Safe Access, Fall Protection and Fall
Prevention
References
EM 385-1-1 Section 21,22 & 24
29 CFR 1926.500 ; Subpart M
UFGS 01 35 29
Manufacturer’ s Material
Accident Abstracts
Potential Contractor
Mishap Outcomes
Falls to a lower level
Falls to the same level
Falls onto or into danger processes
Falls onto or into dangerous
equipment
Leading to property damage,
injury, death
Direct Causes of
Fall Related Mishaps
Unprotected floor holes, stairways, ramps,
floor/roof openings, skylights, floor
perimeters, roofs, and leading edges.
Working without fall protection.
Working near fall hazard without training.
Improper selection, use and maintenance of
fall protection systems.
Unsafe work practices.
Falls
Falls are the leading cause of fatalities in the
construction industry.
An average of 362 fatal falls occurred each
year from 1995 to 1999, with the trend on the
increase.
! WARNING: The following slide
depicts an actual fall fatality!
Acceleration = 32 ft/sec²
Prevention
• Select fall protection systems appropriate for
given situations.
• Use proper construction and installation of safety
systems.
• Supervise employees properly.
• Use safe work procedures.
• Train workers in the proper selection, use, and
maintenance of fall protection systems.
Fall Protection
At the end of this topic, you will be able to:
•List the different methods of fall
protection available for protecting
workers
•State the main criteria that prompts
use of fall protection for construction
workers
Definitions
"Body belt (safety belt)" means a strap with
means both for securing it about the waist and for
attaching it to a lanyard, lifeline, or deceleration
device.
As of January 1,
1998, the use of a
body belt for fall
arrest is prohibited.
Definitions
"Body harness" means
straps which will distribute
the fall arrest forces over
at least the thighs, pelvis,
waist, chest and shoulders
with means for attaching it
to other components of a
personal fall arrest system.
Definitions
"Guardrail system" means a barrier
erected to prevent employees from
falling to lower levels.
Definitions
"Personal fall arrest system" means a
system used to arrest an employee in a
fall from a working level.
It consists of an anchorage, connectors, a
or body harness and may include a
lanyard, deceleration device, lifeline, or
suitable combinations of these.
Definitions
"Positioning device
system" means a body belt
or body harness system
rigged to allow an
employee to be supported
on an elevated vertical
surface, such as a wall,
and work with both hands
free while leaning.
Definitions
"Lanyard" means a flexible
line of rope, wire rope, or
strap which generally has a
connector at each end for
connecting the body belt or
body harness to a
deceleration device, lifeline,
or anchorage.
Definitions
"Snaphook" means a connector comprised of a
hook-shaped member with a normally closed
keeper, which may be opened to permit the
hook to receive an object and, when released,
automatically closes to retain the object.
Snaphooks are generally one of two types:
Snaphooks
The locking type
with a self-closing,
self-locking
keeper which
remains closed
and locked until
unlocked and
pressed open for
connection or
disconnection; or
Snaphooks
The non-locking type with a self-
closing keeper which remains closed
until pressed open for connection or
disconnection.
As of January 1, 1998, the use of a
non-locking snaphook as part of
personal fall arrest systems and
positioning device systems is
prohibited.
Duty to Have Fall Protection
Walking/working surfaces shall be
designed to support without failure at
least 4 times the maximum intended
load.
Duty to Have Fall Protection
"Unprotected sides and edges." Each
employee on a walking/working surface
(horizontal and vertical surface) with an
unprotected side or edge which is 6 feet
(1.8 m) or more above a lower level shall
be protected from falling by the use of
guardrail systems, safety net systems, or
personal fall arrest systems. 21.A.15.a
When Is Fall Protection Needed
(1) "Unprotected sides and (9) "Overhand bricklaying
edges." and related work."
(2) "Leading edges." (10) "Roofing work on
(3) "Hoist areas." Low-slope roofs."
(4) "Holes." (11) "Steep roofs."
(5) "Formwork and reinforcing (12) "Precast concrete
steel." erection."
(6) "Ramps, runways, and other (13) "Residential
walkways." construction."
(7) "Excavations." (14) "Wall openings."
(8) "Dangerous equipment." (15) "Walking/working
surfaces not otherwise
addressed."
Unprotected Sides & Edges
Unprotected edge
Unprotected sides and edges must have
guardrails or equivalent
Improper Guarding
This 1/4" nylon rope alone is not a proper
way to guard this open floor
Leading Edge Work
Employees protected by fall protection
system(s)
If infeasible, or creates a greater hazard
must implement a Fall Protection Plan
Hoist Areas
Hoist areas must be
protected by an FPS
If guardrail
section(s) are
removed and worker
must lean into
opening, a PFAS is
required.
Holes and Skylignts
Protect from: falling through, tripping or
stepping into, and objects falling thorugh
Floor Openings
All floor and roof holes through which equipment,
materials, or debris can fall shall be covered. (24.A.02)
Formwork and Rebar
Workers must be protected by FPS above 6 feet
Ramps, Runways, Walkways
Must protect
workers with
guardrail
systems
Excavations
Use guardrails,
fences or
barricades if
excavation is
not readily seen
Dangerous Equipment
Below six feet
must protect
workers with
guardrail systems
or by equipment
guards.
Overhand Bricklaying
Protect workers
with FPS or work
in a Controlled
Access Zone
(CAZ)
Work on Low-Sloped Roofs
FPS
FPS in combination with warning line
Warning line with safety monitoring
12
Low sloped roofs rise four units or less
for every run of 12 units
Safety Monitoring System
"Safety-monitoring system" means a safety
system in which a competent person is
responsible for recognizing and warning
employees of fall hazards.
Warning Line System
"Warning line system" means a barrier erected on a
roof to warn employees that they are approaching
an unprotected roof side or edge, and which
designates an area in which roofing work may take
place without the use of guardrail, body belt, or
safety net systems to protect employees in the area.
Steep Roofs
"Steep roofs." Each employee on a steep roof with
unprotected sides and edges 6 feet (1.8 m) or
more above lower levels shall be protected from
falling by guardrail systems with toeboards,
safety net systems, or personal fall arrest
systems.
Steep sloped roofs
have a pitch greater
than 4 & 12
Roofs
If you work on roofs and can fall
more than 6 feet, you must be protected
Precast Concrete
Above six feet must be protected by FPS
Or by a fall protection plan
Fall Protection -
Residential Construction
In residential construction, you must be
protected if you can fall more than 6 feet
Wall openings
Wall opening is 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above
lower levels and the inside bottom edge of the
wall opening is less than 39 inches above the
walking/working surface protect with FPS
39"
72"
Falling Objects
Must wear hardhats
and use:
Toeboards, screens or
guardrails; or
Canopy; or
Barricades
22.A.07
Guardrail Systems
Top rail, mid-
rail, and
toeboard
Top rail 42"
(plus or minus 3
inches)
Toeboard
minimum 3 1/2
inches high
Midrails
Required if no wall or parapet at least 21" high
Installed midway between top rail and
working level
Screens & mesh run all along entire opening
Balusters, when used, not more than 19 ”
apart
Guardrail Systems
Must withstand 200 pound force applied w/in 2” of
the top edge , in outward or downward direction
•Smooth surfaced to
prevent injury
•No projection hazard at
rail ends
Wire Rope Systems
Wire rope cable 1/4 inch minimum diameter.
Wire rope flagged every 6 ft. with highly visible
material.
Toprails/midrails must be tensioned with less
than 3 inch deflection with 200 lb force.
Posts at least every 8 feet.
Safety Nets
Installed a maximum of
25' below working level
400 pound drop test or
certified by employer or CP
Extends outward from
outermost projection of
work surface
Inspected weekly
Debris removed within
shift
Border rope strength of
5000 pounds
Safety Nets
Place as close as possible, but no more than 25 feet
below where employees work
Personal Fall Arrest Systems
PFAS
No body belts for fall arrest!
Body belts for positioning systems only
Snaphooks
Unless the snaphook is a
locking type and designed for
the following connections,
snaphooks shall not be
engaged:
Directly to webbing, rope, or
wire rope
To each other
To a dee-ring to which
another snaphook or other
connector is attached
To a horizontal lifeline
Anchorage
"Anchorage" means a secure point of
attachment for lifelines, lanyards or
deceleration devices.
Improper Anchorage
Workers are not
permitted to tie-
off to guardrails.
Other improper
anchor points
include; sprinkler
pipes, 2x4s,
conduit etc…
Anchorage
Anchorages used for attachment of personal fall
arrest equipment shall be independent of any
anchorage being used to support or suspend
platforms and capable of supporting at least
5,000 pounds (22.2 kn.) per employee attached
Anchorage
As part of a complete
personal fall arrest system
which maintains a safety
factor of at least two; and
Under the supervision of a
qualified person.
Horizontal Lifelines
Horizontal lifelines shall
be designed, installed, and
used, under the
supervision of a qualified
person, as part of a
complete personal fall
arrest system, which
maintains a safety factor
of at least two.
Horizontal Lifelines
Devices used to
connect to a horizontal
lifeline which could
become vertical must
be capable of locking in
both directions on the
lifeline.
Connector
Used to couple
(connect) parts of the
personal fall arrest
system
Connector
Buckle or dee-ring
sewn into a body belt
or body harness
Deceleration Device
Limits the energy imposed on an employee
during fall arrest.
Deceleration Distance
"Deceleration distance" means the additional
vertical distance a falling employee travels,
excluding lifeline elongation and free fall
distance, before stopping, from the point at
which the deceleration device begins to
operate.
Free fall Distance
"Free fall distance" means the
vertical displacement of the fall
arrest attachment point on the
employee's body belt or body
harness between onset of the fall
and just before the system begins
to apply force to arrest the fall.
Lanyard
Cannot be made of natural fiber rope
Must be protected against damage by cuts or
abrasions
Each employee must be provided a separate
lanyard
Lanyards must have a minimum breaking
strength of 5000 pounds
Retractable Systems
Lock-up in the event
of a fall
Greatly reduces free
fall distance (2 ft. or
less)
No shock absorber
needed
Swing fall hazard
possible
PFAS
Personal Fall Arrest Systems must:
limit maximum arresting force on an employee
to 1,800 pounds when used with a body
harness;
be rigged such that an employee can neither
free fall more than 6 feet (1.8 m), nor contact
any lower level;
bring an employee to a complete stop and limit
maximum deceleration distance an employee
travels to 3.5 feet
Calculation of Total Fall Distance
Freefall = 6 feet maximum
Deceleration Distance = 3.5 feet
maximum
Lifeline elongation = 2 feet maximum
Total fall before stopping = 11.5 feet
Portion of body landing below
attachment point approximately 5 feet
Total clearance below required to
avoid contacting lower level may be as
great as 16.5 feet or more!
Attachment Point
Center of wearers back or above head
Additional Requirements PFAS
PFAS used only for fall protection
If subject to impact loading, examined by CP
Prompt rescue provided
Additional Requirements PFAS
Inspected prior to each
use
Not attached to
guardrail systems
At hoist areas, allow
movement to edge only
Positioning Systems
Limit free fall to two feet
Anchorage can handle at least 3000 pounds
Warning Lines
Erected around all sides of roof
Erected at least six feet from edge if no
mechanical equipment is used.
May 5, 11:07 PM EDT
Calif. Man Recovers After Nail Gun Mishap
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A construction worker had six nails
driven into his head in an accident with a high-powered
nail gun, but doctors said Wednesday they expect him to
make a full recovery.
Isidro Mejia made his first public appearance Wednesday
since the April 19 accident that left him with 3 1/2-inch
nails embedded in his face, neck and skull. He told
reporters in Spanish from his wheelchair that he does not
remember much about the accident, but is grateful to be
alive.
Mejia, 39, was atop an unfinished home
when he fell from the roof onto a co-worker
who was using the nail gun, Los Angeles
County sheriff's Deputy Mark Newlands said.
The two men tried to grab each to keep from
falling, but both tumbled to the ground. At
some point, the nail gun discharged and
drove the nails into Mejia's head.
Five nails were removed the same day
and the sixth, in Mejia's face, was
removed April 23 after swelling went
down, the hospital said.
FALL PROTECTION-21.A.15
Employees exposed to fall hazards shall be
protected by standard guardrail, catch
platforms, temporary floors, safety nets,
personal fall protection devices, or the
equivalent, in the following situations:
(1) on accessways (excluding ladders) or WORK
PLATFORMS from which they may fall 1.8 m (6
ft) or more,
(2) on accessways or work platforms over
water, machinery, or dangerous operations,
(3) on runways from which they may fall 1.2 m
(4 ft) or more.
(4) on installing or removing sheet piles, h-piles,
cofferdams, or other interlocking materials from
which they may fall 6ft or more.
During a site visit you see
this. What’ s the solution ?
Roof Anchor
During a site visit you see
this. What’ s the solution ?
Painter Painting Exterior Wall of BEQ
Personal Fall Arrest System
A personal fall arrest system, when stopping
a fall, shall limit max. arresting force on an
employee to 1,800 lbs. (816.4kg) when used
with a body harnesses.
21.C.03.a
Lifelines
Horizontal lifelines shall be designed,
installed, and used under the supervision
of a qualified person as part of a complete
personal fall arrest system, which
maintains a factor of safety of at least two.
21.C.09.c
Training
Each employee who might be exposed
to fall hazard shall be trained by a
competent person in the following:
The nature of access and fall
hazards in work area
Correct procedures for
constructing, erecting, maintaining,
using, and dismantling accessways
and fall protection systems;
The max. intended load-carrying
capabilities of accessways and fall
protection systems;
All applicable requirements of EM
385-1-1
Limitations of the use of
mechanical equipment during
performance of roofing work on low-
sloped roofs, correct procedures in
handling and storage of equipment
and materials, and erection of
overhead protection; and
Rescue equipment and procedures.
Summary
If you can fall more than 6 feet, you must be
protected
Use fall protection on:
walkways & ramps, open sides & edges,
holes, concrete forms & rebar,
excavations, roofs, wall openings,
bricklaying, residential construction
Protective measures include guardrails,
covers, safety nets, and Personal Fall Arrest
Systems
