Fall Hazard Risk Analysis
Analyze the Risk of Falling
To effectively prevent and control fall hazards on the construction site, you need to conduct a 4-step risk analysis process.
Using the risk analysis process, do the following:
- identify the actual and potential fall hazards on the construction project;
- determine the unique characteristics of each hazard;
- evaluate the danger each hazard poses to workers; and
- prioritize or rank each hazard according to its overall risk.
Identifying Hazardous Work Areas
It's important to identify areas in which workers' tasks could expose them to fall hazards.
Ask if workers will be using portable ladders, supported scaffolds, aerial lifts, or suspension platforms to reach their work areas. You will also want to know how and where workers will use the equipment. To answer these questions:
- meet during the preplanning phase to determine the construction activities that will be occurring on the worksite; and
- after construction starts, and in every phase after that, get on-site to identify the current and potential hazards that could exist in future phases.
Look at each phase of the project from the ground up. Ensure that all walking/working surfaces have the strength to support workers and their equipment and then identify all tasks that could expose workers to falls. A walking/working surface is any surface, horizontal or vertical, where a person walks or works.
- holes in walking/working surfaces that they could step into or fall through
- elevated walking/working surfaces six feet while performing construction and four feet for general industry (non-construction) or more above a lower level
- skylights and smoke domes that workers could step into or fall through
- wall openings such as those for windows or doors that workers could fall through
- trenches and other excavations that workers could fall into
- walking/working surfaces from which workers could fall onto dangerous equipment
- hoist areas where guardrails have been removed to receive materials
- sides and edges of walking/working surfaces such as established floors, mezzanines, balconies, and walkways that are 6 feet or more above a lower level and not protected by guardrails at least 39 inches high
- ramps and runways that are not protected by guardrails at least 39 inches high
- leading edges - edges of floors, roofs, and decks - that change location as additional sections are added
- wells, pits, or shafts not protected with guardrails, fences, barricades, or covers
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
3-1. When should the employer meet with contractors to determine expected construction activities?
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