Falls continue to be the leading cause of fatalities in construction, accounting for about one-third of all fatalities in the industry. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 291 fatal falls to a lower level in construction in 2013, out of 828 total fatalities. Recognizing that incidents involving falls are generally complex events, frequently involving a variety of factors, OSHA has developed a standard for fall protection that deals with both human and equipment-related issues in protecting workers from fall hazards.
In order to help workers and employers better understand the Fall Protection in Construction Standard’s requirements and the reasons behind them, OSHA has issued Fall Protection in Construction, a 48-page overview of frequently cited OSHA standards in the construction industry. The fall protection guide covers a wide variety of topics, including:
- What Subpart M – Fall Protection Covers
- Conventional Fall Protection Systems
- Positioning Device Systems
- Fall Restraint Systems
- Protection from Falling Objects
- Fall Protection Plans
- Fall Protection Training
Fall Protection in Construction and additional fall protection information may be downloaded from the OSHA Fall Protection webpage. Fall protection resources are also available on our blog.