This document provides guidance on fall protection when working at heights. It outlines that falls are a leading cause of death in construction and that fall protection measures should follow a hierarchy of first removing hazards, then using passive barriers like guardrails if work at heights is necessary, and if those are not possible using fall restraint or arrest systems. It details requirements for guardrails, safety nets, harnesses and other fall protection equipment. Situations requiring fall protection include various elevated work areas, openings, excavations and mobile equipment. Ladders, stairs and scaffolding must also be properly constructed and used to prevent falls from any height.

1. Safety Training
Working at Heights

2. Falls are the leading cause of deaths in the
construction industry.
Most fatalities occur when employees fall from open-
sided floors and through floor openings.
Falls from as little as .5 meter can cause serious lost-
time accidents and sometimes death.
Falls in Construction

3. The Fall Protection Hierarchy shall be considered when
designing fall protection solutions for both existing and new
facilities.
Unprotected falls from elevation usually result in
serious debilitating injury or death. Falls can be
prevented through the use of proper prevention and
arrest systems. All work from elevated work surfaces
will be accomplished without any risk of falling to a
lower level. This goal is achieved by adhering to the
following fall protection hierarchy:
Fall Protection Hierarchy

4. Remove the hazard: avoid working at heights. Bring the
work down to the ground level whenever possible.
If work at heights is unavoidable, secure the elevated work
area with a passive fall prevention barrier system, such as
guardrails.
When a barrier system is not feasible because of the
physical characteristics of the work environment or the
infrequency of access, use an approved fall restraint system
or a MEWP (Motorized Elevated Work Platform)
If no other option is feasible, a properly engineered and
approved fall arrest system can be used in conjunction with
a rescue plan.
Fall Protection Hierarchy

5. Personal Fall
Arrest System
(PFAS)
Guardrails and work
platforms
Safety Nets
Fall Protection Options

6. Top rails between 100 cm and 115 cm tall
Mid-Rail located 30 – 40 cm below top rail
Toeboards at least 10 cm high
Guardrails
Top Rail
Mid- Rail
Toeboard

7. Rails must be able
to withstand a force
of 200 pounds/ 90
Kilograms
Handrail and
Top Rail Strength

8. Safety Nets
Place safety nets as close as possible below where employees
are working. Safety nets must be installed and inspected
by a competent person

9. Personal Fall Arrest Systems
You must be trained
how to properly use
PFAS.
PFAS = anchorage,
lifeline and body
harness.

10. Must be independent
of any platform
anchorage and
capable of
supporting at least
5,000 lbs/ 2,250 Kilo
per worker
Safety Line Anchorages

11. Lap Belt; not suitable for fall
protection
Full body harness with attachable lanyard; GOOD/
SAFE fall protection
Positioning Devices verses Full Body Harness

12. When Fall Protection is Needed
Walkways & ramps
Unprotected sides & edges
Wall openings
Holes
Scaffolds
Work platforms
False work
Concrete forms & rebar
Open excavations
MEWP (Motorized Elevated Work Platform)
Scissor lifts
Man riding baskets (crane lifted)

13. Unprotected
sides and edges
must have
guardrails or
equivalent
Unprotected Sides & Edges

14. Sides & Edges - Improper Guarding
This ¼ inch/ 7 mm nylon rope is not a
proper way to guard an open floor

15. Unprotected edge
Unprotected Wall Openings
Unprotected sides, edges, and wall openings
must have guardrails or equivalent

16. Unprotected Wall Openings
Unprotected sides, edges, and wall openings
must have guardrails or equivalent
Barricade all
wall openings

17. Sky Lights, Holes, and Other Openings
Holes must be protected. This opening could be
made safe by using a guardrail, or strong cover

18. Sky Lights, Holes, and Other Openings
This opening was made safe by using a
guardrail system

19. completely and securely cover or guardrail
all floor openings and indicate that there is
an opening or hole below
Floor Holes
Inadequate hole covering

20. completely and securely cover all floor
openings and indicate that there is an
opening or hole below
Floor Holes
Properly
Covered

21. Guard all open
excavations
A hard barricade
should be erected
around all open
excavations
Excavations

22. Mobile Elevated Work Platform (MEWP)
Employees must be trained before operating
100% tie off is required when working in a MEWP
MEWP must be lowered to before allowed to move

23. Scissor lifts
Employees must be
trained before operating
100% tie off is required
when operating a
scissor lift
Scissor lifts should only
be used on solid level
ground
Scissor lifts must be
lowered before allowed
to move

24. Mobile Equipment
Do not use equipment or shovels as personnel lifting equipment
Do not ride in the buckets

25. Crane lifted man baskets
Man baskets must be designed
for and only used to lift workers
Must be 3rd party certified to lift
workers and display safe
working load
100% tie off with fall harness and
lanyard when in man basket

26. Ladders are to be used for light duty
tasks for a duration not to exceed ½
hour
The maximum step ladder height is 2
meters
Job/ hand built ladders will not be
used
Only one person allowed per ladder
Do not climb or stand above
maximum safe working height
(normally on the top 2 steps)
Keep the area around the ladder clear
Ensure rungs are not deformed or
damaged
Do not tie or lash ladders together to
make them longer
Have someone secure hold/ secure
ladder if needed
General Ladder Requirements

27. Handrails
Stairways with three or
more risers, or higher
than 30 inches/ 75 cm,
must be equipped with
handrail.
The stairway to this platform has more than 4 risers
and is not guarded. The platform requires guarding.

28. Dangerous Conditions
Fix or clean slippery
conditions
Stairway parts must be
free of projections which
may cause injuries or
snag clothing
Clean all debris, trip
hazards, and material
storage from stairways

29. Securing Ladders
Secure ladders to
prevent accidental
movement due to
workplace activity
Only use ladders on
stable and level
surfaces, unless
secured
Do not use ladders on
slippery surfaces
unless secured or
provided with slip-
resistant feet
This ladder is not on a
stable surface

30. Ladder Angle
Non-self-supporting ladders:
(which lean against a wall or
other support)
Position at an angle where
the horizontal distance from
the top support to the foot
of the ladder is 1/4 the
working length of the ladder

31. When using a portable
ladder for access to an
upper landing surface,
the side rails must
extend above the upper
landing surface to allow
for employees safe
access to the
Ladder Rail Extension

32. Face the ladder when
going up or down
Use the 3 point rule
Do not carry any
objects, tools, or
loads that could
cause you to lose
balance
Climbing the Ladder

33. Near Energized Electrical
Equipment
If using ladders where the
employee or the ladder
could contact exposed
energized electrical
equipment, they must
have nonconductive
siderails or fiberglass.
This is an unsafe condition

34. Do not go above the
safe working area of a
step ladder; get a
longer ladder to safely
complete the task
Top Step

35. A competent person must
inspect ladders for visible
defects, like broken or
missing rungs
If a defective ladder is
found, immediately mark it
defective or tag it "Do Not
Use”
Remove defective ladders
from service
Damaged or Defective Ladders
Missing rung

36. NOT
ALLOWED

37. DO NOT use drums or
other objects to increase
scaffold or work platform
height

38. NO JOB
BUILT
LADDERS

53. Summary
If you can fall you must be protected
Use fall protection systems on:
– Walkways & ramps
– Unprotected sides & edges
– Wall openings
– Holes
– Scaffolds
– Work platforms
– False work
– Concrete forms & rebar
– Open excavations
– MEWP (Motorized Elevated Work Platform)
– Scissor lifts
– Man riding baskets (crane lifted)
Protective measures include guardrails, covers, safety nets, and
Personal Fall Arrest Systems

54. Thank You