Fall Protection Frights

Fall protection systems are designed to keep people safer while they work at height. But, if the systems are not used properly, there can be some very deadly consequences. There are a startling number of reports of people who have died while using a fall protection system or some form of fall protection equipment. So what happened that caused people to lose their lives while using fall protection equipment?

A death on a fall protection system can be caused by roughly four preventable situations. Workers have died because their equipment was being used improperly in their work environment. Incorrect inspection protocols and procedures can also have a deadly outcome. Systems that are not installed properly by a qualified person can be disastrous. Meanwhile, workers have also died after experiencing suspension trauma. Although this may sound like a lot of things that can go wrong, there are very easy solutions to reduce the likelihood of these dangers.

Equipment Issues

The Problem: Certain fall hazards require specific fall protection solutions. And if the wrong equipment is used, the results can be potentially deadly. For example, if a worker needs to perform tasks inside of a grain silo, they should use a shock absorbing lanyard for fall protection and not an SRL (Find more information about Grain Silo Safety). There have been a number of grain silo deaths simply because workers were using the wrong fall protection equipment for their working application. In that case, the fall hazards were not properly assessed during the fall hazard analysis. And because the fall hazards were not properly understood, the wrong equipment was selected.

In addition to making sure that the equipment is appropriate for the fall protection situation, the people using the equipment need to make sure that they are using it properly. If people connect their fall arrest devices to an insecure anchorage point or connect their full body harness to their fall arrest device with the wrong D-Ring, there could be potentially harmful situations that occur.
 
The Solution: To avoid selecting the wrong fall protection equipment for your needs, first, make sure that a thorough fall hazard analysis is performed on the workspace. This will increase the likelihood that the correct equipment will be purchased and installed for your specific application. An authorized or qualified person should conduct the fall hazard analysis to ensure that it is done properly.

Second, to help prevent workers from using their equipment improperly, the best defense is to hold a comprehensive training course. By receiving training, workers will be less likely to misuse their equipment, thereby reducing the likelihood that there will be a fatality related to misuse.

Inspection Issues 

The Problem: If damaged equipment goes uninspected before use, there is a higher likelihood that the equipment could fail, possibly resulting in serious worker injury or death.  

The Solution: Fall protection equipment is just like anything else in the workplace, it’s a tool and it needs to be inspected in order to work properly. By training people who need to use fall protection how to inspect their equipment properly, there will be an increased chance that workers will inspect their equipment properly. Also, once workers know how simple it is to inspect their equipment before each use, they will probably be more likely to do it. Training is also a great opportunity to express the importance of inspections and how they can promote a healthier and safer work environment.

Installation Issues 

The Problem: Fall protection systems and devices are relatively easy to assemble and install. However, it is critically important that all equipment is installed properly. There’s a certain amount of force that gets applied to equipment while arresting a fall. If equipment is not installed properly, it is possible that the equipment could fail under the forces of arresting a fall. If the system catastrophically fails, there is a chance that a worker could be seriously injured or killed.

The Solution: In order to ensure that the system and/or fall protection devices have been installed properly, you should make sure that the company that you hire for installation is qualified and experienced in the installation of fall protection systems. You should ask for a structural engineer to visit your workplace to determine which elements of the building or working area are going to be the most stable for accepting the forces associated with fall arrest.

Suspension Trauma 

The Problem: This is a unique injury that occurs in specific situations. If a worker has had their fall arrested and they are stuck at height in their harness for more than 10 minutes, there is a good chance that the worker will experience suspension trauma. Suspension trauma occurs when non-oxygenated blood gets trapped in the legs and becomes toxic to the rest of the body. If a worker who has suffered suspension trauma does not receive the proper care, there is a chance that they could die.

The Solution: The best way to avoid suspension trauma related injuries is to have a quick and efficient rescue plan. When a worker is not exposed to the bodily pressures of fall protection equipment for extended periods of time, they will be less likely to experience suspension trauma. In the event that rescue procedures do take longer than 10 minutes, it is crucial to have someone trained in the appropriate suspension trauma treatment methods (Find out more about Suspension Trauma).

Until the next time, stay safe up there!

HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY HALLOWEEN!