PFAS Safety: Personal Fall Arrest Systems for Residential Construction Contractors

Details

• Corporate Authors:
  Massachusetts. Department of Public Health
• Description:
  Keep Your Workers Safe - Any Fall Can Be Fatal or Debilitating! When is fall protection required for residential construction workers? Fall protection must be provided to any employee working at a height of 6 feet or more above a lower level. The best fall protection is a passive system because it does not require active participation from the worker: these include guard rail systems and safety nets. But sometimes active fall protection is needed, such as a personal fall arrest system (PFAS). What is a PFAS? A PFAS (personal fall arrest system) consists of three major components: a full-body harness; a shock-absorbing lanyard or retractable lifeline; secure anchors. When used according to the manufacturer's instructions a PFAS can save a life should a fall occur, by stopping the worker from striking the surface below. Despite the components, a PFAS is inexpensive and easy to use. Personal fall arrest systems cost around $150. A PFAS must always be used with oversight from a competent person, and should be part of a fall protection program. When is a PFAS required for residential construction workers? A PFAS is required in any situation in which a worker is exposed to a vertical drop of 6 feet or more to a lower level; and cannot be protected by other fall protection, such as guardrails. For example: A PFAS is required for construction workers performing roof work, work from aerial lifts, or any height work in which they cannot be protected by some other fall protection. The pressure that contractors face to complete construction jobs both accurately and quickly can sometimes overshadow in-the-moment safety decisions. Planning ahead for safety can do more than save time at the worksite, it can save lives. In November 2010, a Massachusetts carpenter fell 19 feet from the roof of a single-family home under construction. He died five days later from injuries sustained. Sadly, this is just one of many preventable incidents. Had use of a personal fall arrest or other system been planned out ahead of time, he might still be with his family today. This publication is also available in Spanish and Portuguese. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Accidental Falls Accidents Construction Industry Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Construction Workers Fall Protection Falls Injury Prevention Safety Equipment
• Publisher:
  Massachusetts Department of Public Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Guidance
• Place as Subject:
  Massachusetts ; OSHA Region 1
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-2
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20061262
• Citation:
  Boston, MA: Massachusetts Department of Public Health, 2012 Nov; :1-2
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2013
• Performing Organization:
  Massachusetts State Department of Public Health - Boston
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20050701
• Source Full Name:
  PFAS safety: personal fall arrest systems for residential construction contractors
• End Date:
  20260630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:2b3648a1bbb098c6f35d978099b1ccde4969e1cfbfcb798261a8c3c5c0317570b28f9fc4386aa0dd6574a0fae1dc77f56bcbfd014ea209aac5be80eb327bab9f
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/224848/cdc_224848_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 200.88 KB ]