Fall protection standards for iron workers

 Posted on July 28, 2015 in Workplace Accidents

Iron workers in California perform some of the nation's most dangerous jobs. While doing construction work on multi-story buildings, these professionals are at a great risk of falling. To protect them from workplace injuries and deaths, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration has fall protection standards that must be followed by employers.

OSHA standards for fall protection apply to all workers who perform tasks at least 15 feet above ground level. These workers must be protected with guardrails, safety nets, fall restraints, positioning devices and personal fall arrest systems. Despite these requirements, OSHA regularly cites construction employers for fall protection violations, and falls are among the leading causes of death and injury on construction sites. While employers are obligated to follow OSHA guidelines at a minimum, they are also advised to recognize hazards and develop their own policies for maintaining worker safety.

There are certain safety requirements for personal fall arrest systems that all employers must follow. A personal fall arrest system must not allow the worker to come into contact with a lower level after falling, and the worker must not be able to free fall more than 6 feet. Further, the personal fall arrest system must have the strength to withstand two times the potential impact energy that could be caused by the employee falling.

Construction accidents involving iron workers can be very serious. One who has been injured in a fall may be able to recover financial compensation for the injuries that have been sustained by seeking workers' compensation benefits. An attorney who has experience in these types of matters can often be of assistance in the gathering of documents necessary to support the claim.