Falls from height are still a primary killer when it comes to workplace fatalities. The rooftop is the most common area where general industry employees are exposed to a fall hazard. Roof access is not necessarily an everyday part of someone's job, so its easier to ignore the safety...

Changes to OSHA's General Industry skylight screen requirements may have forced you out of compliance.

We have covered in great detail the changes and additions to the Working/Walking Surface rules posed by OSHA back in January of 2017. The focus, however, has been on the specific...

A man named Joe, who worked for the same roofing company for 25 years, fell through the skylight pictured above to his death. He was not wearing any fall protection and the skylight was not protected in any way. On average 16 people die at work every day in the United States. That number is...

In my experience,  it is not uncommon to hear of self-retracting lifelines and/or lanyards daisy-chained together to create a longer connection to an anchor point.  This typically happens when someone buys a product that is long enough for an application on one job, but finds that they need...

Does this look familiar?

HVAC units are commonly found close to the edge of your roof. Why we insist on putting them there may make sense to the architect or mechanical installer. However, it poses a serious risk to all who need to maintain it.

You're not comfortable sending your...

There are obviously times when somebody will need to access the roof of your building or facility, whether it’s maintenance workers, contractors, or inspectors.  As we’ve discussed, roofs are inherently dangerous, so we develop policies to direct the behaviors of our employees and...

It is common to see paths present on flat rooftops. They are visible by laying down pavers, rubber mats, or something similar, and they meander around the entirety of the roof. Once you have accessed the roof, ideally this path or walkway will lead you to the necessary areas.

Can you...

Let’s be honest, the best way to build safety railing like a professional is to be a professional, but that’s not always possible.  Lucky for those who aren’t, there are some very strict rules regarding safety rail construction that don’t leave much to chance.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not...

Who is responsible for your safety?  Is it the safety manager?  Is it your supervisor?  Is it the owner of the company for which you work?  Sure, each of these people plays a part in building a framework that allows you to perform your job in a safe working environment, but in the end, the...

Sometimes you may have the luxury of working for a company that says, “Safety? Whatever you need, you get.”  However, that is certainly not always the case.  More often than not, you will need to work within a budget to meet your safety needs.  While it’s nice to say that safety is of...

With so many options available on a full body harness, it’s no wonder we primarily shop on price.

Price is important, and so are aspects such as size, buckle types, dorsal ring placement, and even color options! However, there is one major consideration that is not addressed that could...

Despite efforts to reduce falls, they still remain the number one killer in construction.  They also account for approximately 12% of fatal occupational injuries across all industries (http://www.bls.gov/news.release/cfoi.t01.htm). We educate, inspect, and discipline, yet falls continue to...

As we venture into a new year, it’s a good time to take stock of where we are and where we’re headed. It’s no secret that falls have been the leading killer in construction for more years than we care to remember and that fall protection (training or otherwise) has led OSHA’s Top Ten list of...

Falls cause the most worker fatalities and injuries during rooftop ice and snow removal. Workers can fall off roof edges, through skylights, and from ladders and aerial lifts (OSHA source). If you live in a...

OSHA has many safety videos that are available from their library for free. If you are an OSHA trainer you can request these videos via a PDF form available on the OSHA web site. Here is a listing of the videos that are available for the Fall Protection category. Take advantage of these...

Safety goes further than just having the proper equipment in place. Now more than ever, it’s important to maintain a clean and sterile environment at the workplace. Using proper cleaning methods will prevent damage and increase the longevity of your gear.

If you’ve been a safety professional for any amount of time, you could probably write a book based on the excuses you’ve heard regarding why a worker or a company failed to adhere to safety rules and regulations. The excuses range from ignorant to absurd – from entertaining to...

OSHA exists with the intention of protecting employees as they do their work. It is important that workers are safe, so that we can continue to support ourselves and loved ones. There can be a lot of rules to follow, but knowing and understanding them is crucial to workplace safety. However,...

Anybody that comes in even the briefest of contact with the world of occupational safety knows that fall protection is a hot topic. There are blogs, social media groups, and even entire companies dedicated to it. While some topics are treated as an elective within an OSHA 10 or 30-hour...

Recently, we posted an article on the common hazards found during rooftop HVAC work.  In it, we stated, “Routes of travel that take you past skylights or near the edge of the roof have now exposed you to fall hazards.”  This is not an empty warning.  Skylights are a hazard often overlooked...

There are many types of work platforms: aerial work platforms (such as scissor lifts), scaffolding, or prefabricated, permanently-installed platforms. Which one you choose to use depends on the type of work you plan on doing and the duration of that work.  A quick paint job, for instance...

The moment you see or hear the word "mezzanine" in your workplace, your thought should immediately turn to fall protection. In general industry, the minimum height at which fall protection is needed is 4’. Because mezzanines are typically used to store goods or machinery up off the floor...

There is nothing simple about roof anchor points.

Being that is our aspiration to create simple and safe solutions for all workers at heights, we felt it necessary to address one of our most commonly asked questions.

Unfortunately, like many...