FAXNEWZ Handout # 7025

Safety + Health

June, 1998, pgs 92-95

Safety High and Low

Falls are the leading cause of workplace injuries and fatalities. Most incidents
occur as slips or trips on the same level, but falls from elevations are usually
far more serious.

Here are some questions to ask yourself:

• Are there any jobs that we could do on the ground rather than at a height?
• Are the guardrails and other structures secure?
• Are our fall-restraint and fall-arrest systems in good shape?
• Can the anchorage point on the restraint system hold the weight?

Tips to help protect people on the ground:

• Keep walkways clear.
• Keep floors dry.
• Clean floors as soon as anything spills or drops.
• Use slip-resistant footwear for good traction.
• Be sure to signal areas where flooring changes so people won’t fall over the unexpected.
• Check floor openings for secure covers or railing systems.
• Make sure areas are well lit.

And:

• Engineer out the fall hazard.
• Use traditional fall protection such as guardrails, handrails, and warning lines.
• Use fall-restraint and fall-arrest systems.
• Consider changing procedures.