Protecting Yourself from Fall Hazards
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSP) Z359, Fall Protection Code, has identified a hierarchy of fall protection controls, from most effective to least effective.
In general, it is better to use fall prevention systems, such as guardrails.
The hierarchy includes:
- Elimination. Removing the need to work at an elevated height above the working surface, such as using an extension pole to replace light bulbs. Most effective control.
- Passive fall protection. Using physical barriers such as guardrails to prevent a fall.
- Fall restraint systems. Using positioning and fall restraint systems that restrict movement to prevent a fall.
- Fall arrest systems Use of full-body harness systems or safety nets, that work together to break a fall.
- Administrative controls. The use of policies, procedures, practices, training, and warnings to restrict worker actions and increase awareness of fall hazards. Least effective control.
In general, it is better to use fall prevention systems, such as guardrails, than fall protection systems, such as safety nets/fall arrest devices. That's because prevention systems prevent falls from occurring in the first place.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
2-1. If a fall hazard cannot be eliminated, what would be the next best fall protection strategy according to the hierarchy of fall protection?
You forgot to answer the question!