Fall Protection Equipment and Systems

 

Before you begin work on a project that requires fall protection (whenever you are working six feet or more above a lower level), your employer must provide all required fall protection equipment, and install all required fall and falling object protection systems.

The equipment and systems must comply with the OSHA fall protection rules at 29 CFR 1926.502.

The three most common methods of providing fall protection are guardrails, safety nets, and personal fall arrest systems. These are referred to as primary systems.

Guardrails
Guardrails are barriers put up to prevent falls to a lower level. They can be used to protect you from falls: from unprotected sides and edges; during leading edge work; through holes—including skylights; from ramps, runways, or other walkways; and into or onto dangerous equipment.

Safety nets
Safety nets are used as protection at unprotected sides, leading edges, working on the face of formwork or reinforcing steel, overhead or below surface bricklaying, work on roofs, precast concrete work, residential construction, and wall openings.

Personal fall arrest equipment
Body belts are not acceptable as part of a personal fall arrest system. Body belts are o.k. when used as positioning devices.
Only locking type snaphooks can be used.

Personal fall arrest equipment protects you from falling when working around unprotected sides and edges, leading edge work, in hoist areas when loading or unloading materials, form and reinforcing steel work, overhead or below surface bricklaying, work on low-sloped or steep roofs, precast concrete work, residential construction, and wall openings.

Other fall protection systems
The fall protection rule lists other systems and equipment you can use in certain situations. Some of them are safety monitoring systems, warning lines, and positioning devices.

In order to use any of the systems and equipment described above, you must be trained to do so by your company “competent person.” That person must be qualified to teach you those systems and equipment you will be using.