According to the Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada, 43,435 lost time claims were made in 2020 due to falls, including 62 deaths. With such high costs in human and material losses, fall protection requirements are prevalent in federal and provincial acts, regulations, and codes.

For example, sections 12.01 to 12.09 of Canadian Occupational Safety and Health Regulations, SOR/86-304, state that there must be a fall protection system in place if working on a structure, vehicle, or ladder of three meters (3m) or more, and less than 3m if the surface onto which a person might fall presents a greater risk of injury than a solid, flat surface.

Above and below 3m covers much ground. The facility safety manager’s challenge is identifying and addressing the hazards with smart safety solutions and fall protection equipment.

Workers accessing the roof are at considerable risk, the most obvious being an unprotected roof edge. Yet, there are other hazards that start with access to the roof. The transition point between a ladder and the roof should have a self-closing safety gate at the access point flanked by protective guardrails. A roof hatch further requires safety railings and a self-closing safety gate.

A skylight is literally defined as a hole in the roof. Skylight railings and skylight screens provide skylight fall protection so that workers do not fall through the roof.

Piping, ductwork, and changes in roof levels present trip hazards that need to be navigated. “Step over” platforms —equipped with railings—allow workers to traverse these and other obstructions.

Keep reading this article on KeeSafety.ca

• 
•