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Fall Prevention Online Resources

 

LHSFNA

 

PEST (Photo Enforcement Safety Tip) Sheet Scaffolds

U.S.

American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) SH&E Digest

California Health Department

Preventing Falls through Skylights (video)

Preventing Fall in the Solar Industry

Fall Protection (Spanish)

Ladders – Extension; also in Spanish

Ladders – Step; also in Spanish

Scaffolds; also in Spanish

CPWR

Stop Construction Falls!

Construction Fatalities Map

Aerial Lift Safety (Spanish)

Choosing and Inspecting Ladders

Climbing Ladders Safely

Don't Fall for It! (Video; English; 81MB; high-resolution file to download or view)

Don't Fall for It! (Video; Spanish; 81MB; high-resolution file to download or view)

Don't Fall for It! (Video; English; 27MB; medium-resolution file to download or view)

Don't Fall for It! (Video; Spanish; 27MB; medium-resolution file to download or view)

Fall Protection Harnesses (Spanish)

Falls Data from Chart Book

Ladder Safety (Spanish)

Scaffold Safety (Spanish)

Tip Sheets

Protect Yourself from Fatal or Crippling Falls

Setting Up Portable Ladders

Construction Roundtable

Prevention of Fall Fatalities and Injuries in Construction

Prevencion de fatalidades y lesiones de caidas en la industrial de la construccion

Fall Protection Resource for New Home Construction

ISEA's Fall Protection Equipment Buying Guide

Labor Occupational Health Program (UC Berkeley)

Fall Protection Training Guide (Spanish), Checklist (Spanish), Case Studies (Spanish)

Guardrails Training Guide (Spanish), Checklist (Spanish)

Portable Ladders Training Guide (Spanish), Checklist (Spanish), Case Study (Spanish)

Scaffolds Training Guide (Spanish), Checklist (Spanish), Case Study (Spanish)

Massachusetts Department of Public Health Ladder Safety for Residential Contractors

Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) Portable Skid-Mounted Fall Protection System

NIOSH

Campaign to Prevent Falls in Construction

Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) reports (search Falls in Construction)

Falls from Elevation

Fall Protection System

Fatality Case Studies on Falls

May 2010 International Fall Prevention Conference

NORA Goals on Fall Prevention (see page 15)

National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) Building Design Elements for Enhanced Fall Protection for Construction and Maintenance Personnel

Oregon OSHA

Fall Protection for the Construction Industry

Fall Protection Options for Specialty Contractors (Spanish)

Safe Practices for Setting and Bracing Wood Trusses and Rafters (Spanish)

Safe Practices for Setting Floor Joists, Sheathing/Decking, and Constructing Exterior Walls

Scaffolds

OSHA

OSHA's Fall Prevention Campaign

Construction Falls Page

Construction Falls eTool

Fall Protection Standard

1926 Subpart M - Fall Protection
1926.500 - Scope, application, and definitions applicable to this subpart.
1926.501 - Duty to have fall protection.
1926.502 - Fall protection systems criteria and practices.
1926.503 - Training requirements.
1926 Subpart M App A - Determining Roof Widths - Non-mandatory Guidelines for Complying with 1926.501(b)(10)
1926 Subpart M App B - Guardrail Systems - Non-Mandatory Guidelines for Complying with 1926.502(b)
1926 Subpart M App C - Personal Fall Arrest Systems - Non-Mandatory Guidelines for Complying with 1926.502(d)
1926 Subpart M App D - Positioning Device Systems - Non-Mandatory Guidelines for Complying with 1926.502(e)
1926 Subpart M App E - Sample Fall Protection Plan - Non-Mandatory Guidelines for Complying with 1926.502(k)

OSHA Alliance Program’s Workplace Design Solutions to Prevent Falls in Construction

Falls From Roof Edge

Falls From Floor Openings

Falls From Non-Moving Vehicles

Roof Hatch Access and Hole Protection

Specify Non-Fragile Skylights and/or Skylight Guards

Specify Sufficient Wall Height to Allow Parapets to Function as Fall Prevention

Washington State Department of Labor and Industries

Causes of Death: Ladders are Killers

Falls

Falls from Elevation

Falls on the Same Level

Floors and Other Openings

Full Body Harnesses/Lifelines

Guardrails

Ladders

Training Requirements – Fall Hazards

Canada

WorksafeBC - Fall Prevention

Construction Safety Association of Ontario

Extension Ladders

Falls Page

Fall Protection – Approvals and Inspection

Fall Protection – Basic Types

Fall Protection – Rope Grabs

Guardrails

Scaffods – Planks and Decks

Scaffolds – Structural Components

Step Ladders

Suspended Access

Suspended Access Equipment – Calculating Counterweights

Suspended Access – Tiebacks

Three-Point Contact

Special Issue on Falls in Construction (Summer, 2009)

Falls from the Top Plate (WorksafeBC video)

International

British Health and Safety Executive (HSE)

Fall from a Mobile Elevated Work Platform

Fall Hazard Interactive Learning Tool

Fall Prevention

Fall Whilst Using a Stepladder

Joint Problem Solving: Working at Heights Up to 4.5 Meters

Ladder Exchange Program

Ladder Exchange Program (HSE podcast)

Preventing Falls from Boom-Type Mobile Elevated Work Platforms

Roof Repair Work

Safe Use of Ladders and Stepladders

Shattered Lives Campaign (Slips and Trips)

Top Tips for Ladder and Stepladder Safety

Tower Scaffolds

Work at Heights

Working at Heights Toolkit

Working on Roofs

 


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Alternate description

Falls

Falls are the number one killer in construction, in both the United States and Canada. Yet, falls are readily preventable.

OSHA has a construction standard and a resource page devoted to fall prevention in construction. Generally, the standard requires an employer to provide one of three kinds of fall prevention/protection – guardrails, safety nets or personal fall arrest systems (harnesses) – to every worker exposed to a possible fall of six feet or more. Fall prevention is required on scaffolds ten feet or taller. All workers on a roof must have warning lines, guardrails or lifelines.

The risk of falls can be lowered by implementing a fall prevention/protection plan in the company safety program. Good housekeeping also reduces the chance of slips, trips and falls. The LHSFNA Occupational Safety and Health Division can conduct worksite audits to develop site-specific programs for fall prevention/protection. The Division has collected a set of other fall prevention/protection resources.

The Construction Roundtable of OSHA’s Alliance Program – unions, employer associations, contractors, insurers and manufacturers – developed the following fall prevention/protection guidelines:

Employers

  1. Develop a written fall prevention/protection plan.
  2. Identify potential fall hazards prior to each project and during daily walk-arounds. Pay attention to hazards associated ith routine and non-routine tasks.
  3. Eliminate the need for fall protection where possible by rescheduling the task, isolating the task or changing the task.
  4. Ensure that fall protection equipment is appropriate to the task, in good condition and used properly.
  5. Conduct general fall prevention training on a regular basis.
  6. Train workers on the specific, identified fall hazards and on the required personal protective equipment.
  7. Conduct regular inspections of fall protection equipment in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations and OSHA’s requirements.
  8. Emphasize fall hazards unique to the site, such as open floor holes or shafts, riser penetrations and skylights.
  9. Team up with other construction employers and employees to identify best practices and share fall prevention solutions.
  10. Get more information from OSHA or call 800-321-OSHA.

Employees

  1. Understand your company’s written fall prevention plan.
  2. Attend and participate in fall prevention training.
  3. Use fall protection equipment if required for the job. Be sure the equipment is right for the task, fits properly and is in good condition.
  4. Inspect fall protection equipment and devices before each use.
  5. Make sure that floor holes, open shafts and riser penetrations are protected by sturdy guardrails or covers.
  6. Get specialized training before working on scaffolds, lifts or ladders.
  7. When using scaffolds, make sure there is proper access, full planking, stable footing and stable guardrailing.
  8. On a boom lift, keep your feet firmly on the platform and tie-off at all times.
  9. Chose the correct ladder for the task, read the instructions and be sure the ladder is in good condition. Check for surrounding hazards, stable footing and the proper angle.
  10. Identify skylights and make sure they are properly protected.
  11. Contact your supervisor if you see fall hazards or have any questions about fall prevention. Do not work until unsafe conditions have been corrected.
  12. Get more information from OSHA or call 800-321-OSHA.

Fall Protection

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Nutrition and Fitness Resource Links
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Fall Prevention Online Resources

 

LHSFNA

 

PEST (Photo Enforcement Safety Tip) Sheet Scaffolds

U.S.

American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) SH&E Digest

California Health Department

Preventing Falls through Skylights (video)

Preventing Fall in the Solar Industry

Fall Protection (Spanish)

Ladders – Extension; also in Spanish

Ladders – Step; also in Spanish

Scaffolds; also in Spanish

CPWR

Stop Construction Falls!

Construction Fatalities Map

Aerial Lift Safety (Spanish)

Choosing and Inspecting Ladders

Climbing Ladders Safely

Don't Fall for It! (Video; English; 81MB; high-resolution file to download or view)

Don't Fall for It! (Video; Spanish; 81MB; high-resolution file to download or view)

Don't Fall for It! (Video; English; 27MB; medium-resolution file to download or view)

Don't Fall for It! (Video; Spanish; 27MB; medium-resolution file to download or view)

Fall Protection Harnesses (Spanish)

Falls Data from Chart Book

Ladder Safety (Spanish)

Scaffold Safety (Spanish)

Tip Sheets

Protect Yourself from Fatal or Crippling Falls

Setting Up Portable Ladders

Construction Roundtable

Prevention of Fall Fatalities and Injuries in Construction

Prevencion de fatalidades y lesiones de caidas en la industrial de la construccion

Fall Protection Resource for New Home Construction

ISEA's Fall Protection Equipment Buying Guide

Labor Occupational Health Program (UC Berkeley)

Fall Protection Training Guide (Spanish), Checklist (Spanish), Case Studies (Spanish)

Guardrails Training Guide (Spanish), Checklist (Spanish)

Portable Ladders Training Guide (Spanish), Checklist (Spanish), Case Study (Spanish)

Scaffolds Training Guide (Spanish), Checklist (Spanish), Case Study (Spanish)

Massachusetts Department of Public Health Ladder Safety for Residential Contractors

Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) Portable Skid-Mounted Fall Protection System

NIOSH

Campaign to Prevent Falls in Construction

Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) reports (search Falls in Construction)

Falls from Elevation

Fall Protection System

Fatality Case Studies on Falls

May 2010 International Fall Prevention Conference

NORA Goals on Fall Prevention (see page 15)

National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) Building Design Elements for Enhanced Fall Protection for Construction and Maintenance Personnel

Oregon OSHA

Fall Protection for the Construction Industry

Fall Protection Options for Specialty Contractors (Spanish)

Safe Practices for Setting and Bracing Wood Trusses and Rafters (Spanish)

Safe Practices for Setting Floor Joists, Sheathing/Decking, and Constructing Exterior Walls

Scaffolds

OSHA

OSHA's Fall Prevention Campaign

Construction Falls Page

Construction Falls eTool

Fall Protection Standard

1926 Subpart M - Fall Protection
1926.500 - Scope, application, and definitions applicable to this subpart.
1926.501 - Duty to have fall protection.
1926.502 - Fall protection systems criteria and practices.
1926.503 - Training requirements.
1926 Subpart M App A - Determining Roof Widths - Non-mandatory Guidelines for Complying with 1926.501(b)(10)
1926 Subpart M App B - Guardrail Systems - Non-Mandatory Guidelines for Complying with 1926.502(b)
1926 Subpart M App C - Personal Fall Arrest Systems - Non-Mandatory Guidelines for Complying with 1926.502(d)
1926 Subpart M App D - Positioning Device Systems - Non-Mandatory Guidelines for Complying with 1926.502(e)
1926 Subpart M App E - Sample Fall Protection Plan - Non-Mandatory Guidelines for Complying with 1926.502(k)

OSHA Alliance Program’s Workplace Design Solutions to Prevent Falls in Construction

Falls From Roof Edge

Falls From Floor Openings

Falls From Non-Moving Vehicles

Roof Hatch Access and Hole Protection

Specify Non-Fragile Skylights and/or Skylight Guards

Specify Sufficient Wall Height to Allow Parapets to Function as Fall Prevention

Washington State Department of Labor and Industries

Causes of Death: Ladders are Killers

Falls

Falls from Elevation

Falls on the Same Level

Floors and Other Openings

Full Body Harnesses/Lifelines

Guardrails

Ladders

Training Requirements – Fall Hazards

Canada

WorksafeBC - Fall Prevention

Construction Safety Association of Ontario

Extension Ladders

Falls Page

Fall Protection – Approvals and Inspection

Fall Protection – Basic Types

Fall Protection – Rope Grabs

Guardrails

Scaffods – Planks and Decks

Scaffolds – Structural Components

Step Ladders

Suspended Access

Suspended Access Equipment – Calculating Counterweights

Suspended Access – Tiebacks

Three-Point Contact

Special Issue on Falls in Construction (Summer, 2009)

Falls from the Top Plate (WorksafeBC video)

International

British Health and Safety Executive (HSE)

Fall from a Mobile Elevated Work Platform

Fall Hazard Interactive Learning Tool

Fall Prevention

Fall Whilst Using a Stepladder

Joint Problem Solving: Working at Heights Up to 4.5 Meters

Ladder Exchange Program

Ladder Exchange Program (HSE podcast)

Preventing Falls from Boom-Type Mobile Elevated Work Platforms

Roof Repair Work

Safe Use of Ladders and Stepladders

Shattered Lives Campaign (Slips and Trips)

Top Tips for Ladder and Stepladder Safety

Tower Scaffolds

Work at Heights

Working at Heights Toolkit

Working on Roofs

 

Fall Protection

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