FALL PROTECTIONFALL PROTECTION

What is fall protection?

A method to prevent a person from falling or by reducing the distance of a fall to limit physical damage.

Falls –what are the risks?

Falls –what are the risks?

It is easy to forget where the edge is when you are concentrating on your work.

It is nearly impossible to stop or catch yourself if you fall.

Can you catch yourself in Can you catch yourself in a fall?a fall?

Most people do not have the strength to stop a fall greater than two feet.

It takes half a second to react to fall. In that time you will fall 4 feet.

When used properly, fall protection will prevent serious injury or death.

When Fall Protection is When Fall Protection is NeededNeeded

Fall protection must be provided when employees are exposed to the hazard of falling six feet or more…..

through holesthrough wall openingsfrom established floors, balconies &

walkways into excavations

And.....And.....

Working on scaffolds Certain cranes and derricksSteel erection activities Construction of electrical

transmission and distribution lines and equipment

Working on stairways and ladders

LADDER SAFETY

• Generally Ladders and mobile aluminium Scaffolding are used in our project to access height

LADDERLADDER HAZARDSHAZARDS

• Ladders with missing or broken parts.

• Using a ladder with too low a weight rating.

• Using a ladder that is too short for purpose.

• Using metal ladders near energized electrical equipment.

• Using ladders as a working platform.

• Objects falling from ladders.

Ladder InspectionLadder Inspection

• All rungs and steps are free of oil, grease, dirt, etc.

• Inspect ladders before each use.

• All fittings are tight.• Spreaders or other locking

devices are in place.• Non-skid safety feet are in

place.• No structural defects, all

support braces intact.

• DO NOT use broken ladders.

• Damaged / Broken ladders tagged “Do Not Use” and removed from service.

LADDER STORAGELADDER STORAGE

Ladder Storage

• Store ladders on sturdy hooks in areas where they cannot be damaged.

• Store to prevent warping or sagging.

• Do not hang anything on ladders that are in a stored condition.

LADDER SETUPLADDER SETUP

• Place ladder on a clean slip free level surface.

• Extend the ladder 3-4 feet above the top support, if used to access roof or other elevated surface.

• Anchor or secure the top of the ladder when the 3-4 foot extension is not possible.

• Never allow more than one person on a ladder.

• Place the ladder base ¼ the height of the ladder from the wall when using a straight ladder.

• Do not lean out from the ladder in any direction.

• If you have a fear of heights – don’t climb a ladder.

• Do not allow others to work under a ladder in use.

FIVE RULES OF LADDER FIVE RULES OF LADDER SAFETYSAFETY

1. Select the right ladder for the job.2. Inspect ladder before you use it.3. Setup the ladder with care.4. Climb and descend ladders cautiously.

• Face ladder and hold on with both hands.• Carry tools on belt or raise and lower with hand line.• Check shoes and rungs for slippery surfaces.

5. Use safe practices when working on a ladder.• Always hold on with one hand and never reach too far to either

side or rear to maintain balance.• Never climb higher than second step from top on a stepladder or

third from the top on a straight ladder.• Never attempt to move, shift, or extend ladder while in use.

Types of Fall Protection

Fall Restraint – equipment that prevents a free fall in the first place.

Fall Arrest – equipment that stops a free fall in progress (in the middle of the fall).

You have two options

Fall RestraintFall RestraintFall restraint – three types

Personal fall restraint – a body belt or harness connected to an anchor to prevent you from going over the edge,

Warning line and safety monitor person.

OR

OR

Guardrails,

Personal Fall Arrest System (PFAS)

A full body harness stops a fall in progress and minimizes the force of the fall to your body.

Waist belts not allowed because a fall will usually result in injury

Personal Fall Arrest System (PFAS)

Why Waist Belts Are Not Safe

If you fall, the high force of the fall is concentrated at your waist rather than the 6

points of a full body harness.

Personal Fall Arrest System (PFAS)

Must be rigged such that an employee

cannot free fall more than six feet

not contact a lower level limit deceleration

distance to 3.5 ft

The ABCs!….er, and R….and don’t forget rescue!

Anchorage

An anchorage point is a secure point of attachment for lifelines, lanyards, deceleration devices, or self retracting lanyards.

AnchorageAnchorageThe anchorage point for fall arrest systems must be capable of supporting 5000 lb. for each worker attached to it or used as part of a complete PFAS which maintains a safety factor of at least two and under the supervision of a qualified person.

Think of it this way - would you suspend your truck from this anchor point? If not, don’t use it!

Connectors

Everything between your harness and anchor

Connectors include lanyards, snaphooks, deceleration devices.

A Lanyard is a device which connects the worker to the anchorage point.

ConnectorsConnectors

Knots in ropes or lanyard can reduce strength by as much as 50%

Protect rope or lanyard from sharp edges

Snap hooks

Must be locking type

Never hook two snap hooks together

The Fall

it’s not the fall that’s hurts but the sudden stop at the end.

The free fall velocity at impact when falling 12 feet is nearly 20 mph.

Put another way, a person will hit the ground in just under one second after falling this distance.

The FallThe Fall

When the fall does come to a complete stop the action is referred to as the fall arrest.

This force imposed during the arrest is known as the arrest force.

Forces imposed in a fall greatly depends on the type of system you are using and the free fall distance.

The fallThe fall A fall starts from the moment your feet leave the

surface you were working on.

When using PFAS, the fall distance is measured from your shoulder (D-Ring location) to the working surface and any distance below the surface.

When anchored above your shoulder, the fall is measured from the anchorage point to the end of the lanyard when the fall is completely stopped.

Any additional distance the person falls beyond the free fall is added to the free fall distance and referred to as the total fall distance.

This is the measurement of the fall from start to stop.

Some Equipment Do’s and Don’ts

Do inspect for wear and damage before use.

Do remove from service after a fall for inspection.

Don’t use to lift materials.

Don’t attach to guardrails or hoists.

Fall Arrest Gear Inspection

WebbingWebbing - - Cuts, tears, Cuts, tears, abrasion, fraying, stretching, abrasion, fraying, stretching, mold, chemical damage mold, chemical damage

D-rings - - Cracks, breaks Cracks, breaks corrosion, rough edgescorrosion, rough edges

Tongue-buckle - - Distortions, Distortions, added holes, broken grommetsadded holes, broken grommets

Ropes - - Abrasion, internal Abrasion, internal damagedamage

Look for the following:

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Handling Tools & MaterialsHandling Tools & Materials

Procedures for handling, storing and securing tools and materials at the jobsite.

Overhead ProtectionOverhead Protection

Hard hats

Warning signs

Warning line designating a material handling area

Debris nets

Toe boards on walkways and decks

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Fall Protection RescueFall Protection Rescue

rescue methods– self-rescue or assisted rescue using ladders, aerial lifts, forklifts, etc.

first aid measures for injured fallen worker

get medical treatment.

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The EndThe End