Overview
Falls from elevation is a leading cause of fatalities, especially in the construction industry. Most of these fatalities involve working from unprotected height or not wearing or inadequate personal fall arrest systems.
Basic Safe Work Practices
- Provide training on safe work practices and procedures.
- Ensure adequate personal fall protection systems.
- Ensure fall protection at elevations of four feet in general industry workplaces and six feet in the construction industry.
- Guard every floor hole into which a worker can accidentally walk into.
- Provide a guard rail and toe-board around every elevated open sided platform, floor or runway.
- Provide guardrails and toe-boards to prevent workers from falling and getting injured.
- Other means of fall protection should be used where applicable such as safety harness and line, safety nets, stair railings and hand rails.
- Keep floors in work areas in a clean and, so far as possible, a dry condition.
- Select and provide required personal protective equipment at no cost to workers.