Responding to Falls
When an emergency occurs:
- First responders should clear a path to the victim. Others should direct emergency personnel to the scene. You can use 911 for ambulance and medical service; however, most 911 responders are not trained to rescue a worker suspended in a personal fall-arrest system. Make sure only trained responders attempt a technical rescue.
Workers must practice procedures for emergency rescue.
- Prohibit all non-essential personnel from the rescue site.
- Talk to the victim; determine the victim's condition, if possible.
- If you can reach the victim, check for vital signs, administer CPR, attempt to stop bleeding, and make the victim comfortable.
After an emergency, you must:
- Report fatalities and catastrophes to OSHA within eight hours.
- Report injuries requiring overnight hospitalization and medical treatment (other than first aid) to OSHA within 24 hours.
- Identify equipment that may have contributed to the emergency and put it out of service. Have a competent person examine equipment. If the equipment is damaged, repair or replace it. If the equipment caused the accident, determine how and why.
- Document in detail the cause of the emergency.
- Review emergency procedures. Determine how the procedures could be changed to prevent similar events; revise the procedures accordingly.
Click on the link to see a sample template for a Site-specific Fall Protection Template including rescue procedures.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
9-5. Which course of action should be taken when a rescue at height emergency occurs?
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