Why Passive Fall Protection is Safer than PPE

 

Falling employees cost companies billions in lost workdays. OSHA requires that any workplace that involves altitude to implement precautionary measures as soon as possible.

If a fall hazard cannot be removed entirely, passive systems like guardrails and safety nets provide the next best option to ensure workers remain safe. These devices don't require interaction from workers themselves and are always ready to protect against falls.

1. No Harness or PPE Required

Falls are one of the leading causes of fatal construction injuries. Even when workers wear PPE, falls can still result in serious work-related injuries and lost time for all concerned parties.

Movement around a worksite is key to worker safety and health, so providing a safe work environment begins with conducting a comprehensive risk analysis and creating appropriate protocols.

Employing passive fall protection plans is essential to workplace safety protocols, with passive systems like guardrails and safety netting helping prevent worker falls without requiring them to wear PPE.

Guardrails and safety nets are fixed barriers that physically prevent workers from falling over or into hazards like unprotected edges or holes, while guardrails may also enclose mezzanines for easy erection on them. Guardrails anchored to floors or mezzanines serve to break a worker's fall or catch them accidentally being thrown off work areas accidentally, respectively; both examples of passive fall protection that require no further engagement by workers beyond installation and regular inspections, unlike active fall protection such as full body harness or vertical lifeline systems which engage employees with equipment actively in order to remain protected against fall hazards such as unprotected edges or holes encasing them both passive fall protection systems require them whereas active systems require them actively engage with equipment so as to stay protected.

2. No Moving Parts

Passive systems like railings and netting do not rely on workers to function, they're ready to prevent falls whether or not workers think about them or pay any attention at all.

Active systems such as harnesses and lanyards are dynamic systems that must be used correctly to function, making them more prone to mistakes that could cause dangerous situations, such as self-retracting lanyards becoming trapped on equipment or an accidental fall if someone isn't paying attention.

Passive protection is often the ideal method of avoiding injuries because it requires no training requirements and minimal supervision. But it's important to remember that passive fall protection should only ever be seen as one step in an overall safety hierarchy; eliminating fall hazards first is often preferable, followed by using passive and then active fall protection systems. Malta Dynamics offer courses on identifying and assessing fall hazards as well as an intensive Fall Protection course that offers hands-on experience covering everything from donning harnesses, setting anchorages, calculating clearances, installing systems and more! To learn more contact Malta Dynamics today or take their Fall Protection course today and learn how to identify and assess fall hazards effectively contact Malta Dynamics today or take their Fall Protection course today for more details!

3. No Maintenance

Work-related injuries can be costly for both employees and employers. Preventing same-level falls can lead to lost workdays, medical costs and compensation claims for both sides.

Avoiding fall hazards is always the ideal approach, however this isn't always practical. When this becomes impossible, passive and active systems offer protection for workers at risk from falls.

Passive fall protection requires no input from its users, acting independently from them. These systems typically consist of physical barriers like guardrails and netting that remain fixed in place ready to stop or slow any falls whenever needed - ideal for use around non-moving hazards like the perimeter of rooftops or open pits where hazards don't change frequently. When combined with other preventive measures like controlled access zones and training programs, passive methods may provide maximum levels of safety but should only be considered after conducting an exhaustive hazard evaluation.

4. Lower Initial Costs

Passive systems often outstrip PPE costs in terms of cost effectiveness; this is particularly evident for non-invasive solutions like roof railing systems or safety netting.

Passive protection systems are there and ready to stop falls whether or not their workers use them, requiring no interaction from workers other than installing them initially. Passive protection systems serve as second line defense against falling hazards, typically consisting of barricades, guardrails, netting etc.

Active systems such as an anchor point, horizontal lifeline, vertical lifeline, overhead rigid rail or self-retracting lanyard require workers to actively take steps in order to keep themselves safe. For instance, this requires them to wear full body safety harnesses at all times while clipping their PPE lanyard onto an anchor point at all times; as you might imagine this increases exposure time as well as risk. As such it should only be utilized if other measures have failed and the risk is acceptable.

5. Fewer Injuries

Businesses containing potentially hazardous equipment or working at elevated heights require proper fall protection for employee safety and OSHA compliance purposes. Not only should your employees have enough protection during their day at work; fall protection can ensure a more successful work experience while staying healthy throughout their shift.

Fall accidents can often be prevented through an effective safety program, including the implementation of both passive and active fall protection systems. Passive fall protection consists of any static system which doesn't require further action from employees, like guardrails, self closing gates and safety netting.

These devices are the preferred method for fall prevention as they reduce human error - the primary source of workplace injuries. Furthermore, these are less cumbersome than PPE, which requires employees to wear harnesses and tie-downs while working at elevated heights.