In 1995,
1,048 construction workers died on the job, with 32 percent, or 335 of
them,
resulting from falls.
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. The following are links to resources that provide
safety and health information relevant to fall protection in the workplace.
What standards
apply?
OSHA Standards
- 1910,
Occupational Safety and Health Standards, General Industry
Personal
Fall Arrest System (Section I - Mandatory; Sections II and III - Non-Mandatory)
- 1910.66 App C
Follow this link for
more information of OSHA-approved
State Plans.
The OSHA
Unified Agenda contains an entry on Walking Working Surfaces
and Personal Fall Protection Systems.
ANSI Standards
- ANSI
Z359.1-1992, Safety Requirements for Personal Fall Arrest Systems,
Subsystems, and Components. (Publication Fee Applies)
Federal Registers
- Safety
Standards for Fall Protection in the Construction Industry. OSHA Federal
Register Entry 64:38077-38086 (1999, July 14). In this advanced notice
of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM), OSHA is addressing 10 issues, most of
which have been raised by interested parties who believe that alternatives
to some of the existing fall protection rule's provisions should be permitted.
They generally recommend that OSHA allow work practices rather than personal
fall arrest systems and guardrails to protect employees against falls.
IMPORTANT NOTE: ANY
EQUIPMENT EXPOSED TO A FALL MUST BE TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE AND NOT USED
AGAIN FOR FALL PROTECTION.
The following will
breifly describe various systems related to fall protect.
Fall Arrest
Systems
 A
fall arrest system is an assembly of components and subsystems, including
the necessary connectors, used to arrest the user in a fall from a working
height and suspend the user until rescue can be effected. A fall arrest
system must always include a full body harness and connecting means between
the harness and an anchorage or anchorage connector. Such connecting means
may consist of a lanyard, energy (shock) absorber, fall arrester (rope
grab), lifeline, self-retracting lanyard or qualified combinations of
these.
Suspension
Systems
 The
suspension configuration permits workers to sit and work safely while
elevated. Unlike the fall arrest configuration, the suspension configuration
distributes the worker’s weight on areas of the body capable of
bearing that weight for extended periods.
A suspension system
is designed to raise or lower and support a worker at an elevated work
station. The connecting points of the system, such as shoulder or seat-strap
D-rings, are NOT designed to properly distribute the impact forces that
result in arresting a free fall. A suspension system alone cannot be relied
upon to provide proper fall arrest protection; the worker must be properly
attached to an independent fall arrest system if a free fall is a possibility.
Restraint
Systems
 A
restraint system is an assembly of components and subsystems, including
the necessary connectors, used to: (a) stabilize and partially support
the user at an elevated work location and allow free use of both hands.
This type of restraint system is referred to as a work positioning system
or, simply, a positioning system. (b) restrict the user’s motion
so as to prevent reaching a location where a fall hazard exists. This
type of restraint system is referred to as a travel restriction system.
A positioning system
includes the user’s harness and connecting means between the harness
and an anchorage or anchorage connector. Such connecting means usually
consists of a positioning lanyard which is connected to both hip D-rings
of the harness and wraps around or connects to an anchorage or anchorage
connector. A positioning system must always be backed up by a fall arrest
system. A travel restriction system consists of the user’s harness
and a fixed length or adjustable length lanyard connected between any
one of the harness D-rings and an anchorage or anchorage connector.
Contact
Argus for more information on Fall Protection.
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