The proposed regulations provide general requirements for all scaffolds regarding capacity, construction, access, use, and fall protection. Instead of specification standards, the proposed regulations would use performance criteria to reduce the danger of slipping or falling from scaffolds. The proposed regulations would apply to the design, construction, and use of all scaffolds in construction. However, falls from scaffolds continued to occur, and in 1986, OSHA proposed to revise the construction industry safety regulations addressing all types of scaffolds. OSHA regulations were promulgated in 1971 to protect workers from the hazards of working from scaffolds in both general industry and the construction industry. In one incident, a worker fell out of his improperly fastened safety belt in the other two incidents, excessively long lanyards broke or separated after victims fell 30 feet. Personal fall protection equipment was used in only three of these incidents, but it was used improperly in each case. Of the 25 falls from suspension scaffolds, 68% (17) involved scaffold equipment failure. Suspension scaffolds were involved in 30% (25 of 82 incidents and 27 deaths) of the falls from scaffolds. įalls from scaffolds accounted for 21% (82 of 386 incidents and 86 deaths) of fatal falls from working surfaces reported for the period 1974 to 1978. įatal falls from scaffolds during the period 1980-85 accounted for 17% of all falls from elevations (461 of 2,705) and were second only to falls from buildings. Department of Labor indicates that falls accounted for 8% (289 of 3,610) of all occupational fatalities from trauma. For the period 1980-85, the NIOSH National Traumatic Occupational fatalities (NTOF) database indicates that falls accounted for nearly 10% (3,491 of 36,210) of all traumatic occupational deaths for which a cause was identified. Backgroundįalls are a leading cause of traumatic occupational death. Worker with fall protection systems in place. NIOSH requests editors of trade journals, safety and health officials, and employers in the construction trades to bring the recommendations in this Alert to the attention of construction supervisors and workers.įigure 1. Every employer, supervisor, and worker involved in work from suspension scaffolds must comply with these regulations. Safety regulations of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) establish specific requirements for suspension scaffolds and their operation, including the use of fall protection systems (Figure 1).
This Alert describes five incidents resulting in six deaths caused by falls from suspension scaffolds.
Recent investigations by NIOSH suggest that fatal falls occur as a result of defective scaffold equipment, improper installation or operation, improper training of workers, or a failure to use appropriate personal fall protection equipment. “Suspension scaffold” means one or more working platforms suspended by ropes or other means from an overhead structure. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) requests assistance in preventing worker injuries and deaths caused by falls from suspension scaffolds. WARNING! Workers may die or be injured if scaffold equipment and fall protection systems are defective or misused.
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