Fall Protection

When work is required on elevated surfaces such as roofs or during construction activities, protecting against fall is essential. Fall protection is required for most construction activities by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Renovations and general trades activities adhere to OSHA 1910 – General Industry. Construction or complex working activities involving heights adhere to OSHA 1926 – Construction Industry. EHS provides specific fall protection training, site assessments, and equipment to protect workers from falls greater than 6 feet.

What you need to know

  • The Environmental Health and Safety Office will evaluate any fall hazard to determine the best method to protect employees.
  • Classroom, hands-on, and online fall protection training is available upon request to all employees and is given annually to all previously enrolled individuals.
  • All pieces of fall protection equipment need to be inspected by the user before each use and at least on an annual basis by a competent person to ensure the device(s) are in proper working conditions.
  • For all pieces of fall protection equipment, please refer to the manufacturer’s manual for device specific safety requirements.
  • It is the employee’s responsibility to adhere to all safety policies, programs, procedures, and practices while performing their duties in a safe manner. 
  • Employees must notify your immediate supervisor of unsafe working conditions, potential hazards, and accidents, as soon as possible. 
  • If any piece of fall protection equipment is ever subject to a fall, the piece of equipment must be taken out of service immediately and reported to the Environmental Health and Safety Office.
  • If you ever see any unsafe working conditions or activities, please do not hesitate to report it to the Environmental Health and Safety Office.

Services

The Environmental Health and Safety Office offers the following services:

  • Fall Protection Consultation for Roof Tops, Fixed Ladders, Portable ladders, and Roof hatches
  • Fall Protection Assessments
  • Fall Protection Equipment Training
  • Fall Arrest / Restraint Equipment Inspections
  • Scaffold Pre-use Inspection
  • Loading Dock Safety Assessments 

Resources