Falls have surpassed workplace homicide to become the second leading cause of work-related death across all industries, after motor vehicle crashes, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). In 2000 alone, some 717 workers died of injuries caused by falls from ladders, scaffolds, buildings, or other elevations, equaling almost two deaths per day on average. In the construction industry, falls lead all other causes of occupational death, but the risk is present in virtually every kind of workplace.
In a new report, NIOSH recommends strategic precautions to prevent fatal, work-related falls. “Worker Deaths by Falls: A Summary of Surveillance Findings and Investigative Case Reports,” DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2000-116, provides a practical on-site resource for assessing individual workplaces, identifying risk factors for falls, and developing effective preventive measures. It is designed to be useful for employers and workers as well as for safety professionals.
Employers should design and use comprehensive fall-protection programs to reduce the risk of serious or fatal injuries, NIOSH recommends. At a minimum, employers should 1) incorporate safety in work planning, 2) identify all fall hazards at a work site, 3) conduct safety inspections regularly, 4) train employees in recognizing and avoiding unsafe conditions, and 5) provide employees with appropriate protective equipment and train them in its use.
The report includes extensive recommendations for preventing falls from ladders, scaffolds, buildings, fork lifts and stationary vehicles, and trees, as well as NIOSH research findings covering a wide range of work activities. The report is available at no charge by calling NIOSH at 800/35-NIOSH (800/356-4674). Information on other NIOSH research is available by calling the same information number or by visiting NIOSH.
