Avoiding Falls in the Construction Industry

By: Ted Richards

Shareholder, Stander Reubens Thomas Kinsey

If you have worked in workers’ compensation, you have probably handled a serious or fatal fall case at some point in your career. Falls bring unique dangers and costs to both the worker and the employer, and they are particularly common in the construction industry.

According to a recent article in Claims Journal, construction injuries involving falls represent more than 30 percent of all construction claims payments made by Nationwide, based on a review of over 10,000 workers’ compensation claims over a five-year period. Nationwide’s data indicates that falls from elevated surfaces are more costly than any other injury claim, due to lost time and the prevalence of injury to multiple body parts.  However, the study also notes that falls from any height are dangerous – one in three fatal falls in construction were found to occur from 15 feet or less.

Loss control experts encourage employers to regularly communicate with their employees about safety and risks. Effective communication can include developing written policies and plans to reduce the use of ladders and provide safer alternatives, to regularly inspect equipment, and to repair and/or replace equipment as needed. Safe alternatives to ladders include mobile scaffolds, scissor lifts, and other elevated platforms that utilize guardrails. When feasible, podium stepladders are a good, safe alternative to A-frame stepladders. Employers can also provide additional protective gear, and equipment such as ropes, pulleys, tackle, and other material-handling aids to reduce the need for simultaneously lifting materials and climbing onto elevated surfaces. Additionally, experts recommend training workers on the proper use and inspection of scaffolding and lifts.

Communication can also include hosting workshops and events to begin a conversation about common hazards and the importance of safety on elevated surfaces, such as an OSHA-supported Stand-Down event. At its annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls event, OSHA encouraged companies and workers to take time for topical discussions, safety demonstrations, and training in hazard recognition and fall prevention during the workday. OSHA’s most frequently-cited violation is lack of proper fall protection; Stand-Downs provide employers and workers the opportunity to talk about these hazards and protective methods to prevent them, as well as the company’s safety policies, goals, and expectations. The agency’s Stand-Down webpage offers information on conducting a successful event, along with educational resources in English and Spanish.

According to OSHA, falls are the leading cause of death in construction – in 2016, there were 370 fatal falls to a lower level out of 991 construction fatalities. OSHA also warns that workers who are six feet or more above lower levels are at risk for serious injury or death from a fall. But these accidents are preventable. Proper planning on the part of the employer is key to protecting workers, and should include deciding what tasks need to be completed and what safety equipment is required to complete each task safely. Using the right ladder or scaffold is necessary: for roof work, if workers use personal fall arrest systems (PFAS), the employer should provide a harness for each worker, and make sure that the PFAS fits properly and is regularly inspected. The employer is also responsible for holding workers accountable for their own safety. Every worker should be trained on proper set-up and safe use of equipment, as well as recognizing hazards. 

Avoiding falls in the construction industry and elsewhere is serious business – the risk of falls warrants significant attention and resources. Fall prevention should be a commonsense goal for the worker, the employer, and the insurance carriers alike. The costs of improper prevention measures, both individually and to the business at large, are too high to not prioritize worker safety.