The Occupational Safety and Health Administration Fall Prevention - Term Paper Example

Running head: FALL PREVENTION OSHA Fall Prevention Introduction The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, OSHA, of the U.S. Department of Labor has been enforcing the mandate of the law, requiring firms to comply on safety standards in the workplace. OSHA has strictly imposed high penalties for violation and non-compliance on the provisions of the law. By increasing monetary penalties, OSHA expects firm to take seriously the implementation of safety standards and ensure worksite safety. This move was instigated by labor cases, of which 75% have serious violations on worksite safety protocol (Niles and Mohan, 2002). After an upsurge in 2007, fatal work accidents were trimmed by 20% down in the following year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (OSHA, 2008). Nevertheless, fall-related occupational deaths are still the major cause of job-related accidents, accounting for about 8% of occupational fatalities. Working at more than 4 feet height poses risks of falling to workers, especially, to those who work in building constructions (OSHA, 2008). Regardless of the falling height, industrial and construction workers must be protected from fall. This paper presented that the key step in the prevention of fall or any work-related injury is the identification and elimination of hazards. Fall Prevention Strategies Any worker, exposed to fall hazards, is at risk to trauma or death. In industrial works, construction workers are more prone to fall accidents. Fall hazards in construction sites are primarily due to falling debris and elevated working area. Stairways and ladders, for instance, are frequent cause of trauma and fatality among construction workers. Annually, based on OSHA estimates, about 25,000 injuries and around 36 fatalities are recorded from stairway and ladder fall accidents (NC-DOL, 2008). Many of these accidents, on the basis of the assessment, could have prevented if the construction firm has complied with the OSHA safety requirements. Thus, OSHA rules cover every stairway and ladder used in the construction or industrial works, including their repair, structure, and decoration. OSHA also specifies the technical properties, designs, and manufacture of stairway and ladder appropriate for industrial works. Fall accidents may also involve leading edges and floor holes. Still, fall may occur on the same level due to tripping and slipping hazards. As mentioned earlier, the effective prevention of falls necessitates the identification and immediate control of fall hazards. This requires the collaborative effort of engineering, safety, estimating, and production personnel, specifically tasked in the identification, control, and evaluation of all fall hazards in the worksites (OR-OSHA, 2005). Reduction of fall hazards includes ensuring safety at elevated workplace by means of guardrails, scaffolds, and aerial lifts. In addition, upon construction, a safety plan should be developed in order to foresee and minimize fall hazards. The safety plan should encompass the intensive analysis of construction activities that may possibly pose fall hazards to workers. On the basis of such analysis, the construction firm should formulate a definite strategy for the prevention and control of the identified fall hazards. In the planning phase, all available fall preventive measures must be considered. After laying down the possible measures, the selection of the most desirable and efficient measures comes next. Measures that eliminate fall hazards, through engineering control, and provide alternative approach in preventing potential fall hazards are the most desirable and probably, the most efficient (OR-OSHA, 2005). If hazard elimination is not feasible, then, fall prevention is the next strategy. The nature of construction activity and workplace characteristics are crucial to the determination of the possible fall preventive measures and selection of implementation strategies. Fall prevention, in particular, requires engineering out the risk exposures, protecting leading edges and unguarded openings, and practicing slap-up housekeeping (OR-OSHA, 2005). For engineering control, the firm should ensure high quality construction materials by collaborating with suppliers, designers, and fabricators, and looking at the design process of materials. Then, build the structural components with attachments or holes for retractable devices, lifelines, and stanchions. Distance communications among crews and other employees should be aided by radios, especially when giving signal to and working with cranes in lifting and pulling objects. Aside from the accurate set-up for stairways, ladders, stair-towers, and scaffolds, fall-arrest system should also be installed along with formwork and bridge steel. Likewise, guardrail system should be required not only in elevated working area and scaffolds, but also in unprotected ground holes. Nonetheless, fall prevention trainings and education play an important role in promoting consciousness among workers in the elimination of any hazards. OSHA Safety and Health Standards The OSHA rules are applied to construction workers except those who conducted an inspection or assessment to the worksite upon the beginning or after the completion of the construction project (OSHA, 1998). OSHA regulations specify industrial activities where fall protection is of prime importance. These involve residential construction, formwork and steel reinforcement, overhand bricklaying, wall openings, roofing works, unprotected sides and edges, excavations, pre-cast concrete erection, and walking surfaces like ramps and runways. OSHA set the threshold height, 6 feet, requiring all firms to protect employees, working at or beyond the threshold height, from any fall hazards (OSHA, 1998). Workers who are often exposed to fall hazards due to machinery operations, must also receive protection. Employers, on the other hand, are free to adapt any preventive measures in line with the nature of construction activity. Fall prevention generally utilizes, among others, warning line systems, guardrail systems, positioning device systems, safety net systems, and personal fall arrest systems. OSHA not only sets the criteria for fall prevention, but prescribes fall prevention systems and trainings as well. These include hazard assessment, safety monitoring, and fall protection systems. Further, OSHA also addresses positioning device systems and controlled access zones. In particular, OSHA mandates employers to conduct an assessment on the worksites and ensure that walking or working surfaces possessed structural strength which can fully support workers. Until such time that the worksites’ structural strength and safety have been established, employers are not permitted to carry out the construction project. Controlled Access Zone The specific work zone designated for a type of work is termed as the controlled access zone. This zone serves as a demarcation, restricting other workers, except those assigned in the area, from entering the zone. Control lines in this area should be erected within 6-25 feet from the leading edge, except when the area has a pre-cast concrete (OSHA, 1998). Controlled access zone must enclose all points necessary for the type of work, from the storage area and material handling to the actual worksite. Excavation and Covers Every employee at the edge of a 6-feet or more excavation depth should be protected from fall by means of covers, guardrail systems, barricades, or fences. If workers need to cross over an excavation, guardrails should be erected in the site to prevent fall. Meanwhile, the strength of covers found in vehicular aisles and roadways must be able to support as heavy as twice the maximum axle load of the heaviest vehicle that may pass the road (OSHA, 1998). Covers must also withstand at least twice the weight of the heaviest workers or equipment which may land on it. All covers should bear the “HOLE” or “COVER” markings, color coded, and secured so as to avoid untoward incidences once displaced. Guardrail Systems Guardrail system must possess a quarter-inch thickness or nominal diameter to avoid laceration or bruise. In the case of wire rope, the material must be highly visible and flagged within a 6-feet interval (OSHA, 1998). When synthetic ropes and plastic are used as midrails or toprails, the strength of the materials must be regularly inspected. Intermediate vertical structures must be installed between the working surface and the top edge of the guardrail systems. In the case of midrails, they must be installed at a distance midway of the working level and the top edge of the guardrail systems (OSHA, 1998). If mesh or screens are used, they must be installed from the working level to the top rail, extending at the openings of the top rail supports. Personal Fall Arrest Systems A personal fall arrest system is comprised of body belt, anchorage, deceleration device, connectors, and lifeline. This fall prevention system should bring the worker to a maximum 3.5 feet travel distance and withstand twice the energy impact of a worker from a free fall (OSHA, 1998). Regular inspection on the stability of the system must be conducted so as to remove and replace feeble parts, prior to deterioration. Safety Net Systems A safety net system must withstand a 400-pound drop test, consisting of 30-inch diameter bag of sand (OSHA, 1998). The sand bag should be dropped from the highest working surface in the worksite. Once installed, all materials which have fallen in the net system must be removed in the soonest possible time. Each section of the net system should have a border rope, with a minimum breaking strength of 5,000 ponds, for webbing (OSHA, 1998). As well, the connections among the safety net panels must not be greater than 6-inch distance apart and as strong as the basic net components. Safety nets should be installed with an adequate underneath clearance in order to avoid the surface contact. When used on bridges, the estimated fall area from the working surface to the safety net must be free from any impediments. Further, the installation of the safety nets must be maintained under working surface not lower than 30 feet from the ground (OSHA, 1998). Similar to other fall protection systems, the safety net system must be regularly inspected for defective nets. Analysis and Conclusion The foremost strategy in the prevention of fall is the elimination of hazards. This strategy needs an accurate assessment on the nature of work and all possible hazards in the worksites. Through the evaluation of the nature of work and its location, the company can foresee the fall hazards, with respect to the location, inherent to the work. After determining the hazards, strategies on the elimination of such must be formulated. This may require a plan of action on how to carry out the industrial or construction project in a productive manner without putting the workers’ safety in jeopardy. That is, a design safety should be integrated into the structure of the workplace, to avoid any fall hazards. If the elimination of all fall hazards cannot be completely done, the prevention of exposure to fall hazards is the next strategy. This also necessitates an accurate assessment of the construction or industrial activities and worksites. Fall preventive measures and possible adjustments on the elevation of worksites, in particular, are given importance. Along with these measures is the effective planning and active involvement of workers in fall prevention program such as the use of fall arrest equipment and prevention of exposure to any fall hazards. Lastly, control strategy in the prevention of fall is the least desirable one. This strategy encourages the use of personal fall protection gear in order to avoid the risk of injury. Rather than preventing the incidents of fall, this strategy only lessens the fall trauma. Thus, this is the last measure to be undertaken. In sum, the effective prevention of falls requires the identification and immediate control of fall hazards. This necessitates the collaborative effort of engineering, safety, estimating, and production personnel, specifically tasked in the identification, control, and evaluation of all fall hazards in the worksites. The Personal Fall Arrest System (NC-DOL, 2008 p. 17). The Guardrail System (NC-DOL, 2008 p. 17). The Safety Net System (NC-DOL, 2008 p. 17). The Personal Fall Arrest System (NC-DOL, 2008 p. 17). References NC-DOL (2008). A Guide to Fall Prevention in the Industry. North Carolina: Occupational Safety and Health Division, Department of Labor. Niles, B.D. and Mohan, S.B. (2002). Effectiveness of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration citations. Practice Periodical on Structural Design and Construction, pp. 85-89. OR-OSHA (2005). Introduction to Fall Protection. Oregon: OSHA. OSHA (1998). Fall Protection in Construction. Washington, D.C.: Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor. OSHA (2008). Fall Protection. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, US Department of Labor. Retrieved February 23, 2010, from http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/fallprotection/index.html Read More