Falls are a serious problem on any job, whether working at heights or not. A lack of awareness about your surroundings and cutting corners on safety can quickly and unintentionally become problematic. Using worn-out equipment, not conducting a risk assessment, or improperly using your SRL could result in injury or fatalities. However, ensuring routine equipment checks, providing proper training, and developing a fall protection plan are simple ways to reduce accidents.
Falls are one of the biggest concerns in construction
Falls, slips, and trips accounted for 1 in 5 workplace deaths in the construction industry in 2022. A fall in the workplace usually means recovery time afterward, which, in most cases, is at least one working day. Aside from injury to the worker, it means a short-staffed team, more administrative work, accommodations when they’re re-integrated, and potentially a diminished safety culture on site.
In this industry, every small decision could be the difference between a job safely completed and an accident. When you’ve been on a job site for a certain amount of time, it’s easy to think you “know best,” and you may be tempted to execute the Cliff Notes version of training, risk assessments, and equipment inspections.
By examining the top reasons falls happen, you’ll better understand the importance of prevention and how to protect yourself and your team in the long term.
7 most common fall protection mistakes (and how to fix them)
1. Improperly fitting harness
A full-body harness in today’s trade industries ensures every job is done safely.
Harnesses are designed to disperse a person’s weight so the force and circulation are distributed evenly in the event of a fall, preventing potential injury. However, when harnesses are improperly worn or ill-fitting, it renders the safety mechanism ineffective and becomes just as dangerous as making the climb without a fall protection harness at all.
How to fix it: Every harness manufacturer is different, so following the manual’s safety instructions is crucial to get the configuration right. Remove the harness immediately from service if there is any visible damage to the straps, rings, or buckles.
2. Damaged or worn-out equipment
It’s not just harnesses that should be discarded if damaged—lifelines, anchors, lanyards, belts, and other Personal Fall Protection Equipment (PFPE) must be routinely inspected to ensure safety. Even hard hats are crucial to examine, as they could save a life in the event of a fall.
PFPE manufacturers don’t put concrete expiration dates on equipment, as the materials are exposed to different chemicals and substances depending on the job site. Still, if your equipment has no visible damage or wear, five years to expiry is an excellent rule of thumb.
How to fix it: For maximum safety, make sure there’s time to routinely inspect all fall protection equipment before starting a job.
3. Lack of training
OSHA provides mandatory fall protection training to keep workers safe on site—they also cite falls as the most frequent safety violation.
Falls can happen at any time with little to no warning, regardless of how long the worker is in the harness. Quality training increases the likelihood that workers have taken all preventative measures and are more willing to comply with safety rules on the job.
How to fix it: Ensure your fall protection training goes beyond watching videos. Workers must have an instructor on-site or visit a facility to get hands-on practice with the equipment and better understand how to navigate any scenario.
4. Failure to execute a risk assessment
Every job site has unique fall risks. Failing to outline them is a perfect storm for a hazardous job site. Regularly conducting a risk assessment is vital for lowering the risk of injury and fatalities for everyone on the job.
How to fix: A leadership or safety team should complete a walk-through and identify all areas of a job site that are fall hazards. Each hazard must be evaluated by likelihood, and proper controls must be implemented to lessen the risks.
5. Improper or insufficient anchor points
Anchor points are secured points to which workers attach their PFPE to lessen fall risk. When workers choose an insufficient or unstable anchor point, the risk of accident or injury increases.
Proper anchor point and anchor point selection training should be part of the general fall protection safety training so workers on the job site can assess, choose, and re-evaluate anchor points safely.
How to fix it: The safety team on your job site should conduct a meticulous walk-through and note the stability, compatibility with PFPE, and load capacity of potential anchor points. These points should be reassessed regularly.
6. Improper use of SRL (self-retracting lifeline)
Self-retracting lifelines (SRLs) are integral equipment for preventing a fall accident. They attach to a worker’s harness and may have different configurations depending on the manufacturer. Typing an SRL to an inappropriate anchor point or misusing an SRL could be the difference between minor falls and fatalities.
Following the provided safety instructions and regularly reassessing the SRL for damage is essential.
How to fix it: Ensure SRL use is part of fall protection safety training. Also, ensure that your SRL is adequately rated for leading-edge applications. Lastly, ensure an energy absorber at the worker’s mid-body to disperse force.
7. Failure to develop and implement a fall protection plan
A fall protection plan, sometimes called a rescue plan, is the knowledge, practice, and implementation of safely rescuing a worker in a hazardous fall scenario. Preparing this plan and ensuring everyone’s understanding of it could be the difference between safety or death on site.
Plans should be made for each specific job site. While this is time-consuming in the moment, preventing falls could save your team time and stress later on the job.
How to fix it: Identify all guidelines your team needs to know for their job site. This includes where equipment is kept, what and where the hazards are, how to perform a PFPE inspection, and what to do in the event of a fall.
The bottom line
Regardless of the advancements made in PFPE equipment, fall risks are always present. Ensuring your team is trained, prepared, and consistently meets safety compliance standards is critical for reducing workplace accidents and fatalities.
Reducing the percentage of workplace falls and fatalities requires everyone’s knowledge, diligence, and commitment to safety together. By following the tips we’ve outlined, your team will be well on the way.
