How to Protect Employees from Workplace Falls

When your workers are working off the ground, there’s always a chance they could fall and injure themselves. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 5,190 fatal work injuries in the U.S. in 2016 alone — a 7% increase from 2015.

From secure harnesses to reliable hard hats, you need to make sure that you’re doing everything you can to protect your employees from workplace falls and injuries. But, fall protection should be a group effort. Everyone on your team needs to work together if you’re going to keep your employees safe from harm.

Learn how to protect your workers from falls, so you can create a safe work environment.

Providing the Right Fall Protection Equipment

It all starts with the right fall protection equipment. This equipment is necessary for any employee that’s working six or more feet above a lower level.

Use hard hats, like the Kask Super Plasma Rescue Helmet, to protect your employees from possible head injuries. Not only will this reduce the impact of falling objects, the chin strap and mountain climber inspired design offers additional protection in the event of a swing fall incident.

Provide fall safety harnesses, such as the Petzl AVAO BOD Full Body Harness, to your employees if they’re working off the ground or on elevated surfaces. The Petzl brand harnesses are especially helpful when climbing on irregular surfaces and under overhangs. The designs flow directly from rock climbers, adapted for the professional work environment.

Remember to inspect your equipment before each use to make sure it’s still working properly. Maintain this equipment by keeping it in the proper location. Keep it covered and protect it from the elements to prevent oxidation and weather-related damage.

Trade In Trade Up Rebate Program by 3M

If your equipment is damaged or needs to be replaced, you can take advantage of 3M's Trade In Trade Up Rebate Program to save money on 3M™ DBI-SALA® and 3M™ Protecta® Fall Protection equipment. Bring in your old 3M equipment and you’ll receive a rebate on new items, including hard hats, SRLs, lanyards, harnesses, and more. The company currently offers over 1,200 pieces of fall safety equipment, so you should be able to find everything you need for your business.

If you’re a new 3M customer, you can trade in competitive fall protection equipment, purchase comparable qualifying 3M fall protection equipment, and you’ll receive a cash rebate.

If you’re a returning 3M customer, you can trade in your current 3M fall protection products, purchase upgraded qualifying 3M fall protection products, and you’ll receive a cash rebate.

You’ll need a copy of your original receipt to participate in the program. Visit go.3M.com/FPtradein to learn more.

Fall Safety Employee Training

To create a safe work environment, you need to make sure your employees know how to use this equipment. Create a workplace safety checklist for your employees, including safety tips for working while suspended in the air and how to properly test and use fall protection equipment. Keep this checklist handy, distribute it to your employees, and post it around your workplace.

Again, fall safety is a group effort. Fall protection should be a critical part of your corporate culture. Everyone on your team should be fully trained in all matters of fall protection. Incorporate fall safety into your training manuals and the onboarding process. Encourage everyone to be on the lookout for damaged equipment and possible workplace hazards.

Teach your employees the importance of staying vigilant and protecting each other from harm.

You can find hundreds of fall safety products and equipment at PK Safety. Contact us to learn more about protecting your workers from fall-related injuries and accidents.