It's nothing new. In 2017, safety continues to be one of the most important issues and topics discussed within the industry. The industrial sector has seen over 110 million on-site accidents with the most common of those accidents and injuries pertaining directly to falls. Companies continue to implement the necessary measures to avoid falls, but when measures are overlooked -- or simply don't work properly -- and injuries occur, this can cause employees to take a leave of absence from the workplace for an extended period. Others may lose their jobs altogether, and in the worst-case scenario, fatalities may occur. These situations are not to be taken lightly. They hurt and heavily impact employees and their families, and they can also seriously impair the businesses involved.
Fall protection tends to be at the forefront of safety discussions, and businesses continually evaluate the processes they put in place to protect their employees from ever having to encounter any issues surrounding falls. The outcome usually involves implementing a program utilizing fall protective equipment such as harnesses and lanyards. These devices are used as a reactive measure in the event a fall should occur. Is reactive fall protection planning enough? How do we avoid falls from ever occurring in the first place? This question brings us to another imperative key question: What is the difference between fall protection and fall prevention?
Fall prevention is a plan that is considered proactive. This plan is focused on preventing the fall from ever happening to begin with. Fall protection doesn't prevent a fall from occurring but rather provides a backup in case a fall does occur ⦠again. On the other hand, we view fall protection as a more reactive approach. One must put in place a prevention plan because if a fall does occur, even with fall protection in place, the situation immediately becomes riskier. So by developing a fall prevention plan, you are attacking the issue at its core by eliminating the possibilities of a fall's occurrence.
Fall prevention plans include the installation of equipment like gangways, safety cages and loading racks that prevent trips, slips and the consequent falls. Gangways assist operators in accessing the tops of tanker trucks and railcars. These include slip-resistant treaded walkways and handrails/ crossbars so the operator is fully secure on all sides while accessing hatches for loading and unloading. Safety cages are assembled on the ends of gangways and cover the perimeter around the truck or railcar hatches. This adds preventive measures while operators are working around the hatch atop of vehicles.
Loading racks should always include nonslip tread on all walking surfaces and be built with sturdy, easily accessible handrails/ crossbars on each side. Safety gates can be added to close off any openings throughout the perimeter of loading stations, including the access points for gangways. In a perfect world, the proactive fall prevention would be addressed before the reactive fall protection plan. Each of these safe access systems avoid falls altogether. On the other hand, using harnesses and cables simply puts a backup plan in place to protect employees if a fall happens to occur .
It is essential to ensure all safety measures are covered with both fall prevention and fall protection. Harnesses and cables are critical aspects after a fall occurs and will catch the operator and stop the person's impact with the ground. But why not have a preventive plan in place that closes off the opening from which the fall occurred to begin with? Fall prevention coupled with fall protection embodies an entire safety solution for your employees. Although fall prevention can be costly and involves more thorough planning than fall protection, you must take the time to consider the unparalleled benefits. Why risk a fall from ever happening when you can avoid those risks by putting a preventive plan in place?
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