Fall Protection
Tennessee OSHA has instituted a Special Emphasis Program to better identify actual and potential fall hazards and provide for the control or elimination of these hazards. On each inspection or consultative visit, TOSHA compliance officers and consult-ants will evaluate fall hazards in the work-place and intervene where employees are exposed. In addition, whenever, wherever, TOSHA staff members observe employees exposed to fall hazards, they are empow-ered to stop and conduct an inspection.
What Can Falls Do to You?
Each year in the United States falls on the job account for more than 200 fatalities and over 100,000 injuries to workers. These occur in all areas of employment and almost all occupations. In Tennessee falls are a leading cause of work-related death. The following table shows the Tennessee statistics for 1997-2001:
Year |
Fatalities |
1997
|
7
|
1998 |
10 |
1999 |
12 |
2000 |
15 |
2001 |
13 |
Where Do Fall Hazards Exist?
In general industry workers must be protected when the fall hazard is greater than four feet. Fall hazards that occur in an in-dustrial setting are often less obvious than those which occur on a construction site. In an industrial workplace fall haz-ards can occur from storage areas above offices and on mezzanines, cat-walks, floor holes and manholes, scaffolds, certain types of material handling equipment, elevated work platforms, and even em-ployees climbing onto equipment to perform a re-pair or make an adjustment. These haz-ards can be controlled with the use of guardrails, covers, personal fall arrest equipment, and employee training.
Fall hazards are present during almost all phases of construction. Workers in con-struction must be protected when the fall hazard is greater than six feet. These hazards often occur during excava-tion, steel erection, concrete forming and pouring, work from scaffolding, and roof-ing.
The majority of fatalities that occur on construction projects are from falls, and falls are a significant source of serious injury. Almost all trades are exposed to fall hazards at some point during the per-formance of their work. The fall hazard must be identified and protection pro-vided through the use of guardrail systems, personal fall arrest equipment (body harness, lanyard, etc.), controlled access areas, nets, and employee awareness train-ing.
TOSHA is committed to helping employ-ees and employers identify fall hazards and select the necessary protection to control or eliminate the hazard. This Spe-cial Emphasis Program will help TOSHA meet this goal.
For more information contact TOSHA at 1-800-249-8510 or visit the OSHA Web site at www.osha.gov.
WHO FALLS
- 18-72 years of age
- Most are 20-39 years of age
- Falls result mostly from slippery surfaces, trips, or loss of balance
- 50% fall from ladders and scaffolds
- 53% occur from a distance of 10 ft or less
- Most accidents occur on Monday
Most accidents happen in the morning
Most fall victims were not wearing fall protection
Length of service was not a factor, but training was
COSTS OF FALLS
Average fall
|
$ 43,708
|
Out 1 month
|
$ 54,240 |
Death
|
$403,968 |
TOSHA
220 French Landing Drive
Nashville, Tennessee 37243
Ph: (615) 741-2793
Fax: (615) 253-1623
Toll Free: 1-800-249-8510
Send comments to Division of Occupational Safety and Health
