Fall Protection For Lift Trucks and Elevated Platforms

Fall protection standards were the second most commonly cited OSHA standards noted by inspectors of industrial and construction sites in 2011. Those fines also came with the highest financial penalty of all OSHA standards (Source: http://www.coxcolvin.com/OSHA_Violations_2011.php). The high frequency of fall protection standards violations could be linked to the fact that many employers still have questions regarding OSHA requirements for adequate fall protection when it comes to elevated platforms, moving platforms, and fork trucks.

In a 2004 letter to OSHA, an Illinois hobby company inventory control supervisor wanted to address those questions. He asked whether OSHA regulations required use of either a body belt and lanyard or 5-point harness and lanyard to protect against falls from “operator up” high lift truck platforms. In reply, OSHA stated that neither were specifically mandated by OSHA but cited the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) standard (Section 4.17.2(c) of ASME 56.1-2000), requiring that “restraining means such as railings, chains, cable, body belt(s) with lanyard(s), or deceleration devices, etc. are in place and properly used” (the complete OSHA response can be viewed here).

Both OSHA and the ASME recognize the risk of falls from lift trucks and elevated platforms—and with 10% of the 100 fatalities and 20,000 serious injuries in the United States each year that involve forklifts coming from falls, employers need to be proactive. (Source: www.nycamh.com/qdynamo/download.php?docid=504]).

So what can be done to protect against falls from lift trucks and elevated platforms?

Passive fall protection systems, such as an approved forklift cage or basket, provide a degree of fall protection for workers at height. However, they do limit access and mobility, and do not prevent falls over the basket’s railings. Worker misuse, such as a worker attempting to use the basket’s railing as a support or standing surface, is also an issue with this form of fall protection.

For increased protection and mobility, many elect to go with an active fall-protection system. A 5-point full-body harness with a self-retracting lanyard is the best way to address the potential hazards of moving platform and fork truck falls. A complete fall protection system allows workers full mobility while working at height, and because a 5-point body harness distributes the worker’s weight evenly, it eliminates the risks of suspension injuries that are sometimes associated with belt-only systems.

Consult your manufacturers to help you select the most appropriate and cost-effective fall-protection solutions for your workplace.

Thank you for reading,

Rebecca Mamola
Marketing Coordinator