OSHA Extends Fall Prevention Campaign
The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) began a fall prevention campaign earlier this year. Due to its success and in the hope of seeing even more fall accidents prevented, OSHA has elected to extend the campaign through the end of the year.
Falls are the leading cause of death on construction work sites. So, it would make sense to focus prevention and awareness efforts here. OSHA reports that in 2010, there were 264 fall deaths in construction fields, out of 774 deaths overall. This means falls accounted for 34% of the fatalities.
Many people think that serious falls happen only from several floors up. But, this isn’t always the case. A trip and fall on a level ground could cause serious and even life-threatening injuries. It doesn’t take a high elevation to cause something like a traumatic brain injury, merely a hard impact to the head.
Removing fall hazards like cords, equipment, and uneven flooring can prevent same-level falls. But regardless of the construction environment you work in, there are several steps you can take to reduce the likelihood that you will be injured in a fall.
OSHA says the first step is to plan. You cannot have a safe working environment unless you plan ahead of time to “get the job done safely.” They recommend:
When working from heights, such as ladders, scaffolds, and roofs, employers must plan projects to ensure that the job is done safely. Begin by deciding how the job will be done, what tasks will be involved, and what safety equipment may be needed to complete each task.
When estimating the cost of a job, employers should include safety equipment, and plan to have all the necessary equipment and tools available at the construction site. For example, in a roofing job, think about all of the different fall hazards, such as holes or skylights and leading edges, then plan and select fall protection suitable to that work, such as personal fall arrest systems (PFAS).
Planning to prevent falls is the responsibility of the workers (like you) and the supervisors and safety administrators. From determining how the job goes on a large scale to planning how you will execute one single aspect of the construction job, laying out your intentions and taking steps to prevent falls beforehand will make the job site safer for everyone involved.
Construction Fall Accident Lawyers
The New York and New Jersey construction accident attorneys of Ginarte know just how common fall accidents are. If you’ve been involved in a fall accident while on the job, we may be able to help you get compensated for your injuries. Contact our offices today for a free consultation.
Our NY/ NJ attorneys can be reached at (888)-GINARTE.
