As Construction Safety Week is underway, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is holding its National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction to encourage home builders and contractors to talk directly to employees about safety regarding fall hazards.
In 2021, the leading cause of death for construction employees was falls from elevation, accounting for 378 of 986 construction fatalities, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics.
“Several factors are often involved in falls, including unstable working surfaces, misuse or failure to use fall protection equipment, and human error,” notes Kimberly Darby at OSHA's Office of Communications. “Studies have shown that using guardrails, fall arrest systems, safety nets, covers, and restraint systems can prevent many deaths and injuries from falls.”
While potential falls can range by jobsite, OSHA lists seven types of falls to consider when assessing a job and creating a fall prevention program.
These are common items and elevations found on residential construction sites:
- Falls from ladders;
- Falls from a roof;
- Falls from a scaffold;
- Falls down a stairway;
- Falls from a structural steel;
- Falls through a floor or roof opening; and
- Falls through a fragile roof surface.
In conjunction with the National Safety Stand-Down, OSHA has also begun a National Emphasis Program to prevent falls. It will focus on reducing fall-related injuries and fatalities for people working at heights in all industries including residential construction.
"This national emphasis program aligns all of OSHA's fall protection resources to combat one of the most preventable and significant causes of workplace fatalities," says assistant secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Doug Parker. "We're launching this program in concert with the 10th annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction and the industry's Safety Week. Working together, OSHA and employers in all industries can make lasting changes to improve worker safety and save lives."
Fall protection is the most frequently cited OSHA violation each year. For 2022, there were 5,260 violations for fall protection general requirements and 1,556 violations for fall protection training requirements, according to OSHA.
To avoid injuries and violations, OSHA outlines five ways to approach fall hazards.
- If working at 6 feet or higher, use fall protection systems like guardrails, safety nets, and personal fall arrest equipment, including an anchorage, a body harness, and a connector or a lanyard;
- Make a fall prevention plan in writing that is site specific;
- Provide workers with the right equipment for the job;
- Train everyone to use equipment safely; and
- Inspect harnesses, lanyards, and anchorage points before each use.
To learn more about fall protection and standards, OSHA provides free materials for presentations and safety stand-downs. A Fall Protection Toolkit is also available as a part of the NAHB's safety resources.
