In 2017, a line worker for a fiber optic cable company was killed when the anchor he was attached to failed. The employee was working at approximately 80 feet adjusting a vibration dampener, when he slipped and fell. The anchor point his personal fall protection was attached to broke, and he fell to the ground.
Falls from heights are common and are one of the leading causes of death and serious injury in the workplace. In the construction industry, falls from heights injure nearly 12,000 workers every year and kill an average of 363 workers.
One of the most common ways employers control this type of risk is by having their employees wear personal fall protection equipment. It’s crucial that your employees inspect their equipment before every use.
Required by law, user inspections can help protect the worker from fall risk. Some of the materials used to make personal fall protection deteriorate over time. Additionally, the equipment can be damaged during use, when it is not stored properly, or can have manufacturer defects. Failures related to any of these items can be deadly. A quick inspection can help protect your worker from equipment malfunction during a fall.
For additional information on inspecting personal fall protection equipment, please see our personal fall protection Harness Inspection checklist.