fall protection in construction © blr ® —business & legal resources association members...
TRANSCRIPT
Fall Protection in Construction
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources
Association Members Workers’ Compensation Trust
Safety Awareness For Everyone from Cove Risk Services
© BLR®—Business & Legal Resources
Session Objectives
You will be able to:– Recognize fall hazards and identify when fall
protection is needed
– Use basic fall protection systems
– Prevent objects from falling
– Inspect personal fall arrest systems
– Rescue yourself and others from falls
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Fall Statistics
– Leading cause of construction industry fatalities
– 700 workers killed each year
– 100,000 workers injured each year
– 40% of construction industry injuries are related to falls
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Fall Protection Regulation
29 CFR 1926.500 to 1926.503– Construction sites
– All workers who might be exposed to fall hazards
– Recognize fall hazards and follow training procedures to minimize fall hazard
– Scaffolds, cranes and derricks, steel erection, tunneling, electrical transmission, and ladders and stairways not covered here
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Employer Requirements
– Assess site conditions
– Select fall protection– Install fall protection
systems– Follow safe work
procedures– Train workers
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Recognize Free Fall Hazards
– Edges– Sloping surfaces– Ladders– Holes or openings– Tools and
equipment
Image credit: State of WA-WISHA Services
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When Is Fall Protection Needed?
– 6 feet or more above a lower level
– Hazard of falling into dangerous equipment
– Specific areas or activities
– While walking and working surfaces are being inspected
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Fall Hazards —Any Questions?
– Do you understand the hazards of falls and fall protection requirements?
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Fall Protection Systems
– Fall prevention (restraint) systems
– Fall arrest systems
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Fall Prevention —Safe Work Practices
– Keep area clean
– Look
– Listen
– Use fall protection
– Avoid dropping objects
– Never run
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Fall Prevention Systems and Practices
– Positioning device system — harness
– Guardrails
– Warning line systems
– Safety monitoring systems
– Controlled access zones (CAZs)
– Covers
– Protection from falling objects
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Positioning Device System — Harness
– Harness connected by a lanyard to an anchor as fall restraint
– Allows movement around worksite
– Prevents going over the edge
Image credit: State of WA-WISHA Services
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Guardrail Systems
– Most common protection to restrain workers from falls
– Top rail withstand 200-pound force
– Midrail withstand 150-pound force
– Toeboard withstand 50-pound force
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Guardrail Systems (cont.)
– Smooth, no projections– Fall arrest system
required when guardrails are removed
– Guards unprotected openings, excavations, and ramps
Image credit: State of WA-WISHA Services
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Warning Line System
– Warns workers to stay away from fall hazards
– Consists of ropes, wires, chains
– Flagged every 6 feet– Must be 34-39 inches
above working surface– Erected around all sides
of roof work area at least 6 feet from edge
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Warning Line System (cont.)
– Stanchions must not tip over easily
– Workers must be trained to stay out
– Work outside the line requires another fall arrest system
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Safety Monitor System
– Monitors and warns workers
– Recognizes fall hazards– Communicates with
workers– No other duties– Keeps unauthorized
workers away– Workers must comply
with safety monitor
Image credit: State of WA-WISHA Services
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Controlled Access Zones
– Regulated work areas without conventional fall protection systems
– Combination warning line and safety monitor systems
– Limited access to qualified employees
– Allow leading edge work without fall protection systems
– Designated and clearly marked work areas
– Lines run the length of the unprotected edge
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Hole Covers
– Prevents worker or worker’s body part from penetrating a walking or working surface
– Required for all holes equal or greater than 2 inches wide
– Twice the load of people or equipment
– Secured to prevent accidental displacement
– Color-coded, or marked with “HOLE” or “COVER”
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Prevent Objects From Falling
– Use screens or panels to prevent tools or equipment from falling on workers
– Store materials 4 feet from edge
– For roofing work, store material 6 feet from edge
– Use canopies strong enough to prevent collapse and prevent penetration
– Keep areas barricaded where objects are likely to fall
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Prevent Objects From Falling (cont.)
– Use toeboards
– Keep tools, materials, and debris picked up
– Don’t throw objects down to lower levels
– Wear a hard hat
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Fall Prevention—Any Questions?
– Do you understand basic fall restraint systems: guardrails, harnesses, controlled access zones, warning lines, hole covers, safety monitoring, or preventing objects from falling?
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Fall Arrest—Safety Net System
– Nets intended to catch falling workers
– Installed under working surface
– 30 feet or less below workers
– Inspect regularly
– Sufficient clearance
– Remove fallen items
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Personal Fall Arrest System — Harness
– Harness distributes arresting forces
– Harness for fall arrest, positioning, or suspension
– Body belt is not part of a fall arrest system
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Effective Personal Fall Arrest System
– Maximum arresting force of 1,800 lbs.
– Free fall no more than 6 feet
– Avoid contact with a lower level
– Max deceleration distance of 3.5 feet
– Designed to withstand twice the impact forces
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Fall Arrest System — Connectors
– Connectors (snaphooks and rings) attach the lanyard to the anchor and harness
– Ensure that snaphooks lock in place
– Non-locking snaphooks are prohibited
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Fall Arrest System — Connectors (cont.)
Snaphook don’ts:– Webbing or rope– Another snaphook– D-ring with another
snaphook attached– Horizontal lifeline– Object incompatible in
shape or dimension
Image credit: State of WA-WISHA Services
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Fall Arrest System — Lanyard
– Flexible line with connector that connects harness to the anchor
– Often contains a deceleration device
– No knots or wrapping around sharp objects
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Fall Arrest System — Lifeline
– Lifelines connect personal fall arrest system to anchor
– Vertical — hang from one anchor point
– Horizontal — stretched between two anchor points
– Ropes and straps made of synthetic fibers
– Protect against being cut or abraded
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Fall Arrest System — Deceleration Device
– Dissipates energy during fall arrest
– Rip-stitch, tearing, or stretching lanyard
– Rope grab device– Retracting lifelines
or lanyards– Lanyard required
where there is no deceleration device
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Fall Arrest System — Anchors
– Secure point of attachment for lifeline, lanyard, or deceleration device
– Withstand 5,000 pound force per person
– Anchor point above you– Ask if unsure about
proper anchor points
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Inspect Personal Fall Arrest Systems
– Inspect before each use
– Check D-rings
– Check ropes, straps, tongue-buckle
– Ensure that parts move freely
– Remove defective components
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Rescue Plan
– Safely rescue worker in the shortest time possible
– Blood pulls in legs when suspended, leading to fainting
– If suspended in a harness• Push legs against objects for blood flow• Raise legs if possible
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Questions?
– Do you understand the information on fall arrest systems?
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What’s Wrong Here?
– Identify the fall hazards
– What fall protection is missing?
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Key Points to Remember
– Recognize fall hazards
– Use and operate fall protection systems
– Implement safe work practices
– Inspect fall protection systems
– Protect from falling objects
– Rescue
Association Members Workers’ Compensation Trust
Safety Awareness For Everyone from Cove Risk Services