Serious injuries and fatalities remain persistent for skilled trades. With so much work performed at height, falls remain the leading cause of fatalities on construction sites.
Thomas Kramer
P.E., CSP; Senior Vice President of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) Board of Directors and Senior Safety Consultant at LJB Inc.
Most falls don’t happen because someone intended to take a risk. They happen when workers face time pressure or familiar tasks start to feel routine, rather than life threatening: A ladder isn’t secured, because, “It’ll only take a minute.” A harness isn’t connected, because the work area seems safe enough. These excuses sound reasonable in the moment, but none hold up after a 20-foot fall.
Effective protection doesn’t come from a slogan or one-time safety toolbox talk. It arises from a culture that truly values safety, provides appropriate equipment and training, and relies on programs and processes — not just-in-time or improvised solutions.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) provides minimum requirements, and consensus standards like ANSI/ASSP Z359 outline requirements for anchorages, harnesses, lanyards, and programs so fall protections systems work when they’re called on to save a life.
When systems are designed correctly, they are easy to use and remove the friction that fuels excuses. A properly designed anchorage takes no longer to clip into than an improvised one, and a harness is worth the time to inspect and wear correctly.
What skilled trades can do now
Simple steps can make a real difference in reducing fall risk:
- Ask one question: Before performing a task at height, ask: “How can I better protect myself from a fall?” Taking a few minutes before work begins to identify hazards, such as unprotected edges, holes and surfaces that can break (i.e., skylights), is a safer approach instead of reacting when a risk becomes real.
- Do your part: Maintain, inspect, and use equipment as it’s intended. Harnesses and lanyards can be effective, but they have to be cared for, inspected for defects, and used per instructions. Every worker must be intentional with equipment, since the consequences of misuse are life-threatening, but often preventable.
- Speak up: If something doesn’t seem safe, stop work and address it. If equipment isn’t available or doesn’t fit the work, ask for help. If a coworker forgets something, remind them. Those conversations prevent injuries and fatalities.
- Learn more: Employers are required to provide training to help prevent injuries, manage risks and improve workplace safety performance. Workers should also learn more on their own through industry organizations, who provide helpful resources, learning opportunities, and peer connections. One example is the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) Standards-Based User Group on Fall Protection or local ASSP Chapter.
At the end of every workday, success isn’t measured only by what was built. It’s measured by every worker leaving the jobsite the same way they arrived.
