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