There’s a reason that many of us are naturally terrified of heights. According to the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, about 15 percent of all fatalities in the workplace are the result of falls. Falls are especially dangerous because the ratio of deaths to injuries is much higher than any other category of accident. Material handling warehouses can be especially susceptible to falls, and need to be implementing fall protection. We’ve put together this short video covering the first things you need to know when it comes to fall protection.
Thanks for watching this video on the basics of fall protection. We’re glad you are taking steps to make your warehouse a safer place. Remember, purchasing top quality warehouse safety equipment is one of the best ways to prevent accidents of any kind in your warehouse, so check out Premier Handling Solution’s robust selection of material handling equipment like pallets, LOOK OUT Products, Anti-fatigue Mats, Pallet Trucks, guard rails and more! Be sure to come back next week as we cover another material handling safety topic.
Warehouse Fall Protection Video Transcript
Hello. Today I’ve got some very important safety information for you about fall protection in the workplace. When an employee is injured from a fall, nobody has a good time. Here’s how you can prevent falls from happening in your warehouse.
The first question to ask is, what height should employees be protected from falls? The answer is, four feet. Any worker elevated more than four feet above the ground should be protected from a potential fall. If you have areas in your warehouse that with edges, wall openings, or floor holes with a fall of more than four feet beneath them, you will need to have fall protection measures implemented. Guardrails, safety nets, and fall arrest systems like harnesses and lanyards, are all examples of effective ways to remove the threat of falls in a higher area.
Here are some basic things that every employee can be doing to help with fall prevention in the warehouse. Be aware of any holes or tripping hazards near an edge around, and be sure to fix the issue as soon as possible. Any rail, net, or cover system implemented to prevent falls needs to at least be able to support twice the weight of any employee, or materials being handled.
In most cases with fall protection, it is preferred to focus on preventing falls in the warehouse using guardrails instead of using nets, harnesses or other devices. That should get you started on how to make sure your warehouse has acceptable fall protection. Remember, if you don’t pay attention to fall protection, you’re going to have a bad time.