According to OSHA, falls are the leading cause of death in construction work. In 2018, there 338 falls that were proved to be fatal out of 1,008 total construction deaths. In 2017, a concrete worker fell through an unguarded hole in the floor and plummeted 28 stores to his death. In 2018, a construction worker was killed when he fell off the roof he was working on. In 2019, a construction worker working on a bridge fell from 30 feet above and died at the scene. The bad news is that when not prepared, these falls are almost always fatal.  The good news is that these deaths are completely preventable.

To prevent these deaths or other serious injuries, employers must set up the work place to prevent employees from falling off of overhead platforms, elevated work stations or into holes in the floor and walls. In addition, employers must select and provide required personal protective equipment at no cost to workers. Most importantly, employers must train workers about job hazards in a language that they can understand so they know the importance of fall protection and prevention.

Extraleap offers multiple courses to help train both employers and employees on the importance of fall protection and preventing serious injuries in the work environment. Start with our Fall Protection Awareness course to get started.