Protection from Falling Objects

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

Workers should 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. Even if falling tools and equipment do not harm anyone, many hours of productivity are lost in retrieving or replacing the items.

Falling object protection must comply with the following provisions:

Guardrails

When guardrail systems are used to prevent materials from falling from one level to another, any openings must be small enough to prevent passage of falling objects.

Overhand Bricklaying and Related Work

During overhand bricklaying and related work, no materials or equipment except masonry and mortar may be stored within four feet of working edges. Excess mortar, broken or scattered masonry units, and all other materials and debris must be kept clear of the working area by removal at regular intervals.

Roofing Work

During roofing work, materials and equipment must not be stored within 6 feet of a roof edge unless guardrail systems are erected at the edge. Any materials piled, grouped, or stacked near a roof edge must be stable and self-supporting.

Toeboards

When toeboards are used as protection from falling objects, they must be erected along the edges of the overhead walking or working surface for a distance sufficient to protect workers working below. Other criteria include the following:

• Toeboards must be capable of withstanding, without failure, a force of at least 50 pounds applied in any downward or outward direction at any point along the toeboard.
• Toeboards must be at least 3.5 inches tall from their top edge to the level of the walking or working surface, must have no more than 0.25-inch clearance above the walking or working surface, and must be solid or have openings no larger than one inch in its greatest dimension.
• Where tools, equipment, or materials are piled higher than the top edge of a toeboard, paneling or screening must be erected from the walking or working surface or toeboard to the top of a guardrail system's top rail or midrail and for a distance sufficient to protect workers below.

Canopies

When used as protection from falling objects, canopies must be strong enough to prevent collapse and to prevent penetration by any objects that may fall onto them.

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