Understanding OSHA And ANSI Fall Protection System – The Basics Of The Programme

Working in the construction or building maintenance industry requires workers to deal with many dangerous situation, all during the course of a day’s operations. I am not just talking about lifting heavy stuff here. These workers have to brave their fears and work at dizzying heights, hanging by a harness from the ceiling; move around in an under-construction building with no protection at the edge and walk beams and poles just to get from one place to another. Next time you have an issue with your house’s roofing, just look closely at how dangerous it is for the repairman to actually get to the top of your house and carry out his fixing job. You cannot help but appreciate the work that these daredevils perform every day.

And to cater to the interests of these workers, the US government has set up a strict system of regulations so that proper safety measures are always in place at construction sites to prevent any untoward incidents from occurring. Here, I am referring to the OSHA and ANSI fall protection system.

Falling is the primary cause of death on construction sites throughout the United States, resulting in dozens of deaths annually. Accidents such as these are responsible for more than 100,000 injuries on construction jobs every year. These are the issues that are dealt with by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The organisation work by setting up safety standards that have to adhered to by construction companies across the country. The OSHA fall prevention system considers there to be a danger of accidental falls any time a worker is working four feet (1.2 meters) or more off the ground.

Where OSHA recommends safety equipment that should be installed at work places, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) lays down the work safety standards that are to be implemented at construction project sites. These are referred to as the ANSI fall protection guidelines and are listed in ANSI Z359.

Together these two organisations work to make the construction business a much more safe and secure industry, preventing accidents and injuries from occurring wherever possible. They govern fall arrest requirements that are to be addressed while construction work is underway as well as window washing operations which are carried out in equally dangerous working environments. The OSHA and ANSI fall protection guidelines are applicable throughout the country and have gone on to improve the industry manyfolds.

For builders and roofers working on residential properties that information is found under Title 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)1926.501(b)(13). Construction companies must comply with the new rules no later than June 16, 2011. OSHA provides compliance literature, training materials, and webinars (seminars presented on the internet) for small businesses. The internet is also a great place to find more information about these topics. In fact, you should visit the website Caisafety.com to get access to the highest quality information as well as tips on OSHA and ANSI fall protection guidelines. Be sure to check it out.

About The Author

Brent Owens is a safety expert who works hand in hand with many construction companies across the country to ensure that employees are always protected while at work. He recommends CAISafety.com as the best name to trust for high quality fall protection systems.