Hierarchy of Fall Protection
- Hazard Elimination. The preferred solution to all fall hazards is elimination. ...
- Passive Fall Protection. Physical barriers like guardrails around unprotected edges and covers over holes are examples of passive fall protection.
- Fall Restraint Systems. Fall restraint systems are erected in such a manner that a fall cannot occur. ...
- Fall Arrest Systems. Fall arrest systems are erected in such a manner that a fall can occur but the fall is arrested within acceptable force and clearance margins.
- Administrative Controls. Administrative controls are work practices or procedures that increase a worker’s awareness of a fall hazard.
What is the primary method of fall protection?
What is the primary method of fall protection? Generally, fall protection can be provided through the use of guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems. OSHA refers to these systems as conventional fall protection. Other systems and methods of fall protection may be used when performing certain activities.
What are the different types of fall protection?
- Unprotected sides or edges in high rise buildings and superstructures
- Leading-edge pre-post construction work of commercial buildings
- Maintenance services on aircraft, on the top of airplanes, fuselages and wings
- Climbing the derrick ladder work in the oil and gas industry
- Steel and foundry work moving and pouring molten material
What are the guidelines for fall protection?
- Should be able to withstand force of at least 200 pounds.
- Should be constructed of materials that will not puncture skin or snag clothing.
- Should not use steel or plastic bands for top or middle rails.
- Mid-rails and screens, where there is no wall, should be at least 21 inches high.
What are fall protection devices?
Equipment Costs
- Is the system in-home, mobile, or a dual system?
- Are you required to buy the equipment or are you leasing it?
- Does the help-button have built-in two-way voice?
What is the best method of fall protection?
Fall Protection1) Guardrails. Guardrails are excellent methods of fall protection because they remove the risk of falling by putting a barrier between the employee and the edge. ... 2) Travel-restraint system. ... 3) Fall-restriction system. ... 4) Fall-arresting system. ... 5) Control zone.
What is a primary system in fall protection?
An individual's own body and balance, the ability to stand, walk, and not fall is typically the primary layer of protection. If the primary fails (e.g. due to a trip, slip, etc.) the guardrails, the secondary layer of protection, would prevent a fall to a lower level.
What are the two types of fall protection?
Two basic types of fall protection are travel restraint and fall arrest. Both involve wearing a full-body harness. A travel restraint system keeps you from getting too close to an unprotected edge. The lifeline and lanyard are adjusted to let you reach the edge but not fall over it.
What are the four methods of fall protection used to protect workers?
All active fall protection for the construction industry falls into four basic categories: fall arrest, positioning, suspension, and retrieval. OSHA provides standards for each category of fall protection.
What are the 3 types of fall protection?
Generally, fall protection can be provided through the use of guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems. OSHA refers to these systems as conventional fall protection. Other systems and methods of fall protection may be used when performing certain activities.
What is the most common secondary fall protection system?
Typical secondary fall arrest systems include safety scaffolds, safety nets and personal fall protection equipment (PPE) when implemented to arrest falls.
What is the least effective method of fall protection?
Personal fall arrest is the least effective method for addressing fall hazards. This does not mean that it is not effective in situations where the other methods are unfeasible.
How many main fall protection systems did we discuss?
There are two major types of fall arrest: general (nets) and personal (lifelines). The fall arrest system only comes into service when or if a fall occurs. According to OSHA standards, only retractable lifelines, or full-body harnesses with shock-absorbing lanyards are accepted as personal fall arrest systems.
What are fall protection systems?
Fall protection systems can be classified into two main categories: passive or active. Passive fall protection systems do not require any further action from human workers once installed. They prevent falls and injuries whether or not an employee actively thinks about them. Examples include guard rails and netting.
How to protect workers from falls?
If working in elevated locations is unavoidable, the best way to protect workers from fall injuries is to prevent them from falling in the first place. Both passive (e.g., guardrails and toe board) and active (e.g. safety harnesses) systems can be used for this purpose. In addition to installing this equipment in and around elevated locations and over open holes and dangerous machinery, OSHA requires workplaces to do the following: 1 Minimize the amount known dangers in the workspace 2 Keep work areas clean, clear, and dry 3 Train employees on how to identify fall hazards and how to use fall protection equipment
What is fall restraint?
Fall Restraint. Fall restraint systems are another form of active fall protection. While they have similar components to fall arrest systems, they have a different function. Rather than stopping a fall after it has occurred, they stop a fall from occurring in the first place.
What are the exceptions to the fall arrest system?
Certain exceptions apply, such as when workers are climbing ladders, scaffolding, or steelwork. Positioning Systems. These systems are commonly used in conjunction with fall arrest systems by workers on ladders.
Why do you move equipment to a lower location?
For example, equipment can be moved to a lower location to make it easier for employees to perform maintenance and repairs without using a ladder or lift.
What is fall protection?
Other means of fall protection that may be required on certain jobs include safety harness and line, safety nets, stair railings and hand rails. OSHA requires employers to: Provide working conditions that are free of known dangers. Keep floors in work areas in a clean and, so far as possible, a dry condition.
How high does OSHA require fall protection?
OSHA requires that fall protection be provided at elevations of four feet in general industry workplaces, five feet in shipyards, six feet in the construction industry and eight feet in longshoring operations.
Why do employers need to provide guardrails?
Regardless of height, if a worker can fall into or onto dangerous machines or equipment (such as a vat of acid or a conveyor belt) employers must provide guardrails and toe-boards to prevent workers from falling and getting injured.
What is the primary to not falling?
People don’t float or fly, what supports their weight is the primary to them not falling. Secondary systems come in many forms. Passive secondary systems include guardrails, safety nets, covers, or any type of barrier that blocks the worker’s travel to the fall hazard.
What is the primary layer of protection?
A “primary” layer of protection is what supports their weight. The “secondary” layer of protection is the backup if the primary fails. The two layers need to be independent of each other. This principle is the foundation for all things fall protection.
What are guardrails? What are some examples?
Let’s look at guardrails as a basic example 1 The primary layer (where the weight is) is the scaffold platform the worker is standing on. Since the cables and anchors are all supporting weight, they are part of the primary system. The guardrails around the scaffold are part of the scaffold structure and are useless if a cable breaks, therefore they cannot be relied upon as a second layer of protection as they are attached to the structure. 2 The second layer of protection is the worker’s lifeline attached to their harness and separate anchors on the building. For the worker to fall to the ground, there would have to be a failure of the scaffold and the lifeline system.
What is the primary layer of a scaffold?
The primary layer (where the weight is) is the scaffold platform the worker is standing on. Since the cables and anchors are all supporting weight, they are part of the primary system. The guardrails around the scaffold are part of the scaffold structure and are useless if a cable breaks, therefore they cannot be relied upon as a second layer ...
What happens if a guardrail fails?
If the primary fails (e.g. due to a trip, slip, etc.) the guardrails, the secondary layer of protection, would prevent a fall to a lower level. If you sit on a guardrail (which you should NEVER do), the secondary layer of protection becomes the primary and you are just one slip away from a fall. Once you understand this principle, deciding ...
What is fall safety equipment?
Depending on the purpose they serve, and the activities they are used for, OSHA recommends different types of fall safety equipment: Body belts restrain persons working in hazardous positions to reduce fall risk. They are for positioning only, so they cannot replace fall arrest systems.
Why is a fall arrest system important?
As you can see, fall arrest systems are an important way to provide effective protection in case a fall occurs. The other categories are meant to prevent falls or diminish consequences.
What is fall arrest?
Fall arrest is a fall protection form that involves safely stopping a person from falling. Other forms of fall protection are fall guarding (protection preventing a person’s access to a fall hazard area) and fall restraint (protection preventing the falling of persons working in a fall hazard area). Fall arrest systems are necessary in situations ...
What height should a fall arrest system be?
They should be used by anyone working at a height of 6 feet or more. Working height represents the distance between the walking or working surface and the lower level. There are two major types ...
How far can you fall from a safety net?
Safety nets are best used for projects where there are no temporary floors or scaffolds, and the fall distance is higher than 25 feet. Rails can be used on fixed ladders and curved surfaces, to prevent falls.
Do you need fall arrest protection equipment?
Department of Labor, your employees need fall arrest protection equipment.
What is fall protection?
The Hierarchy of Fall Protection is a system intended to help select the most effective form of fall protection that can be used in any application.
What is the first step in the hierarchy of fall protection?
The first step on the Hierarchy of Fall Protection is elimination. Elimination simply means to find an approach to a task that does not place a worker in a position where he or she could be at risk of a fall injury. A simple example would be to have a worker use a light bulb changer pole to replace light bulbs, rather than having that worker climb a ladder to reach the bulb.
What is the last step in the fall protection hierarchy?
The last step in the fall protection hierarchy is administrative controls, which is the least preferred solution and not recommended as the primary method of fall protection if any other solution is possible. Administrative controls do not provide any actual physical protection to workers. Instead, administrative controls are work practices or procedures that train workers to avoid fall hazards. This approach leaves the safety of individual workers up to their own actions, which is why safety professionals recommend using more preferred methods unless it is absolutely necessary to rely on administrative controls.
What is the hierarchy of fall protection?
Hierarchy of Fall Protection. The Hierarchy of Fall Protection is the preferred order of control to eliminate or reduce fall hazards. This methodology mirrors common safety practices for hazard abatement beginning with elimination and ending with administrative controls.
What is the preferred solution to all fall hazards?
The preferred solution to all fall hazards is elimination. The reason for exposure to the fall hazard is challenged and evaluated to determine if a change in the procedure, practice, location or equipment will eliminate exposure to the fall hazard.
What is a fall restraint system?
Fall Restraint Systems. Fall restraint systems are erected in such a manner that a fall cannot occur. Fall restraint systems use PPE to restrict the worker’s range of movement so they cannot physically travel to the fall hazard. Fall restraint systems are often underutilized because they are not specifically mentioned in many regulations, ...
Why are fall restraints underutilized?
Fall restraint systems are often underutilized because they are not specifically mentioned in many regulations, but they are preferred over fall arrest systems. Free fall distance is not an issue for fall restraint systems, therefore arresting forces, clearance requirements, secondary injuries, and rescue issues are virtually eliminated.
What is administrative control?
Administrative controls are work practices or procedures that increase a worker’s awareness of a fall hazard. It must be noted that administrative controls are the least preferred method of protection because they do not provide a physical or positive means of protection.
Why is passive protection considered a good idea?
Passive protection is generally considered to provide a higher level of safety since the opportunity for error is less than using personal protective equipment (PPE). The initial costs of passive protection, while possibly high, are often more efficient than the long-term costs of PPE.
Is a fall restraint better than a fall arrest?
Best Practice. Fall restraint is always better than fall arrest. Fall restraint systems prevent most secondary injuries due to the fall and make rescue easy since the worker is still accessible. 4.
