Help clients protect workplaces from fall hazards
Every year over 300 people die in ladder-related accidents, and more than 10,000 suffer serious injuries. They are the top cause of construction fatalities and account for one-third of on-the-job injury deaths in the industry. Whether your workers’ compensation client is a construction company handling dozens of ladders daily, or is a mom-and-pop shop occasionally using a ladder to change light bulbs or access the roof, you can help them protect their workplace from fall hazards.
In a construction setting, the term “safety stand-down” is used to describe a pause in normal work so that all workers can focus on a particular safety issue.
If your construction contractors are headed back to the jobsite, now’s a good time for them to talk with employees about workplace fall hazards, protective methods and the company’s safety policies. Companies can participate by stopping work and providing a focused toolbox talk on fall prevention, conducting equipment inspections, demonstrating fall protection and procedures, or any number of other activities that educate workers on fall hazards and solutions. It’s also an opportunity for workers to talk to management about fall hazards they see.
Related: Workplace accidents and best practices for incident reporting
The goal of this national campaign is to prevent fatal falls from roofs, ladders, and scaffolds by encouraging workers to:
- PLAN ahead to get the job done safely.
- PROVIDE the right equipment.
- TRAIN everyone to use the equipment safely.
A wide variety of training tools are available via the StopConstructionFalls.com website to help you protect against falls from ladders scaffolds and roofs, including
- A motivational campaign flyer
- A fall prevention factsheet
- Posters
- An instructor guide
- And more
Related: Why it pays to promptly report work comp claims
Preventing falls on the jobsite
Here are a few facts from their materials to share with your construction clients:
- When working on a roof, always wear a harness; make sure it fits; and keep the harness connected – always. Use guardrails or lifelines. Don’t work around unprotected openings or skylights, but cover them first. Double-check any fall protection equipment before use.
- When working from scaffolding, ensure stable footing and proper access. Only use fully planked scaffolds that are plumbed, leveled and include guardrails. Don’t stand on guardrails or climb cross-braces. Never use a ladder on top of the scaffold. Keep scaffolding at least 10 feet away from live power lines.
- When working from a ladder, choose the right ladder for the job. Ensure it’s secured on level ground and maintain three points of contact. Don’t stand on the top two rungs of a stepladder or the top four rungs of an extension ladder, and don’t overreach. For every four feet in height, pull the ladder one foot back. And inspect the ladder before every use: the rails, rungs, feet and spreaders or rung locks. Keep hands free: don’t carry materials while climbing. Instead, use a rope to haul materials up to you.
Related: Protect clients and their employees from workplace heat illness
We believe most workplace falls are preventable. With better training and continuous innovation in safety planning and product design, we can begin to see fewer injuries and fatalities. Please join us in sharing this message with your construction clients.
This article originally appeared in Arrowhead’s Tribal blog. It has been modified and updated to better fit the needs of Valiant’s workers’ compensation producers and their clients.
