By Lee Hart, President, Safety by Design

Like so many other things in the last three months, OSHA’s National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls week in the Construction Industry was put on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic. OSHA will reschedule the Stand-Down week for later in the year. 

FALL FACTS:

There is nothing complicated about fall protection.  It’s really very simple. Yet falls continue to be the leading cause of fatalities in the Construction industry, and three out of 10 nonfatal injuries are also caused by slips, trips and falls. ***

In 2018 one in five worker deaths in the US were in construction. The leading causes of private sector worker deaths (excluding highway collisions) in the construction industry were falls.

In 2019 almost one in three OSHA citations were Fall Protection related, which also represented close to 43% of all penalties or $44,370,964 dollars. Three fall protection requirements made the top 10 list of the most frequently cited, with more than 9,900 citations written for one or more of the following regulations:

• 1926.501 – Duty to have fall protection was number one on the list, 
• 1926.503 – Fall Protection – Training Requirements was number four and 
• 1926.502 – Fall protection systems criteria and practices was number ten. ***

Changing an age-old mindset

So how far can you safely fall? Most construction workers will tell you 6 feet because that’s the threshold at which fall protection is required in the Construction industry. However, one could argue that thought process and say there is no safe distance a human can fall.

There are cases of workers falling less than two feet who lost their life and others who have fallen more than 10 feet and survived (in most cases, not without injury).

So, if we can agree that there’s no safe distance someone can fall, then why do falls still top the list of leading causes of death in construction? Why are various fall protection regulations still in the top 10 of the Frequently Most Cited?

The answer may not be so simple. Most workers don’t think it will happen to them. They’ve never fallen before so why worry?  They’ve been doing this work more than 20 years and know how to do it without falling, or they’ve been ridiculed, criticized, and bullied into thinking they are not “manly” enough if they wear fall protection.

Falls in Construction has been a widespread issue for years. So much so, that there are emphasis programs in place and annual national stand downs that take place in an effort to reduce the number of fall violations, injuries and fatalities. 

It’s interesting that here we are in 2020 faced with a global pandemic, where we have seen most people behave differently than before the pandemic, in just a matter of weeks, to avoid getting sick and/or spreading the virus. Fall related injuries and fatalities has been an “epidemic” in Construction for years. Yet workers’ mindsets or behaviors are not changing quickly and consistently enough to drive down the numbers.

If workers reacted similarly to fall hazards as they have the coronavirus, we wouldn’t need a Stand Downs or emphasis programs. The difference between the virus and falls is that falls aren’t contagious and whether or not we fall is mostly within our own control.

The global pandemic, and the avalanche of challenges that came along with-it including unemployment, business closings, and stay at home orders has been virtually the only thing on people’s minds the last four months.

Construction workers, as an essential business, continue to work and must remain focused on other hazards that have the potential to severely injure or even kill them in a matter of seconds.

Construction workers continue to be exposed to fall hazards, and according to the National Safety Council, construction workers are most at risk for fatal falls from height – more than seven times the rate of other industries.

There are different requirements in the Code of Federal Regulations but let’s just look at the most commonly cited which can be found in 1926.501(b)(1), which states, “Each employee on a walking/working surface (horizontal and vertical surface) with an unprotected side or edge which is 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above a lower level shall be protected from falling by the use of guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems.”

Pretty simple, right?  Problem solved, right?  Not even close.

How do we change workers and employers’ behaviors and mindset to take what’s required on paper and turn it into action at work?  This is where the challenges begin.

BEST PRACTICES:

Whether working from a ladder, roof or scaffolding, falls are 100% preventable. But it takes preparation, communication, enforcement, and accountability. Here are some basic best practices Safety by Design recommends our clients include in their written safety program.

Preparation

• Assess the risk and identify the hazards
• Determine if working from a height is absolutely necessary, or if there is another way to do the task safely.
• Identify the correct type of equipment for the task (i.e. step ladder, extension ladder, aerial lift)
• If PPE is necessary then be sure you identify the correct harness, lanyard or self-retracting lifeline, and most importantly the proper anchorage point
• Be sure you have a rescue plan in place. Ask yourself, if something goes wrong, what will we do?

Communication

• Conduct a job safety analysis prior to starting work, and include all affected workers
• Clearly state your expectations for completing the task safely
• Ensure workers have an opportunity to ask questions, and have those questions answered
• Remain in communication throughout the task to address unforeseen issues
• Train your workers on the hazards and solutions to avoid injury or death

Enforcement

• Periodically check on the workers to ensure compliance
• If workers are found not complying with the expectations and guidelines, then immediately stop work and conduct a stand down to re-address those expectations
• If workers refuse to comply then remove them from the exposure

Accountability

• Hold everyone accountable equally
• Remind workers that they must be accountable for their own safety
• Hold yourself accountable as a supervisor to lead by example

When the coronavirus became a global pandemic, people started wearing masks everywhere they went. It has become an accepted, and in some cases, mandatory practice. Why won’t we treat fall hazards as seriously as the Coronavirus?

We have a cure for fall protection but it’s not as simple as getting a shot in the arm. We need to plan better, train better, implement solutions better, enforce better and most importantly, lead better.  

Workers need to do better caring enough about their own safety and the families who depend on them to make the right choices each and every day.

Employers need to ask themselves, what are one or two things I can do to help change the mindset of the workers risking their lives every day to build a better future?  

Thomas Edison said, “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try one more time.”

We have to keep trying to effect change.

* https://www.osha.gov/data/commonstats

** https://www.bigrentz.com/blog/construction-safety-statistics

*** https://www.osha.gov/pls/imis/citedstandard.naics?p_naics=23&p_esize=&p_state=FEFederal

About the Author

Organizational safety is in Lee’s blood. With over 21 years in the industry as a safety consultant, Lee brings a wealth of experience to every collaboration. He has worked with clients of all sizes to help ensure the safety of their employees and has drafted and implemented various safety programs throughout his career. Lee Hart teaches the OSHA 30 at the University of Houston for Construction Management Course students. He’s been a guest speaker at events for fortune 500 companies and is considered one of the area’s top experts in construction safety. For more information about Lee Hart and Safety By Design, please visit https://www.safetybydesigninc.com