5 Things You Didn’t Know About Fall Protection
June 19, 2024
5 Things You Didn’t Know About Fall Protection
Despite today’s technologies and innovations, worker safety remains a serious concern for every business—particularly those involving dangerous materials or machinery. Even with state-of-the-art safety equipment, accessories, and procedures, accidents can happen—and it’s important to always be aware of risks on your job site and within your company.
Unsurprisingly, one of the leading causes of job-related injuries and fatalities is falling. Even experienced, well-trained workers can injure themselves by falling on any given day. To maximize employee safety and reduce risk, it’s critical to examine your workplace and make sure that your employees’ training is always up-to-date. Utilizing the proper fall protection equipment and staying compliant with OSHA fall protection standards can also help you maintain a safer workplace.
Even if you think you know everything there is to know about fall protection, you may be surprised. So today, we’ll be reviewing five important (and lesser-known) facts about fall protection.
1. OSHA vs. ANSI
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) both play a major role in protecting workers—but while they have similar roles, they are also very different. OSHA, a division of the U.S. Department of Labor, is in charge of setting and enforcing safety regulations in the workplace. ANSI exists to promote safety and facilitate voluntary consensus standards. The difference is that OSHA is mandatory but ANSI is voluntary.
Employers who are not OSHA compliant can face serious consequences, such as fines or citations. And while ANSI regulations are not mandatory, choosing not to follow them may put your employees in danger. Despite their differences, both organizations are there to provide safety guidelines, rules, and regulations—and used together can strengthen the safety of your workplace and employees.
2. You Need a Fall Protection Plan
Does your business have an in-depth policy in place to address serious fall injuries? If not, then implementing a fall protection plan is critical. This procedure should include detailed, site-specific information on how to prevent and react to employee falls via training and response procedures. Having a fall protection plan will not only help you care for employees as quickly as possible if a fall does occur, but it will also ensure that your company is prepared to minimize and contain risks.
3. Cost of Protection
When it comes to the cost of protecting your employees from falls, the investment is well worth it. While implementing a plan, purchasing fall protection products, and training your employees might seem expensive, you’ll see a major ROI in the long run. Not only will this investment help ensure the safety and productivity of your employees, but it will also protect your business from fines and legal action associated with violating OSHA regulations and rules.
4. How Often Training Should Happen
Fall protection training is a crucial aspect of protecting your employees. Each and every employee should be trained in relevant safety procedures and equipment. However, with so many different training programs out there, you should be careful when choosing your options. Employers should choose a comprehensive training program with a competent, qualified trainer—and document it well. With new technologies and OSHA regulations emerging, your training should also be up-to-date. Have regular training sessions to ensure employees are always alert and prepared for an emergency.
5. What Products You Should Use
When it comes to safety products, there are several to choose from. With these fall protection products from Stronghold Safety, you’ll be well on your way to a safer workplace.
GuardDog Self-Closing Gate - The GuardDog Self-Closing Gate is tough, durable and easy to install. Featuring a unique self-closing design with two stainless steel torsion springs, the GuardDog Self-Closing Gate can open in any direction.
Garlock RailGuard 200 System - This system protects employees or any contractor/serviceman who may not be familiar with your safety policy requirements.
Garlock SpeedGuard II Flatbed Fall Protection System - This OSHA-compliant system helps to prevent falls from trailer decks.
Garlock LifePoint Duo STOP System Steel Weights - The LifePoint Duo is a mobile tie-off device that provides fall protection for two people: fall arrest for one and fall restraint for one, or fall restraint for two.
Garlock ScreenGuard Skylight Protector - This safety solution provides cost-effective, OSHA-compliant fall protection. It can be secured to the skylight frame with compression fit (no penetrating fasteners, adhesive, or straps) and features a galvanized screen to resist corrosion.
Stay Protected with Stronghold Safety
At first glance, falling on the job may not seem serious—but a fall can mean lost time, wages, and hefty fines. As your full-service safety partner, this is where Stronghold Safety Engineering can help. With a fall hazard assessment, we can help you identify areas of risk and implement solutions that can be customized based on your specific applications, budget, and time constraints. No matter your solution, our safety professionals can engineer and install your entire fall protection plan. Contact us today for complete fall protection services that deliver the protection you need.