Personal Injury Law

What is Fall Protection?

By Justin Rogers

This blog is the first of a multipart series directed towards construction workers who have been injured or killed from a fall, their families, and their attorneys. A number of men and women, in a number of different professions, risk being injured or killed from a fall while performing their employment duties. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), one-third of all fatalities in construction are the result of a fall. In addition, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) report that the construction industry has more deaths from falling from an elevation than any other industry.

Construction worker falls can occur in a number of different situations and are sometimes the result of the most unusual of circumstances; however, no matter what the situation or circumstances, falls are preventable. Dangerous hazards that increase the risk of injury or death from a fall can be found all over a construction site. Roofs, open windows, skylights, bridges, scaffolding, aerial bucket trucks, steel I-beams, and walkways are all hazards where a fall could mean serious injury or death. Findings in an investigative report by NIOSH show that between 1980 and 1994 there was an average of 540 fatalities per year as a result of falling from elevation. The Bureau of Labor Statistics state that in 2006 the number of fatalities due to falls was 809, which was 2% below the all-time-high in 2004. Due to the dangerous and unpredictable nature of construction sites, it is easy to see how falls can happen anytime, anywhere, and under any circumstance. However, there is no reason that the number of construction worker fatalities and injuries cannot be reduced by training construction workers, adopting a fall protection plan, and using safety devices.

All of the hazards listed above are ones which are obviously dangerous. Where workers are placed in an environment where hazards pose an obvious threat of injury or death, steps should be taken to ensure their safety. The fact that a safety harness is uncomfortable or that it is too burdensome to train workers about fall prevention is no excuse. Following the standards and regulations regarding fall preventions is just like wearing your seat-belt; if you don't, you'll wish you did. It's that simple.

In this series of blogs, a number of important issues related to protecting workers from falls will be addressed such as fall protection plans, personal safety devices, industry standards and regulations, and worker training programs.

Full post as published by Des Moines Personal Injury Lawyer on July 03, 2008 (boomark / email).