According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 442 workers lost their life in 2007 due to falls on construction sites. This is an alarming number of fatalities considering the commonly available methods for preventing falls.
The Occupational Safety and Health Adminstration (OSHA) regulates the fall protection standards through the Federal Register Standard -1926 Subpart M. An overview of this standard can be located on the following OSHA website http://www.osha.gov/doc/outreachtraining/htmlfiles/subpartm.html
Roofing contractors are one of the building trades that use fall protection on a day to day basis. An effective fall protection program would include the following
- Fall protection training for workers
- Protection of controlled access zone
- Guarding systems
- Personal fall arrest systems
- Postitioning Device Systems
- Safety monitoring system
- Warning line systems
Additional information regarding fall prevention in constuction can be found at the following OSHA website http://www.osha.gov/doc/falls/preventingfalls.html
A worker recently fell at a roofing job site in Washington, PA. This incident involved a 40 foot fall from a pitched roof. The OSHA investigation resulted in willful citation for failing to protect workers from falls. The worker was a newly hired college student that was not properly trained in hazards and the necessary safety measured for roofing work. The proposed fine for the company was $539,000 ($490,000 fine for the willful violation and $49,000 for lack of employee training). This is an expensive learning lesson for the roofing contractor and a tragic loss of a worker and potential college graduate. Additional information regarding this fatality can be found at the following website, (Ref: U.S. Department of Labor - News Release #: 10-74-PHI)
http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=17160
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