Construction is a potentially high hazard industry for those who work in it, with falls at the top of the hazards list.
In fact, falls are the most frequent cause of fatalities at construction sites and
annually account for one of every three construction-related deaths. Although
there are commonly available methods for preventing falls, the number of construction workers who fall to their deaths has increased in recent years. According to preliminary 2007 fatality data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there were at least 442 construction worker fatalities during 2007 as a result of falls
from all causes.
Of this total falls from roofs are one specific concern at construction sites and the most frequent cause for fatal falls in construction in 2007. In fact, BLS reports that from 2003 to 2007, construction worker falls from roofs resulted in 686 fatalities.
OSHA has a list of resources to help those who work in the construction industry identify actions they should take to prevent construction-related falls.
The information listed below provides a variety of links related to construction falls
and a variety of means to prevent them. QuickCards followed by an asterisk (*) denote
those QuickCards containing information specific to the prevention of falls
relating to roofs.
QuickCards Containing Fall Safety Tips:
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Additional Resources:
- Safety and Health Regulations for Construction
This site provides the details of the OSHA fall protection standard.
- Interim Fall Protection Compliance Guidelines for Residential Construction.
A plain language re-write of OSHA's interim enforcement policy on fall protection for certain residential construction activities.
- OSHA Construction eTool. An eTool is a "stand-alone," interactive, Web-based training tool on an occupational
safety and health topic.
- Injuries, Illnesses, and Fatalities Data. A detailed look at fatal occupational injuries, including falls in construction.
- Alliance Program Construction Roundtable. Formed by OSHA, the Alliance Program Construction Roundtable provides participants with an opportunity to share construction-related information about Alliance-related activities and successes and network with others in the program.
- Fall Protection in Construction. [PDF] A generic, nonexhaustive overview of the OSHA fall standard. This publication does not itself alter or determine compliance responsibilities, which are set forth in OSHA standards themselves, and the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
- Preventing Construction Falls. This site provides useful information concerning preventing construction falls.
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Laborers’ Health and Safety Fund of North America. Information concerning falls and safety as they relate to construction and construction laborers.
- Fall Protection for Construction A Survival Guide. [PPT] A report on construction falls that was produced by Georgia Tech.
- Fall Protection Training for Today’s Construction Workforce. Links to guidance for fall protection training that was developed by the Safety and Health Extension Service of West Virginia University.
- Construction Safety.
A National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) site that contains a number of links to studies relating to construction safety and health, including ladder and scaffold fall safety.
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Accessibility Assistance: Contact the OSHA Directorate of Construction at 202-693-2020 for assistance accessing OSHA PDF materials.
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