Page 37 - Occupational Health & Safety, July 2017

the leading cause of private-sector worker deaths in the construction industry (ex- cluding highway collisions). OSHA defines a fall hazard as “any condition on a walk- ing-working surface that exposes an em- ployee to a risk of harm from a fall on the same level or to a lower level.” The thresh- old height levels for fall protection are only 4 feet for employees in general industry, 6 feet above a lower level for the construction industry, and 10 feet for work on scaffolds.
While fall protection is not required for portable ladder use, OSHA recently updated its walking-working surfaces and fall protection standards with timeline re- quirements for fixed ladders over 24 feet to be equipped with a personal fall arrest sys- tem or ladder safety system. The standards include provisions for ensuring employees are trained on fall hazards and equipment covered by the rule. Training needs to be conducted by a qualified person, with the topics including the nature of fall hazards and how to recognize them, the procedures to be followed to minimize the hazards, and the correct procedures for installing, inspecting, operating, maintaining, and disassembling the personal fall arrest sys- tems the employees use. The training re- quirements also include proper hook-up, anchoring, and tie-off techniques for per- sonal fall arrest systems.
You’ve Got to Think S.A.F.E.
With regard to falls on the same level, prop- er housekeeping is essential to limit clutter from tools, equipment, debris, and other materials accumulating in the work area that could result in a slip, trip, and fall head injury. Employers and employees should adhere to the maxim of a place for every- thing and everything in its place. You’ve got to think S.A.F.E.
■ Surface—consideration of composi- tion, condition, changes in elevation, and contamination of the substrate (what’s un- der your feet) that could affect traction or increase the potential for a slip, trip, or fall
■ Attention—perception of the sur- roundings, comprehension of the risks, and actions taken through situational aware- ness, avoiding distraction
■ Footwear—the type of shoe or boot used to maximize traction along with sup- port and stability of the foot and ankle as well as toe protection, the condition of the footwear (worn soles, deteriorating stitch- ing/uppers), and implementation of an ad-
ministrative footwear policy
■ Environment—weather awareness
(pooling water, snow/ice accumulation), adequate lighting, and adjustment to stride or pace of work
With the second leading cause of TBI being struck by or against an object, a blow to the head from objects falling off an el- evated work platform or striking a low- lying overhead structural member comes to mind. OSHA’s general requirements for head protection in 29 CFR 1910.1351 state the following:
■ The employer shall ensure that each affected employee wears a protective helmet
when working in areas where there is a poten- tial for injury to the head from falling objects. ■ The employer shall ensure that a protective helmet designed to reduce electrical shock hazard is worn by each such affected employee when near ex- posed electrical conductors which could
contact the head.
The American National Standards In-
stitute (ANSI) establishes the criteria for industrial head protection in its Z89.1 set of standards. The consensus standards cat- egorize hard hats by impact type as well as classification by voltage protection. A Type I hard hat offers protection by reducing the
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