Fall Protection and

Ladder Safety
Training

DESIGNED BY HSE Department.

Course Outline

• Introduction
• Fall Protection
• Ladder Safety
• Wrap-up
Introduction
• Over 40,000 deaths and disabling injuries result from
falls every year worldwide

• Falls are the number one cause of fatalities in the

construction industry accounting for approximately
33% of all fatalities
Introduction
FALLS IN CONSTRUCTION
•Falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry.
•Most fatalities occur when employees fall from open-sided
floors and through floor openings.
•Falls from as low as 4 to 6 feet high can cause serious lost-time
injury accident or even fatality.
•Open-sided floors and platforms 6 feet or more in height must
be provided with fall protection devices
Introduction
Course Objective

• Upon completion of this training, participants will be

able to properly use fall protection gear and ladders,
implementing the organizations safe work practices.
• Be able to identify the main criteria that requires the
use of fall protection for construction workers
Fall Protection - Objectives
Participants will be able to:
• Describe working conditions where fall protection is
required
• Identify the components of a personal fall arrest system

• Demonstrate how to fit and remove a full body harness

• Inspect personal fall arrest systems before and after use

Fall Protection - Terminology

• Anchorage Point • Lanyard

• Body Harness • Leading Edge
• Competent Person • Personal Fall Arrest System
• Deceleration Device • Snap hook
• Elevated Work ETC.
• Fall Prevention
• Free Fall
• Free Fall Distance
• Guardrail System
Fall Protection
Fall Prevention
Proactively prevents falls from happening by using
guardrails, warning lines, hole covers

Fall Protection Options

You must be protected from falling by
one of these three devices.

Personal Fall Guardrails Safety Net

Arrest System
(PFAS) 3
OSHA Office of Training & Education
 Fall Prevention
Guardrail System:
Fall Prevention
Guardrail systems in scaffolding areas:
• During scaffolding work operations, it is important to
install guardrails along section that provides fall
hazards.
Fall Protection
Fall arrest:
• Limits free fall to within 2 vertical meters of the
initiation point which reduces force by decreasing fall
distance
Maximum
• Consists of : Allowable
• Lanyard Free Fall
• Anchorage Point
• Full Body Harness
• Attachment Strap 6 ft
Fall Distance
230 pound worker

(anchorage point)
Total fall
4.5 feet from the Distance
anchorage point
connection to the floor.
4.5 FT + 1.5 feet
Walking/Working surface below floor before fall
arrest must begin.

6 feet
fall arrest begins here;
shock absorber starts
elongation at this point.
Don’t forget that the type of There would be approx..
components you use could 2300 lb. pressure exerted
on the anchorage point.
increase the pressures exerted
on the anchorage point. Anchorage
strength should not be decreased + 3.5 feet elongation
below a 5,000 lb. point unless done and arrest complete
9.5 feet
by an Registered Professional 4.5 ft Total Fall Distance Stop
Engineer competent in that field.
2.5 feet distance to the floor
Fall Protection
Lanyard
A device made of rope, wire or nylon strap used to
connect the individual to an anchorage point and
stop the individual in the event of a fall
Fall Protection
Lanyards should:

• Be inspected prior to use

• Be protected against being cut or abraded

• Have a minimum breaking strength of 2270kg

• Be the appropriate length

• Be attached to an anchorage not to itself

Fall Protection
Self-retracting lifelines and lanyards must:
• Automatically limit free-fall distance to less than 1.75
meters
• Be capable of sustaining a minimum tensile load of
1362kg when fully extended
Fall Protection
Anchorage Point
A secure point of attachment for lifelines, lanyards or
deceleration devices
Fall Protection
Anchorage points used for attachment of personal
fall arrest equipment must be:

• Located at or above the employee’s shoulder

• Capable of supporting more than 2270kg per employee

• Designed and built to hold the maximum force of the

fall arrest
Fall Protection
Full body harness:
• The attachment point of a
body harness is located in the
center of the wearer’s back
near shoulder level
• Body belts are not allowed on
site
• Snaphooks shall be a double
locking-type
Fall Protection
Care for fall arrest systems:
• After a fall arrest, the equipment will no longer be
used (equipment will be disposed of or destroyed)
• Clean equipment after use

• Air dry equipment, do not hang in direct sunlight

• Store equipment in a cool, dark, dry well ventilated
place
Fall Protection - Exercise
Fitting and Removing
a Full Body Harness
FALL SPEED Vs. REACTION TIME
In 1 second your body
will fall 10m (32ft)

Good body reaction time

= 0.2 seconds
Travel distance in 0.2
seconds = 2m (6.5ft)
By the time you react your body will be
2m below where you were standing
Ladder Safety
“No matter how quickly a job can be done, there is always time to
fall”

Unsafe Safe
Ladder Safety - Objectives

Participants will be able to:

• Discriminate between safe and unsafe ladder practices

• Describe correct practices when ascending and

descending a ladder
• Describe correct practices for using extension ladders
Ladder Safety

Follow these four simple steps in ladder safety:

• Use the right ladder for the job

• Inspect the ladder

• Set-up the ladder properly

• Follow rules for climbing and using ladders

 Ladder Safety
Don’t: Do:
• overreach from a ladder move the ladder
• use the top two rungs get a taller ladder

• move a ladder while on it get down and move the ladder

• climb with material use a tool belt

• share a ladder get a 2nd ladder

Ladder Safety
Always:
• Maintain three points of contact with the ladder at
all times
• Maintain the center line of your body between the
ladder’s vertical support rails while working
• Check bottom of shoes and ladder rungs for grease
and dirt
Ladder Safety
Always:
• Make sure ladder has non-skid pads
• Ensure spreaders are fully extended and locked

• Test pullies, springs, rung locks and ropes on

extension ladders
• Store ladders on their side or secure with a chain or
cable when stored in an upright position
Ladder Safety

Extension ladders:
• A minimum of 1 metre overlap is required
• Must be secured at the top

• Must have area secured with cones or barrier

tape, or have an attendant
Ladder Safety
Follow the 4:1 rule when using extension ladders

6m
(20 ft)

1.5 m
(5 ft.)
 Question Time
• At what height must fall protection be used?

• Name one type of fall protection and one type of fall

prevention?

• If your lanyard gets wet should you:

(a) hang it up inside.
(b) leave it outside to dry out.

• What is the ratio that is to be used when using a straight

ladder?

• Is a safety harness
(a) First line of defense.
(b) Last line of defense.