Fall Protection PDF

How H Long L Does D it T k to Take t F Fall ll 4 ft f ? 16 fft ? 64 fft ?  a body in free fall can travel 4 ft. in 0.5 second a bodyy in free fall can travel 16 ft. in 1 second a body in free fall can travel 64 ft. in 2 secon...

How H Long L Does D it T k to Take t F Fall ll 4 ft f ? 16 fft ? 64 fft ?  a body in free fall can travel 4 ft. in 0.5 second a bodyy in free fall can travel 16 ft. in 1 second a body in free fall can travel 64 ft. in 2 seconds  Falls in Construction  In the blink of an eye we can hit the ground hard! g  Fall from heights is the leading cause of deaths in the construction industry industry.  Most fatalities occur when employees fall from open open-sided sided floors or through floor openings.  Falls from as low as 4 to 6 feet can cause serious lost-time accidents and even death. F ll Hazards Fall H d 1 F 1. Falls ll ffrom elevation l ti  Scaffolds  Ladders  Roof  Elevated workplaces  Floor openings  Leading edges F ll Hazards Fall H d 2 F 2. Fallll on th the same llevell  Slipping pp g and tripping pp g hazards 3. Being struck by falling objects  Objects that are: - improperly stored - improperly disposed of - mishandled at elevation Appropriate Methods of Protection Elimination Prevention Control Eliminating the fall hazard Requires q careful assessment of the work to be done and how to safely accomplish that work Develop a different way of performing the work Design safety into the construction process Examples:  Performing as much work on the ground as possible to eliminate the hazard of climbing/working at elevation like: - building prefab roof on the ground and lifting it into place with a crane -assembling guardrail systems and fall arrestt systems t on form f workk and/or d/ structural steel at ground level rather th att elevation than l ti  Use of appropriate pp p equipment q p such as scaffoldings and aerial lifts Preventing employee exposure Fall prevention methods  Providing proper access to elevated work area P Protecting t ti unguarded d d openings i and d leading edges  Practicing good housekeeping Stairs and Ladders Handrails – Assists balance Guardrail A barrier erected to prevent employees from f lli tto llower llevels falling l Work locations requiring q ggguardrail p protection:  Elevated work platforms (such as form work)  Scaffolds  Openings/holes in bridge decks, floors or other unprotected t t d surfaces f  Unprotected sides of ramps/stairways/platforms G Guard d Rail R il Systems S t Top Rail Mid- Rail Toeboard Guard rails at least 1 m tall Toeboards at least 15 cm high  Unprotected sides & edges Unprotected U t t d sides id and d edges d mustt have guardrails.  Wall a ope opening g If y you work near wall openings p g 6 feet or more above lower levels you must be protected from falling W lk Walkways and d Ramps R Guard ramps, runways and other walkways This 1/4" nylon rope alone is not a proper way to t guard d this thi open side. id  Openings O i att the sides of the rubbish chute that are not barricaded Lift shaft h ft openings which are not barricaded Surface Opening Protection Floor Holes Improperly Covered  Cover completely p y and securelyy  If no cover, can guard with a guardrail Sky lights and Other Openings p g  Holes more than 6 feet high must be protected  This opening could be made safe by using a guardrail, or strong cover Good housekeeping can reduce hazards of falling objects. You should keep your workplace clean and tidy daily. daily Controlling the fall Should only y be considered after determining that the fall hazard cannot be eliminated or the possibility of falling prevented Least desirable method of protection because it minimizes the consequences of a fall rather than preventing its occurrence Fall Restraint R Or Fall Arrest? F ll Restraint Fall R t i t Systems S t Prevent you from falling Include: - Work Positioning Systems – attach you to an anchor and leave both your free hands free to work y - Travel Restriction Systems –p prevent you from traveling to an edge from where yyou mayy fall W k Positioning Work P iti i Systems S t To support and suspend the user while being transported Commonly seen during form work and tying of rebar. Travel Restriction Systems Use to prevent the user from reaching an area a ea where e e free-fall ee a coucould d occu occur (e (e.g. g leading edge roof work) U off B Use Body d BBelts lt Effective January 1, 1998, body belts are prohibited as a fall arrest device device. (OSHA) Body belts can still be used as a positioning device. Putting P tti on a safety f t belt b lt Fasten the belt snugly around your waist Wear it high on your waist, not low around the hips or pelvic area. P iti the Position th belt b lt buckle b kl att the front of your body Make sure the belt tail is secure in the belt loop and not hanging out loosely. Inspecting I ti your safety f t belt b lt Inspect your belt before each use. Buckle Webbing  D rings D-rings Remember: R b DO NOT USE SAFETY BELTS THAT SHOW SIGNS OF DAMAGE!!! F ll Arrest Fall A t Systems S t Protect you AFTER you fall by stopping the fall before you hit the surface below Purpose:  Stop the fall  Distribute the impact energy experienced during the fall arrest Includes: Full body harness Safety nets Elements of a Fall Arrest System 1 Anchor Point 1. 2. Lifeline 3. Lanyard y or Rope p 4. Full-body Harness Anchorage A secure ppoint of attachment for lanyards, lifelines, or deceleration devices capable of withstanding the anticipated forces applied during a fall Shall be located above the worker to avoid unnecessary swing in the event of a fall Anchoring Non-Anchorages Non Anchorages Devices/Points  Guardrails  Structural Members  Railings  Anchors/Fasteners  Ladders/Rungsg  Eyebolts  Scaffoldings  Imbeds  Ductworks/Pipe  Turnbuckles Vents  Shackles C d it/Pl bi  Conduit/Plumbing  g Slings  C-Clamps  Retractables  Roof stacks, vents,  Cross Arm Straps fans Lif li Lifeline - is an independent length of synthetic fiber or steel wire rope attached to a p point of anchorage g at one or both ends. It is used to guide a fall arrest device. device  H i Horizontal t l Lifeline Lif li Consists of a fixed rail or synthetic fiber rope or wire rope rigged between two substantial anchor points Allows a worker to move horizontally V ti l Lifeline Vertical Lif li An independent length of sy o synthetic t et c fiber be oor stee steel wire rope attached to a point of anchorage. p g It is used to guide a fall arrest device. It allows a worker to move vertically ti ll on an aerial lift device. Safety y Line Anchorages g Must be independent of any platform anchorage and capable of supporting at least , 5,000 lbs. per p worker I Inspection ti Points P i t Exposure to sunlight causes most synthetic fiber ropes to deteriorate over time Before each use, carefully inspect your lifeline to make sure it is in good condition Look for signs of chafing or abrasion, cuts in the yarns or strands, or any visible d f iti th deformities thatt would ld weaken k ththe rope or interfere with the free movement of the rope grab. grab Remember: IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBTS ABOUT THE CONDITION OF YOUR LIFELINE, DO NOT USE IT! L Lanyard d Flexible line of webbing or a synthetic or wire rope used to secure a safety belt or full body harness to a lifeline or anchor Inspect the lanyard before each use Shock Sh k absorber b b A shock h k absorber b b slows l and d cushions the fall, reducing the force of stopping the fall fall. Warning: The shock absorber may increase the length of the lanyard by as much as 1 2 m (4 ft)d 1.2 i a ffall. ft)during ll All Allow for this extra fall distance when you include a a shock absorber in your personal fall protection system. system F ll Body Full B d Harness H Wear a full body harness if you are at risk of falling It consists of straps passed over the shoulders, across the chest, and around the legs legs. In a fall fall, a full body harness protects you more than a safety belt, because it distributes the force of p impact over a ggreater area of yyour body. y  You must be trained how to properly use FAS. FAS = anchorage, h lifeline lif li and d body b d harness. h Inspecting your full body harness Inspect your harness before each use. Buckle Webbing D-rings Look for bent, bent cracked, cracked nicked nicked, or gouged rings. Remember: IF THE HARNESS IS DAMAGED OR WORN, DO NOT WEAR IT!! S i Swing fall f ll hazard h d Be careful not to tie off to a o an a anchor c o in such a way that if yyou fall,, you’ll y swing into an obstruction A swing fall can be as harmful h f l as falling to the ground After Aft A F Fall ll Immediately remove from service all equipment used to arrest the fall. You cannot use the equipment again until it has been inspected and approved by the manufacturer or other approved agent agent, or by a professional engineer. F ll Containment Fall C t i t System S t S f t N Safety Net/Mesh t/M h Constructed of materials of sufficient strength to catch a falling person or debris Sufficient tension and clearance to prevent a falling person against contacting any surface or structure below the net Inspected at least once a week for wear, damage and other deterioration Place as close as possible possible, but no more than 30 feet below where employees work Catch platforms can help to catch debris Do not store debris on catch platform  You should use overhead shelter and follow the designated passageways Do not take short cut to save time as you may hit b falling by f lli objects bj t when h you do not follow the designated passageways. passageways  Overlay net is important because it protects workers and public from being hit by falling objects When entering or leaving a building, you must make use of designated entry point. i t T i i Training Employers must provide fall protection training which may cover:  Fall hazards ((recognition g and minimization)  Fall protection p systems  Use of fall protection p devices Summary If you can fall more than 6 feet, you must be protected. Use fall protection on: walkways & ramps, open sides & edges, holes, concrete forms & rebar, ti excavations, f wall roofs, ll openings i and bricklaying Protective measures include guardrails, covers, safety nets, and Fall Arrest Systems R i d Reminder Safety is therefore important to me and myy family! y  F ll Protection Fall P t ti Options O ti Fall Safety Net Arrest System Guardrails PPE 71