Construction Falling Objects

Falling objects pose a huge risk to workers on a construction site. There are many things that can be done to mitigate the risks. Workers can wear proper protective equipment, such as hard hats. In 2010, the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 263 fatalities that were due to individuals being struck by falling objects or equipment. While injuries and fatalities are of the utmost concern, other factors can have a negative impact on a project as well. Even if the falling tools and equipment do not harm anyone, many hours of productivity are lost in retrieving or replacing the items.

Even the smallest of items poses great potential risk. For example, a pen weighing 2 ounces falling from a height of 230 feet has the ability to penetrate a hardhat. Items fall at great speeds as well - a solid object falling from 64 feet will hit the ground in 2 seconds.

To learn more about Fall Protection visit our OSHA Construction Fall Protection Online Training web page.