Overview
Falls from walking and working surfaces is a leading cause of fatalities in both general industry and construction. Most of these fatalities involve working from unprotected heights.
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.
- 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, in dry condition.
- Select and provide required personal protective equipment at no cost to workers.