor points
 Allows a worker to move horizontally

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Vertical
Lifeline

An independent length of
synthetic fiber or steel wire rope
attached to a point of
anchorage. It is used to guide a
fall arrest device.
It allows a worker to move
vertically on an aerial lift device.

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Lanyard
Flexible line of webbing or a synthetic rope
used to secure a body belt or full body harness
to a lifeline or anchor
Inspect the lanyard
before each use

Shock-absorbing Lanyards - Extend deceleration distance

during a fall, significantly reducing fall arresting forces by 65
to 80 percent (below the threshold of injury).

Make certain the lanyard is the proper length to allow the

necessary worker movement and positioning.

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Shock absorber
A shock absorber slows and
cushions the fall, reducing the
force of stopping the fall.
Warning: The shock absorber
may increase the length of the
lanyard by as much as 1.2 m
(4 ft)during a fall. Allow for this
extra fall distance when you
include a a shock absorber in
your personal fall protection
system.

15.5 16.5
feet

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Swing fall hazard

If involved in a fall with an
anchorage point that is not
positioned directly overhead, a
swing fall or pendulum effect
will occur.
Striking an object while swinging
can lead to serious injury. It is
very important to position your
anchorage point directly
overhead whenever possible to
minimize swing falls.

Accessories of a Fall-Arrest System

SNAP HOOKS Carabiner

Must be locking type

Buckles
D-Ring

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After A Fall
• Immediately remove from service all
equipment used to arrest the fall. You
cannot use the equipment again until it’s
been inspected and approved by the
manufacturer or other approved agent, or
by a professional engineer.

Safety Net/Mesh
Constructed of materials of sufficient
strength to catch a falling person or debris
Sufficient tension and clearance to prevent
a falling person against contacting any
surface or structure below the net
Inspected at least once a week for wear,
damage and other deterioration
Place as close as possible and no more
than 30 feet below where employees work

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Training
Employers must provide fall protection training
The training must cover:
 Fall hazards
 Fall protection systems
 Use of fall protection devices

Working at height has always been a hazardous business …

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Thank You For

Listening!

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