Falls are one of the leading causes of workplace injuries and fatalities across various industries, including oil and gas, construction, mining, forestry, and pulp and paper.
More than 44,000 workers in Canada get injured annually due to fall accidents, according to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.
While most of these falls happen on ground level as a result of slips and falls, 30% of falls are from a height.
But what exactly does “working at heights” mean?
This term applies to any work performed where a person could fall and injure themselves, whether it’s from a ladder, rooftop, scaffolding, or open edge. It’s also not limited to any specific height, as tasks performed even just a few feet off the ground can pose serious risks without proper safety precautions.
Understanding when fall protection is required and implementing the appropriate safety measures can significantly reduce the risk of accidents.
When Is Fall Protection Required?
Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulation requires fall protection when work is being performed at least three metres, or 10 feet, above ground.
Additionally, even at heights less than 10 feet, fall protection may still be necessary if there are specific hazards that could result in injury if someone were to fall on them.
For example, in the oil and gas sector, a worker performing maintenance on an elevated platform near exposed equipment, such as a rotating pump jack or drilling machinery, may require fall protection even if the height is less than 10 feet. A fall in this situation could result in severe injury from contact with moving components, sharp edges, or high-pressure systems, making fall protection essential to protect the worker.
Fall protection ensures that employers and workers are proactive in reducing the risk of falls, regardless of the height involved. Proper training and the use of safety equipment are essential in creating a safe work environment.
Who Is Responsible for Fall Protection?
While fall protection in the workplace is a shared responsibility, the ultimate accountability lies with the employer.
Employers are responsible for making the fall protection plan readily accessible at the worksite and reviewing it with workers before any tasks involving fall risks begin. Additionally, employers must update the plan promptly whenever conditions impacting fall protection change.
What Are the Different Methods of Fall Protection?
When performing tasks at heights, fall protection methods play an important role in protecting workers.
The Hierarchy of Fall Protection provides a structured approach to controlling fall hazards by ranking solutions from the most reliable to the least, ensuring workplaces use the most effective safety measures possible.
Here’s an overview of the hierarchy and the different fall protection methods:
Hazard Elimination
The most effective way to prevent falls is to eliminate the hazard entirely. This could involve redesigning work processes or using tools that allow workers to perform tasks from the ground instead of at heights.
Passive Fall Protection
Passive fall protection, such as guardrails, serves as a physical barrier to prevent falls. Guardrails are often installed on elevated platforms, rooftops, or openings. These barriers require no active effort from workers, making them a reliable option.
Fall Restraint Systems
Fall restraint systems use personal protective equipment (PPE), such as a full-body harness connected to an anchor point, to restrict a worker’s movement. These systems are designed to keep workers within safe areas, preventing them from reaching the edge where a fall could occur.
Fall Arrest Systems
When falls cannot be entirely prevented, fall arrest systems are designed to stop a fall once it has occurred. These systems include PPE, such as a full-body harness, shock-absorbing lanyard, and a secure anchor point. They arrest the worker’s fall within acceptable force and clearance margins, minimizing the risk of severe injury.
Administrative Controls
Administrative controls focus on increasing worker awareness and promoting safer practices to mitigate fall risks. These measures include training programs, clear safety signage, and work procedures to ensure employees recognize hazards and adhere to safety guidelines. While not as robust as physical controls, administrative strategies are essential for building a culture of safety.
By implementing the methods outlined in the Hierarchy of Fall Protection, employers can address fall hazards effectively and prioritize worker safety. Proper training, risk assessments, and regular equipment inspections are crucial to ensuring that these methods are successfully integrated into workplace safety programs.
How Trojan Safety Can Help With Your Company’s Fall Protection
Don’t let you or your team members become a statistic.
At Trojan Safety, we offer a Worker Fall Protection course in Fort St. John.
Our all-day course is designed to provide employees in the oil and gas industry with an understanding of how a fall protection system works, how to handle fall protection equipment, how to develop work procedures, and how to mitigate potential hazards in the workplace.
More specifically, this course covers:
- Anchors, connecting components, lanyards, self-retracting devices, safety belts, shock absorbers, full-body harnesses, and pre-use inspections
- Control zones, guard rails, travel restraints, safety nets, horizontal and vertical lifelines, descent control devices, fall arrest stops, and fall protection plans
- Hazard assessments, due diligence, and documentation
- Legislation, PPE, why people fall, anchor point location, lanyard selection, shock absorbers and fall arrest forces, fall clearance calculations, and swing falls
- Practical donning of full-body harnesses and lifts
- Rescue plans and suspension trauma
Contact us today to improve the safety of your workplace.