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Fall Protection

Topic 4 – Fall Protection

Falls are the leading cause of fatal accidents in the construction industry. The employer or contractor is responsible for ensuring that all workers use fall protection when working at heights greater than 3 meters or where there is a risk of injury from falling. Fall protection comes in four different types:

– Control zones (the area within 2 meters of a falling hazard)
– Personal fall arrest systems which protect the worker in the event of a fall
– Safety nets
– Travel restraint systems which prevent the worker from travelling to a fall hazard

The personal fall arrest system is the most common form of fall protection used when working in a temporary working area. It consists of three components:

– Anchorage, which is an anchor point attached to a structure in a way that is capable of withstanding the high impact forces applied by a fall
– Body wear, which is the harness the harness equipped by the worker. Should be a full body harness that fits snug to the wearer. Belts cannot be worn in fall arrest systems but can be used in travel restraint systems.
– Connecting devices can include lanyards, retractable lifelines, and ropes with rope grabs.

Equipment that is used in fall protection should be inspected regularly before each use. When not in use, they should be stored in a dry place away from the elements. Sunlight, moisture, and usage can cause wear and tear. Any equipment found to be damaged or defective should be tagged and either sent for repairs or discarded.

Guardrails and Covers

Any opening on a working surface needs to be guarded from falls by either a guardrail or cover. Covers should be able to support a load of 360 kg per square meter and have a warning sign or indication of it covering an opening. Temporary guardrails may be a more practical solution such as in stairwells and elevator shafts. It should be constructed with the top rail between 920 mm and 1070 mm, with an intermediate rail spaced halfway between the top rail and the working surface. Vertical supports should be spaced according to section 122 of OHS Regulations. Where there is a risk of materials or tools falling more than 1.2 meters, a toe board may also be required (see section 123 of OHS Regulations).

Fall Protection Plan

On any worksite where there is a risk of falls greater than 3 meters, a fall protection plan is required to be written and displayed according to section 116.1 of OHS Regulations. The fall protection plan should include the following:

– An evaluation of hall hazards on the worksite
– Fall protection system to be used
– Procedures to assemble, use, maintain, inspect, and disassemble the fall protection system
– Rescue procedures in the event of a fall

Review Questions

  1. What are the three components of a fall arrest system?
  2. What should be done with defective fall protection equipment?
  3. Describe the requirements of a guardrail.
  4. A personal fall arrest system should prevent a worker from falling more than _____ without a shock absorbing lanyard and _____ with a shock absorbing lanyard.
  5. Where is a toe board required?

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Carpentry Refresher Program Manual Copyright © by Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies-Trades and Industrial is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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