Prevent Falls in Your Workplace

22 Jan Prevent Falls in Your Workplace

Were you aware that falls “are the fifth leading cause of deaths on the job and accounted for roughly 724 fatalities in one recent year?”

In addition to the human tragedy, workplace falls take an added toll in direct and indirect costs such as medical expenses, lost work time, insurance, workers’ compensation, lost productivity, and other associated costs. 

By providing your workforce with the proper training and fall protection equipment, many injuries and deaths can be prevented. 

Identifying Fall Hazards

The first step a workplace can take to prevent falls is to identify the potential hazards in your work environment. 

Did you know falls can be caused by a number of different factors but as Safety National informs, fall can be broken down into two main categories: Environmental Factors and Personal Factors. 

Environmental factors can include wet or slippery surfaces, changes in the weather, irregular work surfaces, and more.  Personal factors that may contribute to falls include improper use of tools and equipment, lack of concentrations, poor housekeeping, among others. 

Preventing Fall Hazards

After all potential hazards are identified, the next step is to create an action plan to eliminate or control them through effective planning and proper selection and use of protective equipment. 

Successful reduction of fall injuries and fatalities requires continuous efforts of employees to plan ahead in order to get the job done safely, to continuously train employees on the importance of wearing fall protection equipment, and to make sure that their equipment is “OSHA compliant, well-maintained, and appropriate for their specific application.”

Top 8 Fall Protection Tips From OSHA

If you and your workplace implement these vital steps for proper fall protection, you can save lives by staying committed to preventing and controlling fall hazards. 

• Identify trip and fall hazards before the project starts. 
• Look for the following hazards: unprotected shafts, skylights, stairwells, roof edges, and wall/floor openings.
• Select, wear, and use appropriate fall protection equipment. 
• Inspect fall protection equipment for defects before using it. 
• Stabilize ladders before climbing. 
• Never stand on the top step of a ladder. 
• Use handrails to go up/down the stairs. 
• Establish good housekeeping practice to keep walkways uncluttered. 

*Information pulled directly from https://pksafety.com/blog/what-can-be-done-to-prevent-falls-in-the-workplace 

Your Role

It is very important to protect yourself from the risk of injury and death due to falls.

You must understand that “unlike incidents caused by acts of nature or another person’s carelessness, you have total control in protecting yourself from workplace falls by using fall protection equipment and devices.”

It is your responsibility to: 

• Recognize the potential fall hazards in your work environment.
• Follow all established safe work procedures.
• Use proper fall protection equipment for the job. 
• Keep equipment maintained in good working order. 
• Never use worn or defective equipment. 
• Wear a personal fall arrest system (PFAS) at all times when one is required. 

No matter your position, it is your responsibility to promote safety in the workplace.

Synergy Comp’s Free Safety Resources

Safety National is an online training resource that improves the safety performance of your whole team while building a culture of safety. The online training resource covers a broad range of topics related to your business including the topic, Workplace Falls.

After completing the lesson, will learn about measures that can be taken to reduce your exposure to fall hazards. You should be able to: 

• Recognize how dangerous workplace falls can be.
• Identify potential hazards in your workplace.
• Describe methods to prevent workplace falls.
• Explain your role in the elimination of workplace falls.

Synergy offers several other safety resources to all current active clients that focus on the specific changes and challenges that are unique to all businesses. The pieces of training are industry-specific and cater to your exact line of business.  The online resource will be free of charge; not only saving time but money.

If you are interested in partnering with Synergy Comp and SOS Safety Solutions to create a culture that fosters communication and embraces safety as a core operating principle, Contact Us Today! 

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