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Falls From Any Height

Safety Toolbox Talk Webmaster
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Who needs fall protection equipment? If you said workers building bridges or cleaning office tower windows you would be right. But what about all the workers who work at lesser heights, just a few feet off the ground? They should also be protected from falls - which can be every bit as fatal.

Consider your work area. Are there locations from which someone could fall? What sort of protection is in place to prevent a fall? And is there equipment to stop a fall?

The situations to be considered are both:

Fall protection equipment is broadly divided into two categories:

The law in many areas says a worker must be protected if he is exposed to a fall hazard of 10 feet or three meters. But a study has indicated 10 per cent of fatal falls occur at heights lower than that. Imagine someone falling four feet from a loading dock and striking his head on the pavement. Such an incident could very well be fatal.

Check these areas:

Safety laws are in place to prevent falls from heights. Be sure to follow these rules to the letter. And look beyond the law. You know a fall hazard when you see one, so report it to ensure it gets fixed.


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