Fall Hazards

1. Fall Hazards No, not these kinds of falls…

2. Introduction • Each year, falls consistently account for the greatest number of fatalities in the construction industry, and are always a major concern in other industries. Events surrounding these types of accidents often involve a number of factors, including unstable working surfaces, misuse of fall protection equipment, and human error. Studies have shown that the use of guardrails, fall arrest systems, safety nets, covers, and travel restriction systems can prevent many deaths and injuries from falls.

3. OVERVIEW • Identifying Fall Hazards • Hazard Controls • Rescue Tips Falls from one level to the next lower level or ground. …these kinds of falls!

4. Who’s Responsible? • OSHA makes it the employer’s responsibility to develop a Fall Protection Program that complies with state and federal regulations.

5. Recognition • Survey the work area for unprotected or unguarded edges with a fall distance of 4-feet or more. 4' The construction industry uses a 6-foot rule; general industry says 4-feet. Use the 4-foot rule in order to simplify hazard recognition and minimize the severity of injury.

6. Building Roofs That’s more than 4-feet down… • Roofs on campus may: • be flat • be low-pitched • be high-pitched • have parapet walls • have skylights

7. Open-Sided Buildings • If you are within 6-feet of the edge of an open-sided building, and the fall distance is 4-feet or more, you are in a fall hazard.

8. Scaffolding Fall hazard of 4 feet or more and no guardrails or personal fall arrest system in use. Scaffolds must be built as complete as possible - including guardrails on the working level.

9. Steel Erection Personal Fall Arrest System being used - full body harness and lanyard attached to an appropriate anchor point. Steel cable lanyard used for hotwork operations. Mobile anchor point. Definitely more than 4 feet!

10. Excavations 4’ Deep In general, unprotected edges of excavations must be protected with barricades or guardrails around the perimeter, covers for small excavations, or fencing to keep people away from the fall hazard. 4'

11. Skylights and Holes Unprotected or unguarded holes 2-feet in diameter or greater (for example, this skylight) pose a fall hazard if you are within 6-feet of the edge.

12. Aerial Lifts • Articulating aerial lifts, which have a hinged boom, require additional fall protection due to the potential of being bounced out of the bucket. • Telescoping aerial lifts, that only go straight up and down, do not require additional fall protection.

13. Ladders When working from ladders, a personal fall arrest system should be used whenever possible. However, it is not always possible… Safe ladder practices must be used in these instances.

14. Hazard Control • Now that we’ve identified some of the common fall hazards you may encounter at your campus, the hazard must be controlled. There are 3 methods: • Engineering Controls • Administrative Controls • Personal Protective Equipment

15. Can the item to be accessed be moved to ground level? Valves Controls Gauges Portals Can the fall hazard be eliminated by design? Example: Including parapet walls at least 39” in height on flat-roofed buildings to serve as an acceptable physical barrier. Engineering Controls parapet wall

16. Can temporary or permanent guardrails be installed? Handrails 42” +/- 3” in height withstands 200 lbs. Mid-Rails 21” in height withstands 150 lbs. Toe Guards 3 1/2” in height withstands 50 lbs. Engineering Controls

17. Administrative Controls • Can the frequency of performing the hazardous task be reduced? • Are there safe work practices for the hazard that must be followed? • Has the person been trained on the hazard and what to do? Ladder safety -what’s that?

18. Administrative Controls • There are additional fall protection options permitted by OSHA, but they should only be implemented after consulting the OCC Manager of Environmental Health and Safety. They include: • Warning lines • Controlled access zones • Safety monitor systems

19. Personal Protective Equipment • If the fall hazard cannot be controlled through engineering or administrative measures, the person must be protected. • Personal Fall Arrest System • Restraint System

20. Personal Fall Arrest System • A Personal Fall Arrest System (PFAS) consists of the following components: • Anchor point (capable of supporting at least 5000-lbs.) • Connecting device • Lanyard, or • Fall limiter • Full body harness You must attend additional training to use PFAS.

21. Restraint/Positioning System • Typically used in articulating aerial lifts and similar situations. • Shorter connecting devices (lanyards or fall limiters) are used for restraint or positioning.

22. Consider the following… • Access fall hazard areas with an aerial lift whenever possible. • They are fairly easy to operate. • Guardrails for fall protection are already in place. • An anchor point is provided in the aerial lift if one is required. • A designated “competent person” is not required, as is the case in scaffolding.

23. Rescue • If you are the first person on the scene of an arrested fall: • Call 911 and 5555 from a campus phone (do not attempt to get the person down yourself unless it is an extreme situation). • Remind the person to pull their knees up so they are in a sitting position, if possible. • Reassure the person and keep them calm.

24. Review • Identify fall hazards in the area. • Always follow procedures. • Don’t take unnecessary risks!

25. Questions or concerns? Contact the Manager of Environmental Health and Safety • 248-232-4234 (Phone) • 248-232-4254 (Fax) • maschmid@oaklandcc.edu