Fall Protection

in Construction
 Session Objectives
You will be able to:
• Recognize fall hazards and identify when
fall protection is needed
• Use basic fall protection systems
• Prevent objects from falling
• Inspect personal fall arrest systems
• Rescue yourself and others from falls

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 Fall Statistics
• Leading cause of construction industry
fatalities
• 700 workers killed each year
• 100,000 workers injured each year
• 40% of construction industry injuries are
related to falls

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 Fall Protection Regulation
29 CFR 1926.500 to 1926.503
• Construction sites
• All workers who might be exposed to fall
hazards
• Recognize fall hazards and follow training
procedures to minimize fall hazard
• Scaffolds, cranes and derricks, steel
erection, tunneling, electrical transmission,
and ladders and stairways not covered here

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 Employer Requirements
• Assess site conditions
• Select fall protection
• Install fall protection
systems
• Follow safe work
procedures
• Train workers

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 Recognize Free Fall
Hazards
• Edges
• Sloping surfaces
• Ladders
• Holes or openings
• Tools and equipment

Image credit: State of WA-WISHA Services

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 When Is Fall
Protection Needed?
• 6 feet or more above a
lower level
• Hazard of falling into
dangerous equipment
• Specific areas or
activities
• While walking and
working surfaces are
being inspected

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 Fall Hazards—
Any Questions?
• Do you understand the
hazards of falls and
fall protection
requirements?

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 Fall Protection Systems
• Fall prevention
(restraint) systems
• Fall arrest systems

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 Fall Prevention—
Safe Work Practices
• Keep area clean
• Look
• Listen
• Use fall protection
• Avoid dropping objects
• Never run

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 Fall Prevention
Systems and Practices
• Positioning device system—harness
• Guardrails
• Warning line systems
• Safety monitoring systems
• Controlled access zones (CAZs)
• Covers
• Protection from falling objects

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 Positioning Device System
—Harness
• Harness connected by
a lanyard to an anchor
as fall restraint
• Allows movement
around worksite
• Prevents going over
the edge

Image credit: State of WA-WISHA Services

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 Guardrail Systems
• Most common
protection to restrain
workers from falls
• Top rail withstand 200-
pound force
• Midrail withstand 150-
pound force
• Toeboard withstand 50-
pound force

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 Guardrail Systems (cont.)
• Smooth, no projections
• Fall arrest system
required when
guardrails are removed
• Guards unprotected
openings, excavations,
and ramps

Image credit: State of WA-WISHA Services

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 Warning Line System
• Warns workers to stay
away from fall hazards
• Consists of ropes,
wires, chains
• Flagged every 6 feet
• Must be 34-39 inches
above working surface
• Erected around all
sides of roof work area
at least 6 feet from
edge

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 Warning Line System (cont.)
• Stanchions must not tip over easily
• Workers must be trained to stay out
• Work outside the line requires another fall
arrest system

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 Safety Monitor System
• Monitors and warns
workers
• Recognizes fall
hazards
• Communicates with
workers
• No other duties
• Keeps unauthorized
workers away
• Workers must comply
with safety monitor
Image credit: State of WA-WISHA Services

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 Controlled Access Zones
• Regulated work areas without conventional
fall protection systems
• Combination warning line and safety
monitor systems
• Limited access to qualified employees
• Allow leading edge work without fall
protection systems
• Designated and clearly marked work areas
• Lines run the length of the unprotected edge

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 Hole Covers
• Prevents worker or worker’s body part from
penetrating a walking or working surface
• Required for all holes equal or greater than
2 inches wide
• Twice the load of people or equipment
• Secured to prevent accidental displacement
• Color-coded, or marked with “HOLE” or
“COVER”

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 Prevent Objects
From Falling
• Use screens or panels to prevent tools or
equipment from falling on workers
• Store materials 4 feet from edge
• For roofing work, store material 6 feet from
edge
• Use canopies strong enough to prevent
collapse and prevent penetration
• Keep areas barricaded where objects are
likely to fall

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 Prevent Objects
From Falling (cont.)
• Use toeboards
• Keep tools, materials, and debris picked up
• Don’t throw objects down to lower levels
• Wear a hard hat

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 Fall Prevention—
Any Questions?
• Do you understand
basic fall restraint
systems: guardrails,
harnesses, controlled
access zones, warning
lines, hole covers,
safety monitoring, or
preventing objects from
falling?

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 Fall Arrest—
Safety Net System
• Nets intended to catch falling workers
• Installed under working surface
• 30 feet or less below workers
• Inspect regularly
• Sufficient clearance
• Remove fallen items

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 Personal Fall Arrest
System—Harness
• Harness distributes
arresting forces
• Harness for fall arrest,
positioning, or
suspension
• Body belt is not part of
a fall arrest system

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 Effective Personal
Fall Arrest System
• Maximum arresting force of 1,800 lbs
• Free fall no more than 6 feet
• Avoid contact with a lower level
• Max deceleration distance of 3.5 feet
• Designed to withstand twice the impact
forces

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 Fall Arrest System—
Connectors
• Connectors (snaphooks and rings) attach
the lanyard to the anchor and harness
• Ensure that snaphooks lock in place
• Non-locking snaphooks are prohibited

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 Fall Arrest System—
Connectors (cont.)
Snaphook don’ts:
• Webbing or rope
• Another snaphook
• D-ring with another
snaphook attached
• Horizontal lifeline
• Object incompatible in
shape or dimension

Image credit: State of WA-WISHA Services

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 Fall Arrest System—
Lanyard
• Flexible line with connector that connects
harness to the anchor
• Often contains a deceleration device
• No knots or wrapping
around sharp objects

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 Fall Arrest System—
Lifeline
• Lifelines connect personal fall arrest
system to anchor
• Vertical—hang from one anchor point
• Horizontal—stretched between
two anchor points
• Ropes and straps made of synthetic fibers
• Protect against being cut or abraded

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 Fall Arrest System—
Deceleration Device
• Dissipates energy
during fall arrest
• Rip-stitch, tearing,
or stretching lanyard
• Rope grab device
• Retracting lifelines
or lanyards
• Lanyard required
where there is no
deceleration device

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 Fall Arrest System—
Anchors
• Secure point of
attachment for lifeline,
lanyard, or
deceleration device
• Withstand 5,000 pound
force per person
• Anchor point above
you
• Ask if unsure about
proper anchor points

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 Inspect Personal
Fall Arrest Systems
• Inspect before each use
• Check D-rings
• Check ropes, straps, tongue-buckle
• Ensure that parts move freely
• Remove defective components

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 Rescue Plan
• Safely rescue worker in the shortest time
possible
• Blood pulls in legs when suspended, leading
to fainting
• If suspended in a harness
• Push legs against
objects for blood flow
• Raise legs if possible

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 Questions?
• Do you understand the
information on fall
arrest systems?

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 What’s Wrong Here?
• Identify the fall hazards
• What fall protection is
missing?

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 Key Points to Remember
• Recognize fall hazards
• Use and operate fall protection systems
• Implement safe work practices
• Inspect fall protection systems
• Protect from falling objects
• Rescue

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