Fall protection requirements include safety training, hazard identification, and reduction methods. OSHA requires employers to adhere to fall protection regulations. Passive systems are favored as they don’t rely on workers, while active systems require ongoing education and can hinder efficiency.
Fall protection requirements include safety training, identification of hazards that can lead to falls, and reduction or elimination of hazards through active and passive methods. Passive methods are considered more effective, because they do not require the worker to engage in protection. In active methods, the worker must constantly remember and use the method to prevent falls.
Industrial occupational safety in the United States is covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA). This US legislation requires employers to adhere to fall protection regulations. Even though self-employed workers are exempt from OSHA, fall protection requirements prevent serious injury and death and are therefore considered crucial safety measures. Falling a few feet onto common industrial surfaces, such as concrete, can kill or maim a worker. Identifying hazards is generally an ongoing process, as workplace procedures and equipment can change over time, creating new hazards.
OSHA fall protection requirements favor passive fall protection because it is a more effective method of preventing falls; passive systems don’t rely on workers to remember to connect to an active protection mechanism. Passive systems include barriers, ladder stabilizing mechanisms and platforms to safely catch a worker in the event of a fall. There are more falls from stairs than all other falls in the workplace, so stair stabilization is an effective strategy to reduce injuries. Portable guardrails can be used where permanent barriers are not easily deployed.
Active systems include fixed point anchors, beam and trolley systems, and slings connected to safety lines. In fixed point anchor systems, the worker connects via a harness to an overhead anchor. This anchorage is connected to a stable structure via a lanyard capable of absorbing the impact of the worker in the event of a fall. Attaching the lanyard can hinder efficiency, as the attaching process takes time. More importantly, if a worker neglects to connect to the anchor system, there are effectively no fall protection requirements in place.
Mobile anchor fall arrest systems include horizontal lifelines and beam and trolley monorail systems. Horizontal lifelines connect a worker’s harness to an overhead horizontal line that allows freedom of movement but automatically locks in the event of a fall. A beam and trolley system is used when workers need to move horizontally across a platform.
An example of an effective use of a beam and bogie monorail system would be where workers are required to traverse the tops of stationary rail cars. The harness attachment would travel with the worker, eliminating the need for the operator to attach and reattach the harness multiple times. Having the harness attachment move with the worker reduces the possibility of the worker forgetting to connect to the system. Because failure to connect to active fall protection systems can lead to falls, ongoing fall protection education is critical to the success of active fall protection programs.
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