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Construction Safety
and Health (CoSH)
Training Course
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 FALL
PROTECTION
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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%
150 – 200 workers are killed each year and more
than 100,000 injured as a result of falls
Data from US BLS
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 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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 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. Falls from elevation

2. Falls on the same level
3. Being struck by falling objects
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 Elevated locations which require
increased fall hazard awareness
1. Falls from elevation
• Scaffolds
Falls from any of these
• Ladders
locations may occur
• Roof
while accessing,
• Excavations
climbing, traveling, or
• Bridges
working.
• Form works
• Floor openings
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 Appropriate Methods
of Protection

• Elimination
• Prevention
• Use of Control Equipment

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 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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 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.
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 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 elevated work-equipment
• Use appropriate aerial lifts
• Providing proper access to elevated work area using
standard ladders and stairs with handrails
• Protecting openings with covers or guardrails and leading
edges with guardrails
• Use of fall restraint system
• Practicing good housekeeping
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 Guardrail
• A vertical barrier erected to prevent employees
from falling to lower levels
• Work locations requiring guardrail protection:
 Elevated work platforms (such as form work)
 Scaffolds
 Openings/holes in bridge decks, floors or other
unprotected surfaces
 Unprotected sides of ramps/stairways/platforms
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 Guard Rail Systems

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 Prevention of Falls from Floor Openings

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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.

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 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)

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 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
• Requires the use of personal fall protection equipment
or a safety net to prevent a complete fall
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 Fall Arrest System

• Purpose:
 Stop the fall
 Distribute the impact energy
experienced during the fall arrest

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 Components of the personal fall arrest
system

Rope/Lanyard

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 Body harnesses are designed to minimize stress forces on an
employee's body in the event of a fall, while providing sufficient
freedom of movement to allow work to b performed.

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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 Occupational Safety & Health
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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

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 • Anchoring Points • Non-Anchor Points
 Structural Members  Guardrails
 Imbedded  Railings
 Ladders
oEyebolts
 Scaffoldings
oTurnbuckles  Ductworks/Pipe Vents
oShackles  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.

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 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 safety belt or full body
harness to a lifeline or anchor

• Inspect the
lanyard before
each use

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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.
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 Swing fall hazard
• Be careful not to tie off
to an anchor in such a
way that if you fall, you’ll
swing into an obstruction
• A swing fall can be as
harmful as falling to the
ground

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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.

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 Fall Containment System

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 Reminder…

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 Department of Labor & Employment

Occupational Safety and Health Center

Occupational Safety & Health Network

(OSHNet) – 10, Inc.

Occupational Safety & Health

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