In June of 2011, new guidelines issued by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) took effect. The guidelines were developed to provide additional protections to residential construction workers. They outline necessary safety measures for builders to prevent employees working above a certain height from suffering serious injuries from falls in the workplace.
According to the Fall Protection Compliance Guidelines for Residential Construction, employees working six feet above the ground or higher must now use safety nets, guardrails or personal fall arrest systems in order to prevent falls and injuries. A personal fall arrest system includes a full body harness, a deceleration device, a lanyard and an anchor point, according to OSHA. Prior to the new rules taking effect, OSHA allowed workers to use slide guards and safety monitor systems while working above six feet.
The new guidelines provide for certain exceptions, however. In instances where using a conventional fall prevention system creates a hazardous situation or is infeasible to use, builders can create a safety plan specific to that job-site. For this exception, OSHA requires a "qualified person" to craft a written plan that conforms to OSHA rules and includes the specific reasons as to why a conventional fall protection system either creates a hazard or is infeasible. A second exception allows warning lines or safety monitoring systems to be used if work is being performed on a low-sloped roof.
The new guidelines only apply to work on residential construction sites. Meaning the structure that is being built will be used as a home or dwelling, and is being constructed using "traditional wood frame construction materials and methods," according to OSHA.
Injuries and deaths caused by slip and fall accidents represent one of the most common workplace injuries. 50 people died in Texas last year because of workplace falls according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Falls from any height can cause serious injuries, including broken bones, back injuries, head and neck injuries, and brain injuries. In addition to the physical pain, these kinds of injuries can be emotionally and financially devastating. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a workplace accident, you should speak to an experienced workplace injury attorney who can advise you of your options.
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Andrew B. Sommerman is a lifetime member of the "Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum," a registered trademark of Million Dollar Advocates Forum, LLC
