5000 lbs, 1800 lbs, Elimination, twice, 24 inches

1. Industrial
Fall
Protection
John
Newquist
johnanewquist@gmail.com
815-354-6853
Draft 6 24 2016

2. July 2015
• Kentwood MI
• All I know is there were some
gaps in the scaffolding… And
they had went out to buy some
plywood but they didn’t buy
enough… So I’m not even sure
why he was up there, quite
frankly,” said Rickert.
2

3. January 2015
• West Palm Beach FL
• Divers found the
lifeless body of
Hermino Padilla Jr.
lodged inside a pipe
after he fell through a
metal grate into a
sewage tank

4. October 2014
• Tennessee
• An employee at Erwin Resin
Solutions died after he fell
approximately 25 feet into a
hole at the facility
• Gary Reedy, 51, died after the
fall. He was also exposed to
radioactive material, but we
were told that it was not what
caused his death.

5. June 2014
• Tavares Williams fell
Tuesday about 18 feet
from the top of a
scissor lift, also known
as a "manlift."

6. Mar 2014
• The fall was approximately 20
feet and the man landed on
concrete in a 20-by-3-foot
ventilation shaft, officials said.
• “He stepped on the grate, it
gave way, and he fell into the
window well,” Deputy
Deerfield Police Chief Tom
Keane said.

7. October 2014
• Sixteen people
watching an outdoor
pop concert in South
Korea fell 20 meters to
their deaths Friday
when a ventilation
grate they were
standing on collapsed,
officials said.

8. March 2014
• Liftpods are going
everywhere

9. Dec 2013
• MD
• A man working in the
garage level of a row
of town houses under
slipped on a small
patch of ice, fell and
struck his head and
died.

10. Fall Protection Most Cited
• Open-sided floor no
guard rail
• Stairs – no rails
• Unguarded floor hole
• Not having stairs
where daily access is
required
• No guardrails for falls
into dangerous
machinery
• Stairs over 44 inches –
no rails on both side
• Aisles not kept clear
• No covers for open
pits etc.
• Ladderway Floor
opening not guarded
• Open floor hole not
attended when cover
removed

11. OSHA Fatalities
• 1000+ Roof Falls in 10 years
• 1000+ Ladder Falls in 10 years
• Event Date: 01/27/2009
• On January 27, 2009, Gerald Holland was walking across
an aircraft hanger to exit the building for lunch.
• Ice and sleet had been blowing through gaps in the hanger
doors, creating slippery conditions on the adjacent floor.
• Gerald slipped and fell, striking his head on the concrete
floor. He was hospitalized for severe head trauma and later
died.

12. Roof Fall into Acid
• May 7, 2012
• Martin Davis, 44
• Clifton, N.J.
• Fell through the roof
Plunged 40 feet into a
tank of nitric acid.
• He suffered burns
from head to foot
• Coworker jumped in
acid to rescue him.
Co-worker jumped in the
tank and pulled him out. He
was rinsed off in the
emergency shower.

13. ASSE 2010
• Work Comp from PA Insurance
• ~4000 companies studied
• 200 Companies had 210 single losses over
$250,000
• 21% were same surface falls (ice, slipping)
• 17% were ergo from non routine lifting

14. Cost of Fatal Injuries
• JP Leigh – 2011 Findings:
• The number of work related fatalities in
2007 was estimated to be more than 5,600
at a cost of $6 billion or
• For 2007, work related nonfatal injuries
totaled 8,559,000, at a cost of $186 billion.

15. Worker Comp 2012
• Per Liberty Mutual Research Institute
March 2012
• Worker comp at 12 year low.
• Falls on same level $7.94 billion 34.2%
increase in 12 years
• Falls to lower level $5.35 billion 10.2%
increase in 12 years

16. Region 5 is seeing more non construction falls than
construction falls.
Ladders
27%
Roofs
21%
Same Surface
20%
Othe Elevaton
17%
Elevated Platform
15%
Top Fall Sources Region V 2010-2014
Ladders Roofs Same Surface Othe Elevaton Elevated Platform Nonmoving Vehicle
Skylights and
scaffolds not in
top five now.

17. A Company 2014
• A contractor was hired to
review all potential fall hazards
at the site.
• In response to this review, the
site has installed fall protection
on the roof to protect HVAC,
and other contract employees,
from falls.
• Guardrails were installed at
edges and designated walkways
to the HVAC units were
delineated.
• Guardrails were also installed
around skylights.
Guardrails or fall protection
required at 4 feet
Guardrails must be at least
200 pounds strength

18. Fall Protection
• What is the exposures
to falls?
• Who will manage fall
exposures?
• Is rescue in your plan?

19. What is Fall Protection?
• Fall protection protects
workers from fall hazards.
• Fall protection doesn’t
mean bulky or
cumbersome equipment.
• It doesn’t interfere with
work tasks and it doesn’t
get in the way of
coworkers – when used
properly
• Fall Protection needs to be
managed at your facility.

20. Safety Program
• Identify where falls
can occur to your
workers
• Develop written fall
protection procedures
including equipment
to be used
• Investigate accidents
and near misses

21. Training
Train workers:
- When to use fall arrest
- How to wear fall arrest
- Inspection and selection of
anchorages, lanyards, and
harnesses
- Document training, who,
when, content

22. Enforcement
• If people are not
wearing the fall arrest,
what is the
consequence?

23. Inspections
• Conduct periodic
inspections
• Is fall arrest is worn?
• Is fall protection is
place?
• Take pictures of
people doing it right

24. Job Hazard Analysis
• National Tire Shop
• What potential hazard
would be caught with
a JHA?

25. Hierarchy of Fall Protection
• Elimination – such as
Cameras to monitor work
• Passive Fall Protection –
Guardrails, Covers
• Travel Fall Restraint
• Fall Arrest
• Administrative Control –
such as climber training
Cameras used to monitor
locations.

26. Fall Arrest
• Personal fall
arrest system
means a system
used to arrest an
employee in a fall
from a working
level.
Free fall of 30 inches needs fall arrest
not positioning

27. Fall Arrest
• Fall Arrest should be
accessible for the
forklift operators if
working at heights.

28. Fall Arrest Components
• Definition
• Body Harness
• Energy Absorbing
Lanyard
• Anchorage

29. Fall Arrest
• Harness are required
for fall arrests
• Belts are only for
work positioning
• Maximum Fall Arrest
Force should be 1800
lbs for a harness.

30. Work Positioning
• Positioning device
system means a body belt
or body harness system
rigged to allow an
employee to be supported
on an elevated vertical
surface, such as a wall,
and work with both hands
free while leaning.
• Work Positioning free fall
cannot exceed 24 inches
• Belts max fall arrest force
is 900 lbs.

31. Lanyards
• Use energy absorbing
lanyards or retractable
lanyards.
• Check for ANSI
Z359.1 or OSHA
1926.502 marking
• Calculate free fall
distance

32. Harness
• Labeled meeting
ANZI Z359 or OSHA
1926.502
• Use D-ring in back
This lanyard is not an energy
absorbing lanyard.
This is a chest waist harness
for work positioning. Not
designed for fall arrest.

33. Anchorages
• A secure point of
attachment for
lifelines, lanyards or
deceleration devices
• 5000 lbs or 2:1 Safety
factor is calculated by
a qualified person.
• Anchorages may
weaken over time due
to weather or
environment

34. Travel Restraint
• 1000 lb anchorage
• Cannot free fall to
lower level
• ANSI Standard Z359

35. Forklift Platforms
• Platform slides off
• Improper rails
• Pushes worker into
fixes object
• Pallet unacceptable
• Scissors point on
many carriages
• Platform construction

36. Roof Falls
• Guardrails can be
mounted to the roof to
prevent falls while
working on
equipment.

37. Roof Safe Distance
• A warning line is used 15 feet
or more from the edge;
• The warning line meets or
exceeds the requirements in
§1926.502(f)(2);
• No work or work-related
activity is to take place in the
area between the warning line
and the edge;
• The employer effectively
implements a work rule
prohibiting the employees from
going past the warning line.
https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.s
how_document?p_table=INTERPRETATION
S&p_id=24682

38. Roofs
• Shoveling snow
presents a serious
slipping and fall
hazard.

39. Parapet Fall Protection
• Several types are
available.

40. Roof Hatch
• Propped open is a fall
hazard

41. Skylights
• Skylights need to be
covered with a barrier
if employees are
allowed onto the roof.

42. Skylights

43. Extension Ladder
• 4:1 Pitch
• 3’ extension above
landing
• No defects
• Not near electrical 10
Feet
• Secured from slipping
Ladder is too short

44. The Ladder Pitch
• 1926.1053(b)(5)(i) Non-self-
supporting ladders shall be used
at an angle such that the
horizontal distance from the top
support to the foot of the ladder
is approximately one-quarter of
the working length of the ladder
(the distance along the ladder
between the foot and the top
support).

45. Ladder Securement
• Portable ladders must be
secured against
movement while in use.
• There are many
commercial products
that will help.
• 1926.1053(b)(1)

46. Step Ladders
• Used on stable surface
• Not used as a
extension ladder
• Inspected for defects
What’s wrong here?

47. Ladders on Machinery
• Can ladder be
dislodged?
• Is scaffold feasible?
• What other hazards?

48. Fixed Ladder
• Fixed ladders will
need fall arrest above
20 feet in length.
• 2003 fatal climbing a
40 foot fixed ladder
w/o fall arrest in
Morris, IL

49. Ladder Stands
• Inspect for stability
and no broken welds.
• Use as work platform
vs. a step ladder.
• Does the ladder stand
move when on it?

50. Confined Space
• Many ladder falls are due
to environment causing
the person to fall.
• Any underground
structure could have a lack
of oxygen.
• Test the air!!!
• Follow 1910.146 for
confined spaced.
• Plan for Rescue!

51. Slips Hazards
• Water should be
cleaned up as soon as
possible.

52. Slips Hazards
• Placing absorbent
material is only a
temporary measure

53. May 2014

54. Housekeeping
• Ice will cause slips
and forklift accidents.
Area should be
marked off to prevent
entry.

55. Trip Hazards

56. Extensible Boom Aerial Lifts
• Wear fall arrest
• Must have smooth
surface to operate
• Many flip on unstable
ground or from hitting
holes, pallets
• Train operator
• 8 Hour PALS card
No fall arrest worn

57. Scissor Lifts
• Workers must be
trained (8 hour PALS
card)
• Full guardrails needed
• Inspect area for holes
that could flip the lift
• Ensure proper lighting
• Know wind limitations

58. Training
• Hands on training is
necessary. An aerial lift is
not a car.
• The worker should be able
to demonstrate all
predicted uses of the lift
and compliance with
manufacturers
instructions.
• Always close lift platform
chains or door. (This is
always required).
• Many fatal falls are under
six feet.

59. Inspections
• These controls are worn
and functional labels are
not apparent.
• This is a violation.
• The ANSI standards or
small operating manual
should be on the lift.
• ANSI A92 Series requires
a complete annual
inspection of the lift.

60. Blink – What strikes you as wrong?
A92.6 scissor lift

61. Liftpods

62. Liftpods
• Safer than a ladder.
• One Person
• 19-40 feet depending
on model

63. Vehicles and Rails

64. Stairs
• Guardrails on side
with both top and mid-
rails at 4 risers
• Handrails
• Evenly spaced threads
• Foot clearance
• Required if climbing
daily via ladder Material stored on stairs is
unsafe

65. Oct 2015

66. Scaffold Access
• Stairs are
recommended
• Scaffold access
ladders must be
secured

67. Floor Holes
• Guardrails
• Covers
• Able to handle
twice anticipated
load.
• Secured
• Marked with
“hole” or
“cover”.

68. Floor Openings
• Issues?
• Solutions?

69. Floor Openings

70. Metal Grating
• Must be secured with
clips
• Guardrails provided
on both sides.
• Do not leave
unattended if grating
is removed
• Inspect for damage or
rusting

71. Zip Lines
• Anchorages must be
checked to ensure it
will hold a person
• 2003 death in Lisle
when positioning hook
came disconnected
from the anchorage
point causing a fall of
approximately 25 feet.

72. Mezzanines
• Guard rail
protection.
• Load Rating

73. Quick Quiz
• Anchorages must be _____ lbs.
• Fall arrest forces for harnessing shall not exceed
_____ lbs.
• What is the best in the hierarchy of fall protection?
_____________
• Covers must hold _____ times the anticipated
load.
• Free fall over ____ inches is not allowed in work
positioning.