Fall Protection

1
09/94

Committed to
Safety
Fall Protection Background Workers have been
observed on a number of work sites using safety
belts for fall protection. The practice is
widespread and prompts this safety alert. Safety
belts can cause injuries to personnel should they
be subjected to a fall. For this reason, all
workers who are exposed to fall hazards must be
protected with a safety harness instead of a
belt. Safety harnesses are designed to transmit
the energy from a fall to all parts of the body
and thereby lessen the chance of injury. Another
important aspect of fall protection is the
recovery of personnel suspended in the air after
a fall. Safety belts will place an inordinate
amount of pressure on the abdomen of the worker
while rescue operations begin. In contrast,
safety harnesses are designed to provide adequate
support while the rescue takes place. Recommendat
ions Personnel working at heights shall use a
safety harness rather than a safety belt for fall
protection. Consult Chapter 4 Section 2.8 of the
HSE Manual for the construction and design
standards of harnesses and lifelines. Learning
Points Safety belts are completely inadequate for
fall protection. They may cause injuries in use
and the worker may slip out before a rescue can
be accomplished.