Articles Tagged with ''fall prevention''

Employers must set up the work place to prevent employees from falling off of overhead platforms, elevated work stations or into holes in the floor and walls. OSHA requires that fall protection be provided at elevations of four feet in general industry workplaces, five feet in shipyards, six feet in the construction industry and eight feet in longshoring operations.

Falls from elevations are severe accidents that occur in many industries and occupations. Falls from elevations result in injuries which are produced by contact between the falling person and the source of injury, under the following circumstances:

Contractors have been put on notice: ensure you use fall protection systems, or face fines. In May 2011, a WorkSafe WA inspector observed a self-employed roofing contractor working on a roof at a construction site in Mandurah. He had been engaged by a roofing company to fit all the roofing material, including flashing and capping.

3M has expanded its personal safety portfolio with a new controlled descent device for escape and rescue at height and a high-altitude upgrade for its popular 3M™ Adflo™ Powered Air Purifying Respirator system. The 3M™ and DEUS™ Escape and Rescue System enables workers to steadily descend from heights up to 590 feet, while the 3M™  Adflo™ Turbo Assembly with High Altitude Upgrade can provide continuous filtered air to welders working at altitudes of up to 10,000 ft.

Workers who perform tasks at elevation - such as structural metalworking, roof assembly and repair, tree trimming, and green energy construction - are at risk of falls from heights, with frequently serious or even fatal consequences.

In the past few months, the communication tower industry has experienced an alarming increase in the number of injuries and fatalities occurring at communication tower worksites. As of September 3, 2013, there have been a total of 14 incidents, which is more than the last two years combined. OSHA is aware that there has been an acceleration in communication tower work during the past year due to cellular infrastructure upgrades, and the Agency is concerned about the possibility of future incidents.

A Missouri roofing company cited for fall hazards in four separate inspections since 2010 has continued to endanger its employees, according to OSHA, which has cited Andres Roofing Co. Inc. for four repeat safety violations with proposed penalties of $52,800.

FabEnCo, Inc., the world’s leading manufacturer of self-closing industrial safety gates, announced today that the company has developed a new Pallet Safety Gate that will be added to the company’s full line of safety gate products.