Courtesy of State Compensation Insurance Fund (www.scif.com)

Falls are a primary cause for injuries and fatalities in construction. Workers have fallen off edges of every description, especially floors and roofs, and through openings in floors, roofs, and walls.

To prevent accidental falls at worksites, guardrails or other effective barriers to falls should be used. Where guardrails or other barriers are not feasible,workers must use approved personal fall protection systems or positioning devices. In many instances, fall protection systems can prevent serious injury and save a life. That's why it's important for workers to ensure that their fall arrest system is in proper working condition before they use it.

It's critical that workers choose and use the right equipment for the job and that it’s labeled as meeting the requirements of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). If there's any question about what type of equipment is needed, they should ask their foreman.

A competent person should inspect the equipment at least twice annually in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, making sure to document the date of inspection. Prior to each use, the worker should inspect the equipment thoroughly — even if it has been used daily and was inspected the day before. If the equipment is only used occasionally, it's even more important to inspect it prior to use to ensure that it wasn't put away in a damaged condition or that deterioration hasn't occurred while the equipment was in storage (e.g., weakening of straps or ropes by mold or mildew).

The equipment (including ropes, lanyards or harnesses) should be taken out of service and replaced, if it is found to be defective or if it was involved in a fall. The time to find out that there is a problem with a fall arrest system is not when a fall happens — at that point it's too late. Proper maintenance and regular equipment inspection can help ensure workers will be protected in the event of a fall.