Fall Prevention Training Program

by

Mark C. RadomskyJoseph P. FlickGarold Russell

&Raja V. Ramani

The Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA2001

Why a Fall Prevention Training Program?

• Each year, about 15,000 people in the U.S. die from unintentional falls

• Falls are the second leading cause of unintentional-injury deaths in the workplace

• Over 700 U.S. workers per year were killed by falls at work between 1996 and 1999

• About 300,000 fall-related lost-time injuries also occur each year

Costs of pain, suffering and personal losses, lost services, production loss, and property damage are astronomical and needless

Accident Ratio Studies

?????

300

1

29Minor

Unsafe practices/ Unsafe conditions

Property Damage

100

500

?????

Fall Fatality Rates by Industry(1980-1994:8102 Fall Fatalities)

Industry Rate per 100,000 Workers

Percent of Fatal Falls

Construction 3.89 49.9

Mining 1.69 2.6

Agriculture 0.99 6.3

Transportation 0.45 6.4

Manufacturing 0.30 11.6

All other 0.16 (average) 23.2

Total 0.49 100

Program Goals

• Elimination/reduction of fall hazards

• Reduction of fall incidence rates

• Reduction of fall injury/severity rates

Program Objectives

• Enhance the understanding of fall hazards

• Enhance the understanding of fall prevention strategies

• Increase knowledge, skills, and ability to avoid fall hazards and fall-related losses

Locations of Fatal Falls (1980-1994 Data: 8,102 Fall Fatalities)

Location Percent of All Industry Fall Fatalities

Percent Within Construction

Buildings 22 61

Scaffolds 13 70

Ladders 12 46

Lower Level 17 --

All Other Falls 36 --

Total 100

Perception of Hazards Essential to Recognize, Avoid, and Control Them

Perceive—v.t., to grasp or take in mentally, to become aware of through the senses; perception—the process of perceiving

• Training makes a person more proficient in perception—increasing perception by enhancing knowledge and awareness through education and training

Fall Hazards

• Fall to a lower level• Falling to the same level• Slips, trips, and falls• Struck by falling objects, etc.• Struck against• Caught in, under, or between• Clutter• Environmental elements (wind, water, ice, heat,

glare, fog, noise, etc.)

Falling to a Lower Level

Fall Situations Common Causes

• Falls from elevation• Falling into/onto

dangerous equipment• Excavations• Crane work• Aerial lifts• Elements

• No personal fall protection

• Lack of guards• No barriers• No guardrails• Untrained personnel• Ignoring winds, ice,

rain

Falling to the Same Level

Fall Situations Common Causes

• Fall on/from stairway• Holes in walking or

working surfaces• Housekeeping

• No platforms• No covers, inadequate

illumination• Clutter

Slips, Trips, and Falls

Fall Situations• Environmental

Elements• Holes in walking or

working surfaces• Fall on or from

stairway

Common Causes• Failure to remove

snow, ice from walking surfaces

• No guardrail systems• Clutter

Struck-by

Fall Situations Common Causes

• Falling objects

• Falling materials

• Collapsing structures

• Failure to barricade areas beneath work taking place above ground level

• Inadequate or absence of toe boards

• Placing oneself beneath suspended loads, booms, structures, etc.

Caught in or between

Situation Common Cause

• Man basket structure and a beam

• Two beams or between a beam and

a structure• Scissors lift

mechanism

• Failure to inspect and maintain manlifts

• Placing yourself in tight locations

• Placing any part of your body or clothing close to moving parts

• Failure to maintain communication with fellow workers

Clutter on/around…

stairs, walkways, staging areas/ “hotwork”, firefighting equipment, escapeways

Effect/Outcome• Increases the risk of

STF• Increases the risk of

fires • Blocks quick access

firefighting equipment• Increases evacuation

time

Common Causes• Failure to inspect work

areas• Failure to remove

clutter• Allowing combustibles

to accumulate

Environmental ElementsWind, water, ice, heat, cold, noise

Common Causes

• Increase the slip, trip, fall hazard potential

• Increase the severity of the injury/loss

• Decrease productivity• Reduce ability to

communicate effectively (noise)

• Failure to monitor wind conditions

• Choosing to work in windy conditions

• Failing to control water accumulations

• Failure to remove ice, or apply salt, sand

• Failure to prepare for heat and high humidity

• Failure to prepare for cold temperature

Fall Hazard Elimination/Reduction Strategies

• Eliminating the hazards through engineering

design/practice

• Installing fall protection systems

• Providing personal protective equipment

• Training personnel in hazard recognition and avoidance

Engineering

• Follow all applicable laws/regulations (CFR 29, 1926)

• Evaluate alternative equipment, alternative methods

• Conduct JSA/design jobs to avoid hazards

• Evaluate maintenance, housekeeping needs, and develop policies, procedures

• Develop written procedures (plans, protocols, checklists) for JSA, inspections, maintenance, communication, etc.

• Develop and implement training for each job/each equipment procedure

Fall Protection Systems

• Guardrails

• Safety net

• Personal fall arrest

• Warning line system and:– Guardrail

– Safety net

– Personal fall arrest

– Safety monitoring

• Controlled access zone

• Choose the appropriate system• Meet design standards• Protected against damage• Comply with personnel access

restriction rules• Enforce standards through

inspection and maintenance• Have written audit procedures• Train workers for safe use,

inspection and reporting

Personal Protective Equipment

• Dee-rings & snap hooks

• Horizontal lifelines

• Lanyard or lifeline

• Anchorage point

• Connecting devices

• Hard hat

• Body belt

• Body harness

• Meet all design requirements

• Use according to manufacturers’ directions

• Install under supervision, where applicable

• Protect against damage• Standards for procurement

& distribution• Train personnel for safe

use, inspection, reporting

Develop and Implement Training Programs

• Hazard Recognition Training

• Equipment Inspection/Use Training

• JSA/Task Training

• Training in communication/reporting procedures of the organization

• Use Multimedia Enhanced Training

Elements of a Good Fall Prevention Program

PLAN

DESIGN

ORGANIZE

MONITOR

CONTROL

Two Key Organizational Factors

• Management’s Commitment to Outstanding Health and Safety Performance Must be Transparent Through its Actions

• Worker’s Unconditional Cooperation Through Continuous Compliance with all Known Hazard Prevention Programs and Practices