The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) states falls are considered one of the leading causes of serious injuries and fatalities at the workplace.
According to a 2014 report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, nearly 800 private and government workers died from falls on the same level or to lower levels and over 260,000 workers missed one or more days due to injuries from such falls. Construction workers are considered the most at risk for fatal falls from heights; however, falls can happen in just about every occupation, including in an office setting.
Employers must do the following to prevent their employees from suffering injuries from falls:
- Plan ahead – When working from heights, employers need to create a plan which ensures the job is safely completed. Start by choosing who the job will be done, what tasks are necessary, and what safety equipment is required to fulfill each task.
- Provide proper safety equipment – Employers must implement policies and provide safety equipment to prevent employees from falling from heights or into holes in the floor or walls, such as the right kinds of scaffolds, harnesses, safety nets, and other safety gear. OSHA requires that fall protection must be given to general industry workers at elevations of four feet, to shipyard workers at elevations of five feet, to construction workers at elevations of six feet, and to longshore workers at elevations of eight feet.
- Train employees to use safety equipment – If workers do not know how to use equipment safely or mitigate risk, then establishing safety precautions will result in nothing. Employers are responsible for ensuring proper training. Workers must know how to identify fall hazards, avoid dangerous conditions, as well as use and inspect safety equipment.
If you have suffered an injury from a fall at the workplace, you may be entitled to receive workers’ compensation benefits with the help of an experienced lawyer. At Morgan & Murphy, our New Bedford lawyers have represented thousands of injured workers to help them obtain the benefits deserve. We also serve clients in Hyannis, Brockton, Plymouth, Fall River, Framingham, and Quincy.
For more information about workplace fall injuries, contact us and schedule a free consultation today.