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714 Fall Protection Program
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Rescue at Height

Prompt Rescue Required

The best strategy for protecting workers from falls is to eliminate the hazards that cause them.

firefighter climbing ladder
Provide a prompt rescue if a worker is suspended in a personal fall-arrest system.

When you can't eliminate the hazards, you must protect workers with an appropriate fall-protection system or method. If a worker is suspended in a personal fall-arrest system, you must provide for a prompt rescue.

According to OSHA, "prompt" means without delay. A worker suspended in a harness after a fall can lose consciousness if the harness puts too much pressure on arteries. A worker suspended in a body harness must be rescued in time to prevent serious injury.

If a fall-related emergency could happen at your work site, you should have a plan for responding to it promptly. Workers who use personal fall-arrest systems must know how to promptly rescue themselves after a fall or they must be promptly rescued.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

9-1. If a worker is suspended in a personal fall-arrest system, you must provide for a prompt rescue. OSHA defines "prompt" as _____.