Podcast: OSHA fall protection lessons every contractor must know
Key takeaways
- Use fall protection above 6 ft; lapses kill and trigger willful OSHA penalties.
- Keep a living safety manual: PPE, fall, ladder, emergency roles; update & share across sites.
- Use JHAs to tailor controls by site/task (slope, heat, weather) beyond the manual baseline.
- Train early, in worker language; use toolbox talks, audits, records & prompt incident reporting.
In this episode of Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast, Adrienne Selko, senior editor at EHS Today, recounts the story of a roofing contractor in Ohio that was cited by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) following a fatal fall at a residential re-roofing project. You'll also learn why Travis S. McConnell, a construction attorney with Ready Legal, believes that implementing a comprehensive safety program is essential to preventing injuries and complying with OSHA’s standards.
Below is an edited excerpt from the article:
The centerpiece of OSHA’s citation was the allegation that the company failed to provide fall protection for employees working more than 6 feet above lower levels, as required by federal regulation. This willful citation alone accounted for $165,515 of the total proposed fine.
Here is a breakdown of the other citations:
- OSHA cited the company for allegedly failing to provide proper anchorage for personal fall arrest systems. According to the agency, “anchor points were installed by nailing ropes directly into the roof decking” instead of using reinforced anchors.
- OSHA also cited safety training violations, claiming multiple employees were not trained on fall hazards, procedures for inspecting fall protection systems or use of personal fall arrest systems.
- OSHA claimed the company failed to report a work-related fatality within eight hours, as required by regulation.
If OSHA’s allegations are accurate, this case—and many others like it—underscores the importance of having a thorough, well-executed safety program for fall protection.
About the Podcast
Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast offers news and information for the people who make, store and move things and those who manage and maintain the facilities where that work gets done. Manufacturers from chemical producers to automakers to machine shops can listen for critical insights into the technologies, economic conditions and best practices that can influence how to best run facilities to reach operational excellence.
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About the Author
Adrienne Selko
Adrienne Selko is senior editor at EHS Today and Material Handling & Logistics. Previously, she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. Adrienne received a bachelor’s of business administration from the University of Michigan.