Page 58 - Occupational Health & Safety, September 2019

FALL PROTECTION
could cause severe force trauma to the most vulnerable part of the body, the spine.
Fast-forward a few years when military-style harnesses came into vogue. They offered quite literal full-body coverage. Yet, these hot and hefty harnesses not only exhausted the wearer, they re- stricted movement and limited mobility in ways that made wearing them almost as unsafe as not wearing them.
The fact is, beginning in fiscal year 2010, Fall Protection—Gen- eral Requirements has made OSHA’s “Top 10” citations list for eight years running.1 Meaning, in part, that workers are failing to be compliant with their PPE.
Even with “falls from height” ranking first in cause of death for the construction industry, many workers still forego wearing their safety harnesses at least some of the time when working at height.2
Workers who don’t wear their safety harnesses not only put themselves at risk, they jeopardize the entire operation. In addi- tion to the ultimate price (worker fatalities), the cost of workers not wearing their fall protection harnesses is staggering. Accord- ing to the Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index, serious, nonfatal workplace injuries cost businesses more than $1 billion dollars a week and falls to a lower level ranks third on the Top 10 Injury Causes List, accounting for 10 percent of those costs.3
So, if being consistently equipped and protected is central to performing well on the job and avoiding workplace injury, it’s in- cumcbr-e0n9t-1o9n_tCheL4Sa1f-eOtyHMShapnha_gAerdto5n/6o/t1o9nl1y2p:3ic9kPthMePPaEgeth1at’sright for the job but also make sure it is worn correctly. Ultimately, that
means that safety managers encourage compliance by providing equipment that is properly fitted and exceptionally comfortable.
What are Human Factors?
Human factors is an evidence-based approach that applies the com- bined principles of anatomy, physiology, engineering, and design to create a human-centric solution. According to the Chartered In- stitute of Ergonomics & Human Factors (CIEHF), the knowledge and science of the discipline plays a significant part in how best to develop products that optimize performance and worker health and safety.4
The process begins with extensive research, usually involving some type of data point analysis in conjunction with usability stud- ies. Human factors activities also may include:
■ Analysis of worker tasks and behaviors
■ Collection and synthesis of data, including: direct measure- ment, surveys, interviews and observations
■ Risk management-based reviews
■ Workload and workload distribution assessments
Safety Harnesses: How Human Factors
Helped Build “A Better Mousetrap”
A human-centric approach to safety product design and develop- ment begins with understanding both worker needs and expecta- tions,thentranslatingthoseunderstandingsintobeneficialprod- uct features; features that allow the worker to focus on the task or
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