The U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA, www.osha.gov) publishes guidance document OSHA 3755-05 2015 – Protecting Roofing Workers. OSHA confirms that “falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry, accounting for over 3,500 fatalities between 2003 and 2013. Falls from roofs accounted for nearly 1,200, or 34%, of the fall deaths during that period.”
Workers at height are at risk of serious injury, illness and death as a result of weather events.
OSHA highlights how workers at height, such as roofers, encounter many health and safety hazards on sites and facilities across the construction industry and built environment. Further, workers at height are at risk of serious injury, illness and death, unless the hazards, such as slippery working and walking surfaces as a result of weather events, are controlled by the employer. Control starts with first identifying hazards and second addressing risks.
Weather events can impact the functionality and effectiveness of fall protection systems.
Critical for the life-safety of workers at height, fall protection systems must endure a broad spectrum of weather events. Accordingly, weather events can impact the functionality and effectiveness of fall protection systems, including both temporary and permanent anchorage systems used for fall protection personal protective equipment (PPE) and personal fall arrest systems (PFAS), such as safety harnesses, lifelines, and lanyards, for example.
NEVER use electric or gas-powered heaters to heat and dry fall protection systems.
During the winter season, low temperature, snow, ice, and frost events can cause the stainless-steel elements of fall protection systems to freeze. Further, low temperature events can hinder the movement of rotating anchors, and can jeopardize the effectiveness of integrated energy absorbers. However, NEVER use electric or gas-powered heaters to heat and dry fall protection systems, which can cause permanent damage and endanger the life-safety of workers at height.
Best practices for personal fall arrest systems during low temperature events
One of many recommended best practices for fall protection personal protective equipment (PPE) and personal fall arrest systems (PFAS) during low temperature events is to: first, manually remove as much ice as possible from rotating anchors, so that the anchorage eyes can rotate again; and, second, manually dry the previously frozen anchors and other stainless-steel elements with a cloth, to minimize the risk of corrosion due to water.
More in the next blog series about weather risk management for the construction industry and built environment…
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