Not Having Fall Protection Can Really Cost You

December 14, 2012

It seems to be part of the human condition that people will simply avoid dealing with a problem until they are forced (typically by external factors) to deal with it. When it comes to dealing with the safety of an employee in a potentially hazardous working environment, it is concerning to see that most managers will simply avoid dealing with the problem until they have had a fatality. This approach is neither healthy nor safe for any of the workers who are involved with working at height.

Many managers and contractors believe that they are saving themselves money and time by not investing in fall protection. However, this is incorrect. Many employers are not aware of the numerous costs, fees, and penalties associated with not having a fall protection plan. Considering all of the different ways that a fall event can impact a work environment also reveals the different financial burdens associated with a fall in the workplace.

After a fall event has occurred in the workplace, an OSHA representative is typically called to determine what went wrong. If OSHA discovers that a fall protection system was not in place when there was a fall hazard on site, OSHA can deliver a hefty fine for the company. OSHA citations for willfully not having fall protection can cost upwards of $70,000. Multiple citations for the same offence are typically received with increasingly higher fines and more frequent visits from OSHA representatives.

In addition to OSHA citation fines, after a workplace fall or fatality has occurred, the company is responsible for providing worker’s compensation, medical (or coroner) expenses, insurance modifications, and litigation and settlement expenses. These different social and legal obligations can quickly add up to even more money that a business could avoid spending by having a fall protection system in place.

Other fiscal issues arise when a company considers the amount of time lost to an investigation of the accident, the administrative costs to address the issue, and the direct and indirect lost working hours as a result of the accident assessment. Employers also need to consider the fact that worker morale will suffer more as a result of having an accident on the premises of their worksite. Not to mention that workers may experience depression if their co-worker died due to the fall. In extreme cases, some of the bereaved workers may even need psychological evaluations and assistance.

Although it is difficult to estimate the total amount of fines and other costs, it is clear that it would cost less money and require fewer business hours if a fall protection system was installed in workplaces where there are fall hazards. OSHA is cracking down on industrial and construction companies that aren’t providing fall protection for their workers. Currently, the most common OSHA citation deals with fall protection infractions. The process for having an OSHA compliant fall protection system is not as difficult as many think. It seems as though there are many companies who are avoiding installing a fall protection system because they feel that it is a long or difficult process. However, it is cheaper to have a functioning fall protection system instead of paying for fines, dealing with lost time, and paying worker’s compensation fees.