Fall Protection

By: Hani B. Baba

December 29th, 2010

Agenda

Objectives The importance of Fall protection Fall protection options When fall protection is needed

Ladder safety tips

Summary

Objectives

To increase awareness of the hazards from working in areas require fall protection. To give a brief overview about the proper fall protection tools and when to use them.

Why it is important ?

Falls are the leading cause of deaths in the construction industry. Most fatalities occur when employees fall from open-sided floors and through floor openings. Falls from as little as 4 to 6 feet can cause serious lost-time accidents and sometimes death.

Fall Protection Options

Personal Fall Arrest System (PFAS) Guardrails Safety Nets

Fall Protection Options

Personal Fall Arrest System (PFAS)

Personal Fall Arrest Systems

Fall arrest system components shall be properly rated, mutually compatible and consist of:

Connectors including a shockabsorbing lanyard Full-body harness (See the figure)

Safety line Anchorages

Must be independent of any platform anchorage and capable of supporting at least 500 lbs. per worker.

PFAS Guidelines

Approved fall protection measures shall be used if the working height is greater than 1.8m (6 ft) from floor or platform level. Users shall inspect fall arrest systems prior to each use. Remove defective components from service. Fall arrest systems shall be protected against cuts or abrasions. Fall arrest systems and components shall not hoist materials. When using full body harness with shock-absorbing lanyards, they shall be properly secured at least 18 ft above impact surface and shall not be reused after stopping a fall.

Fall Protection Options

Guardrails

Guardrails
11

Fall Protection Options

Safety Nets

13

When Fall Protection is Needed

Walkways & ramps Open sides & edges Holes Concrete forms & rebar

Roofs Wall openings Bricklaying Residential Construction

Excavations
(See Examples)

Walkways and Ramps

14

Guard ramps, runways, and other walkways

Residential Construction

15

In residential construction, you must be protected if you can fall more than 6 feet

Unprotected Sides & Edges/ Wall Opening

16

Unprotected sides and edges must have guardrails or equivalent

17

Excavations

Guard excavations more than 6 feet deep when they are not readily seen because of plant growth or other visual barriers

Ladder Safety

User shall inspect all ladders before use and remove defective ladders. Ensure ladders extend a minimum of 1 m (3 ft) above the top landing point. In general, set ladders at a 4:1 slope Only one person shall be on a ladder at a time. Do not use temporary work platforms, such as scaffolds , to support a ladder. When climbing up or down any ladder, face the ladder and maintain three points of contact with hands free of materials.

Summary

Personal fall arrest systems and scaffolding shall be used if the working height is greater than 1.8m (6 ft) from floor or platform level. Must use fall protection at:

walkways & ramps, open sides & edges, holes, concrete forms & rebar, excavations, roofs, wall openings, bricklaying and residential construction.

Protective options include guardrails, covers, safety nets, and Personal Fall Arrest System (full body harness).

References

http://www.elcosh.org/en/document/139/d000145/falls-%253A-thenumber-one-cause-of-construction-deaths.html Saudi Aramco Safety Handbook. Loss Prevention home page.

Thank you
Hani Baba