Anytime workers are operating at elevated heights, your organization is required to utilize some form of fall protection system per OSHA guidelines. These systems can look very different depending on the industry, but are always essential for ensuring a safe workplace. Explore how custom solutions can ensure workplace safety.
Why Fall Protection is Essential for Workplace Safety
OSHA requires fall protection in construction, maritime, and general industry settings to protect worker safety — and yet, this is one of the most frequently cited violations, with more than double the number of violations in 2023 compared to the second-highest violation. These violations may be due to a fall protection system not being up to code, or because a workplace has no fall protection system in place at all.
Companies may neglect to meet fall protection requirements because they prioritize saving money or efficiency over safety. But ignoring fall protection can lead to increased costs and unexpected downtime. In 2023, falls, slips, and trips accounted for 17% of all workplace deaths and 20% of all injuries or illnesses involving days away from work. When an employee is unable to work, their absence creates a gap in the workforce that slows productivity. In the case of workplace injuries, it often also leads to costly worker’s compensation claims. Since falls are 100% preventable, these risks can be eliminated through proper compliance with fall protection safety standards!
Types of Fall Protection Equipment
Ensuring compliance with OSHA regulations and preventing workplace accidents requires finding the right fall protection solution for your workplace and safety needs. Here are three common types of fall protection and how they can make your workplace safer and more efficient:
Personal Fall Arrest Systems
Personal Fall Arrest Systems (PFAS) combine a full-body harness, a connecting lanyard or self-retracting line, and an anchorage point to catch a worker in the event of a fall, preventing them from making contact with the ground. These fall protection systems are useful when workers need to operate at an elevated height within a restricted space. For example, our team at Mathews Mechanical often uses them when performing certain maintenance and inspection tasks for our customers!
Two related fall protection systems that take the PFAS into more specific situations are Personal Fall Restraint Systems (PFRS) and Fall Arrest Ladder Systems:
- A PFRS further limits a worker’s range of motion on an elevated platform to keep them from moving close enough to the edge to fall in the first place, which may be useful in situations where the worker stays in one place for an extended period of time and doesn’t require a lot of mobility around the work area.
- A Fall Arrest Ladder System is an essential PFAS designed specifically for use when climbing and using ladders to access elevated regions. They move upward and downward to maneuver with the ladder, rather than side-to-side along a horizontal surface.
Guardrail Systems
One of the most common forms of fall protection is a sturdy guardrail system installed along any scaffolding or other elevated platforms, creating a barrier that prevents workers from falling. The most reliable guardrail systems are custom-designed to meet your specific layout and needs with top rails, midrails, toe boards, and anchored posts to secure the system in place.
Safety Net Systems
Safety net systems are installed beneath an elevated surface to cushion and catch workers if they fall. You might see similar systems in the circus to catch trapeze artists and tightrope walkers, but they’re also used in the industrial sector. Anchorage points and supports keep the net from sagging, ensuring it will always catch anyone who falls and keep them from hitting the ground. Safety nets are often used in tandem with other fall protection equipment as a final barrier against fall injuries at greater heights.
Custom Fall Protection System Solutions with Mathews Mechanical
At Mathews Mechanical, we provide reliable, safe, and safety-compliant fall protection system solutions customized to the exact needs of our customers. Our mechanical engineers design, fabricate, and install all of the above-mentioned fall protection systems, in addition to providing inspections, preventative maintenance, and 24/7 emergency maintenance.
Our commitment to workplace safety goes beyond these customized solutions and into the day-to-day efforts of our customers to ensure workplace safety. Any time we install a new custom fall protection system, our fall protection experts provide safety education to train workers on the proper use and care of your new equipment. Since these classes are typically an OSHA requirement, we offer three different high-quality 3M classes to keep your workplace safe!
If you’re interested in learning more about our fall protection training or services, contact Mathews Mechanical today!
