Fundamental Safety Recommendations to Reduce Workers' Exposures to Falls
In the construction industry, falls from elevated surfaces are preventable and can be a serious and costly employee incident. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2021:
- More than one-third of construction fatalities were related to falls, slips, and trips and were primarily connected to falling to a lower level.
- Approximately 46 percent of fatal falls, slips, and trips were linked to the construction industry.
While falls can be dangerous from any height, the OSHA construction standard requires fall protection at heights of 6 feet or greater for most trades, with some exceptions. Common falls can occur from uneven working surfaces, unprotected floor/wall openings, poor housekeeping, misuse or lack of fall protection, and human oversight.
Reduce Fall Exposures
We recommend eliminating fall hazards, such as performing any pre-fabrication tasks at ground level whenever feasible. However, when this is not possible, employers can use these recommended practices to prevent falls:
- Train employees on fall hazards and the fall protection equipment to be used.
- Conduct pre-task assessments to identify and address fall hazards.
- Provide the appropriate fall protection equipment and follow the manufacturer and OSHA requirements. For instance, if working at a leading/sharp edge, supply employees with personal fall protection engineered for that exposure.
- When operating aerial lifts, use the provided anchorage points for positioning restraints/fall protection systems.
- Identify and mitigate slip and trip hazards around the jobsite.
- Develop and implement a fall rescue plan.
- Conduct inspections throughout the workday to identify fall hazards such as floor openings, missing guardrails, and slip/trip hazards. Additionally, these inspections should confirm that existing fall protection is compliant.
For more information on fall protection, review the regulations provided by OSHA under 1926 Subpart M and your State OSHA program, which may mandate additional requirements.
For more safety recommendations, contact your BITCO Risk Control Consultant. Click the "Find an Agent" button below to contact a BITCO agent near you.
For information purposes only. BITCO's blog content does not address all potential circumstances and is not a substitute for business, safety, or legal consultation.
