| This past spring, a contractor faced a potential | | | | workplaces. |
| $70,000 fine from the Occupational Safety and | | | | Fall protection is more than wearing a hard hat |
| Health Administration (OSHA) for committing a | | | | and a safety harness. It starts with prevention |
| violation of fall protection safety. The violation is | | | | and equipment. First you must identify all the |
| considered “one committed with plain | | | | potential fall hazards in your work environment: |
| indifference to or intentional disregard for | | | | unprotected floor openings and edges, shafts, |
| employee safety and health.” Allegedly, | | | | skylights, stairwells, and roof openings. Inspect fall |
| workers were exposed to a 50 foot fall while | | | | protection equipment for defects. Use general |
| working without fall protection on a building’s | | | | equipment and installations like covers, handrails, |
| roof. Employees are required by the United State | | | | guardrails and parapet walls to help prevent falls |
| Department of Labor Law 1926.501(b)(2)(i) to use | | | | from happening. Select and wear personal fall |
| fall protection when working from heights of 6 | | | | protection equipment appropriate for the job at |
| feet or greater. | | | | hand. Educate employees on current hazardous |
| Too many accidents occur every year in the | | | | areas, signs of potential hazards, and have them |
| workplace and too many times it is because of | | | | continuously monitor for ongoing fall protection. |
| the lack of safety equipment. According to the | | | | This is as easy as a weekly safety meeting, |
| Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 253,440 | | | | discussing procedures in using fall protection |
| reported cases if work-related non-fatal falls, | | | | equipment and responding to emergencies. |
| compared to 814 fatal falls reported by private | | | | If your company is in need of new fall protection |
| industries in 2007. Accidents are not inevitable, and | | | | equipment, now is a great time to upgrade for |
| falls are no different. With the right combination of | | | | the summer months. Established in 1992, Empire |
| education, equipment and training, you can | | | | Safety and Supply has been providing clients with |
| eliminate falls from your workplace. | | | | quality fall protection equipment for high-risk work |
| Working in a high-risk industry is dangerous | | | | environment needs. Their product lines range |
| enough, so whether you’re on a roof, | | | | from harnesses and connecting devices, to fall |
| platform, ladder, moving vehicle, or high rise, you | | | | protection systems and rescue/escape. Empire |
| need protection from falling. Falls from scaffolds, | | | | Safety and Supply represent over 800 |
| roofs and ladders constitute half of all disabling falls | | | | manufacturers to offer clients the fall protection |
| and they are often due to loss of balance | | | | solutions and information they require. Empire |
| because of tripping, slipping, and shifting or | | | | Safety and Supply has a Warehouse and |
| unstable ladders. Unfortunately, you cannot trust | | | | Inventory Support Team with the capability to |
| your body to have excellent balance at all times. | | | | ship thousands of products across the country |
| With the right fall protection equipment, you can | | | | and globe. |
| prevent disabling injuries and fatalities in high-risk | | | | |