Fall Protection – Are you safeguarding your employees?

Fall Protection – Are you safeguarding your employees?

Worker’s death highlights the importance of fall protection

A roofing contractor died and another was injured while performing a roofing installation at the Vikings Stadium in Minnesota. His employer was not able to confirm if his employees were properly outfitted with fall protection.To read the full story: Click Here

The construction industry has clear fall protection standards. What fall protection standards apply
to general industry and does your facility protect workers from fall hazards?

OSHA 29 CFR 1910 states that ” employers must take measures in their workplaces to prevent employees from falling off overhead platforms, elevated work stations or into holes in the floor and walls”.

OSHA fall protection standards for industry mandate that employers must:

• Guard every floor hole into which a worker can accidentally walk by use of a railing and toeboard or a floor hole cover.
• Provide a guardrail and toeboard around every open-sided platform, floor or runway that is 4 feet or higher off the ground or next level.
• Regardless of height, if a worker can fall into or onto dangerous machines or equipment (such as a vat of acid or a conveyor belt), employers must provide guardrails and toeboards to prevent workers from falling and getting injured.
• Other means of fall protection that may be required on certain jobs include safety harness and line, safety nets, stair railings and handrails.

Learn more about OSHA’s Fall Protection Standard for General Industry: Click Here

Click below to download OSHA’s Fall Protection Quick Card