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Refineries and other industrial facilities have many safety precautions to check off their lists, so it’s easy to forget that Fall Protection should be near the very top. In fact, OSHA names falling as one of the most common causes of injuries and fatalities in the workplace. While protection from injury caused by chemicals or fire may be top-of-mind, it’s important to ask: What are the indoor fall protection risks inside your facility? Falls frequently happen inside buildings as well as out, so make sure you don’t overlook the most hazardous areas.
There are several spots inside your facility that are likely to put employees, contractors, and visitors at risk of falling. It’s a smart move to take a closer look and keep the people in your building well-protected, no matter where they happen to be working.
Falling at work is unfortunately a common risk in many different types of facilities – from refineries to warehouses to industrial complexes. It’s easy for even the most experienced workers to slip or lose their balance while working in high places like stairways and mezzanines. To protect them from injury, you’ll want to take a look at the latest OSHA standards and take the proper fall protection precautions in the riskiest areas of your facility.
The four main areas of concern for indoor fall safety are:
- Stairways
- Mezzanines
- Loading Docks
- Ladders
How to prevent falls in stairways
Stairways can be hazardous in almost any environment. People often go up and down the stairs quickly, carrying heavy loads, and paying little attention to what’s ahead. To counteract human error, there are certain steps you should take to keep the stairways in your facility as safe as possible:
- Examine lighting. Poor lighting in stairwells can greatly increase the risk of falling. Make sure all stairways are well-lit whenever your employees, contractors, or visitors will be using them.
- Check the tread. Tread should be uniform throughout the entire stairway. Providing a visual contrast (surfaces colored safety yellow are ideal) gives both workers and visitors to your building the visual cues they need to ascend and descend your stairways safely and with ease.
- Install gates and rails. Falls to lower levels can be particularly injurious. Industrial safety gates and rails that can withstand 200 pounds of weight should be installed according to OSHA guidelines. This will keep workers safe both as they ascend stairways and as they reach each platform or opening.
A closer look at loading docks
Loading Docks see a lot of activity throughout the day. In addition to protecting the employees who use them, you’ll want to protect those making deliveries to your building. Here’s what you can do to get started:
- Mark floors and edges. Yellow paint or tape can help warn workers from a distance about barriers, openings, and edges.
- Prevent falls from heights. All openings in your facility should be well guarded, but especially the Loading Dock, since it will likely experience heavy traffic. There are many easy-opening loading dock gates that also provide excellent resistance to keep workers safe from falling.
- Train personnel. Any employees who will be using the area should be well-versed in the fall safety rules associated with Loading Docks. This is one of the most important fall safety tips for any facility in any industry.
Mind your ladders
Many falls happen not just when workers are in high places, but when they are accessing them via ladders. It’s important to survey all ladderways and openings in your facility and make sure they are protected. Here is what you can do to ensure you have taken as many precautions as possible:
- Assess unprotected openings. Ladders are one of the most commonly unprotected openings inside facilities. Be sure to take inventory of which ones are protected and which ones pose the biggest risk to your workers.
- Clear the area. Make sure that all areas around the tops and bottoms of ladders remain clear at all times. This will help prevent slips and falls.
- Guard all ladderways. Ladders can easily be guarded by safety gates and rails to ensure that workers are safe regardless of how high they have to climb.
Take a step back and look at your workplace culture
One of the most important elements of a fall protection program is training. Just as workers are trained to deal with injuries from chemicals or fire, they should be properly trained in fall prevention. Every team leader needs to have the proper certification to ensure that their workers follow all of the appropriate fall protection procedures.
This culture should come from the top down. When the leaders of an organization embrace fall protection and the requirements that come with it, employees know what is expected of them and follow suit. So leaders, managers, supervisors, and workers are all on the same page. When it comes to the protection of your people, this is the most important piece of advice you can follow.
Information in this article has been provided by Fabenco, a leading manufacturer of passive fall protection products for over 45 years. Fabenco’s products are always easy to install and meet all the necessary OSHA, IBC, and ANSI standards. They provide a wide array of safety gates, as well custom models to meet your specific needs.
