How to choose and evaluate Fall Protection Equipment

According to statistics, falls account for 43 percent of construction worker deaths. While this isn’t a universal statistic across all industries, however it does underscore the importance of enhanced fall prevention PPE and practices.

Adopting a fall protection method that is appropriate for your business should be a top consideration. There is no such thing as a “one-size-fits-all” solution. Before determining which fall protection equipment is ideal for worker safety, consider the mitigation and risk factors connected with each one.

The following are the various types of fall protection methods, sorted from most effective to least effective:

• Preventing Falls

Falls are avoided in this method by erecting a barrier between the worker and the hazard. This strategy aims to eliminate the probability of ever reaching the hazard. Physical barriers used in fall prevention include guardrails around unprotected edges and coverings over holes.

The most efficient way of fall protection is to eliminate dangers. It is at the top of the Control Hierarchy. Fall risks are clearly recognized, evaluated, and avoided whenever possible using this procedure. Removing these hazardous factors can drastically reduce the number of falls that could have been avoided.

• Identifying a Fall Hazard

Employers aren’t the only ones that have to worry about fall hazards. Workers should also be taught how to recognise and report hazards in real time. They should be aware with OSHA regulations so that they may appreciate the significance of fall protection in the workplace.

Workers should also have a basic understanding of how to submit written reports of near-misses and actual falls when they do occur. Physical impediments should also be examined in their current state. This is a continuous process that requires proactive behaviour on the part of both companies and employees.

• Restraint in the Fall

Fall restraint strives to prevent workers from reaching the fall danger, whereas fall prevention aims to eliminate hazards. A tie-off system, such as a fixed-length lanyard, body harness, or belt, can be used to do this.

When employees must operate near the edge of a hazard but not at the exact point of risk, fall restraint systems are used. The length of the tie off mechanism must be shorter than the distance between the worker and the fall hazard. This makes reaching the hazard physically impossible for an employee.

Choosing Fall Protection Equipment

The usage of the appropriate devices is required to successfully eliminate fall dangers and to establish an effective fall restraint system. Remember to apply the hierarchy of controls before conducting a cost-benefit analysis for choosing your fall protection PPE:

• The first goal is to look for ways to reduce the risk of falling (elimination). This is where true fall prevention takes place.
• Employers can search for alternatives to replace dangers if not all of them can be eliminated (substitution).
• Meanwhile, engineering measures try to keep humans away from the danger. This is where the concept of fall restraint comes into play.
• If a hazard cannot be avoided, administrative measures try to influence how people operate.
• Finally, if all of the other measures fail, the goal should be to protect the worker with the appropriate PPE. This category includes fall arrest systems.

Bottom Line

While falls are caused by a variety of circumstances, they may usually be avoided with proper training and fall protection equipment. Fall prevention methods can help to reduce the number of workers who are injured on the workplace by preventing them from falling.