Page 32 - OHS, March 2020

FALL PROTECTION
Defying Gravity Reduces Fall Incidents
Gravity sees all of us as equals, and it’s the force responsible for one of the most common types of workplace injuries: falls. BY KAREN HAMEL
Gravity is no respecter of persons. Rich or poor, young or old, tall or short; gravity is an equalizing law that everyone is subject to. One misstep can be enough for gravity
to win. Gravity is also the force that’s ultimately re- sponsible for one of the most common types of work- place injuries: falls.
Blaming gravity as a root cause for falls at your facility won’t mitigate future incidents. Recognizing fall hazards and providing fall protection equipment, devices and systems prevents gravity from claiming another win.
Identifying some fall hazards may be easy. For ex- ample, ladders and stairways are highly recognizable. Elevated work platforms and holes may be more eas- ily overlooked. Finding each potential fall hazards is a key step in eliminating future incidents.
After hazards have been identified, several differ- ent options may be available to prevent employees from falling to a lower level. The good news is that OSHA specifies more than one method for guarding fall hazards. Employers may choose the best method or methods to meet the needs of their facility.
Covers
Covers guard openings or holes in walls or walking- working surfaces. An opening is any space that is at least 30 inches high and 18 inches wide [29 CFR 1910.21(b)]. An opening of this size is large enough to allow a person to fall to a lower level. Holes are gaps or open spaces on a walking-working surface that are least 2 inches wide.
A cover may be temporarily used over holes or openings during repairs; or it may be permanent for openings that are inherent to an operation or design. Examples of permanent covers are skylight guards and hatch doors that cover the openings to vats or other processing equipment. Covers may also be used to guard openings in walls that are four or more feet from a lower level.
When covers are used, they must be secured to prevent them from shifting out of place. They must also be capable of supporting the maximum load that could cross over the cover.
Dockboards
Dockboards include items such as bridge plates, dock plates and dock levelers. They are used to bridge the gap between a loading dock platform and a delivery vehicle.
When dockboards are used, employees must take measures to ensure that they will not shift when people, carts or equipment cross over them. Wheel chocks and locking mechanisms are common ways to keep vehicles and dockboards in place.
Toe Boards
Toe boards surround exposed edges to help prevent objects such as tools from falling to a lower level. They also help prevent people from stepping over the edge of ramps, elevated work platforms and holes.
To be effective, toe boards need to be tall enough to adequately stop an item from falling or stop a per- son’s foot. They also need to be securely attached to the walking surface and be able to withstand at least 50 pounds of force.
Railings
Handrails are an example of railings that are required to provide support and stability for anyone using staircases and ramps. In addition to OSHA regula- tions governing their placement, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) also has requirements for their placement and use in commercial buildings.
Guardrail systems can be used to protect exposed edges and openings. They are sometimes used around covers to further mitigate fall risks from openings or holes in walking-working surfaces.
Safety Nets
Most often seen at construction sites, safety nets are installed under elevated work platforms to help pre- vent falling objects from injuring someone on a lower level. In very limited cases where personal fall protec- tion systems cannot be used, they may also be used for fall arrest.
Safety nets may be utilized in production areas to protect employees who work on lower levels. Em- ployees working in storage areas can use safety nets to help stabilize loads and prevent them from falling or shifting.
Warning Lines and Designated Areas
Depending upon the work being done on an elevated working surface, it may be cumbersome for employ- ees to wear personal fall protection systems – espe- cially if the surface is large and their work never takes them near an unprotected edge. When this is the case, OSHA allows employers to use different methods to
26 Occupational Health & Safety | MARCH 2020
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