3 steps to stop workplace falls

On Behalf of | Mar 26, 2019 | Workers' Compensation

Few things are as dangerous as workplace falls. Whether you slip and fall on the same level or fall from one level to another, you can be seriously injured or even killed. Year after year, falls lead the fatal workplace accident reports.

What can be done to prevent these incidents? The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has a three-part plan that they think can make a drastic difference. The three steps are:

  1. Plan ahead. First and foremost, proper planning can help to identify risks for a specific job, and then the crew can plan around those risks to stay safe. Furthermore, planning in advance allows the company to include any safety costs in their quotes so that there is no financial pressure to do things in an unsafe manner.
  2. Provide safety equipment. All too often, falls happen because workers do not have safety equipment that they desperately need. OSHA notes that there are serious risks of significant and even fatal injuries for every worker at a height of six feet or more. They must have the proper equipment to work safely.
  3. Train workers properly. It’s not enough to have safety equipment; workers need to know how to use it. A harness does no good if a worker doesn’t know how to put it on or hook up the ropes. Workers need to practice and train in a controlled environment so that they are ready when they start the job.

Have you gotten injured in a fall at work? If so, make sure you know what rights you have to workers’ compensation and what steps you need to take.

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