subject: Fall Protection vs. Fall Prevention [print this page] Fall Protection vsFall Protection vs. Fall Prevention
One question the experts at Carbis receive from people who are not familiar with our industry and some who are what's the difference between fall protection and fall prevention? Well, on a very basic level, fall protection allows you to fall; while fall prevention prevents you from falling.
Fall protection
Fall protection basically prevents workers from reaching a hazard by having a restraint that stops the fall. Each day workers must wear a harness, and must complete extensive training on how to use the restraints and what to do in case of an emergency. In addition, every time the fall protection equipment is used, it must be thoroughly inspected and maintained.
Fall Prevention
Fall prevention does exactly what it says prevents falls. More specifically it stops workers from reaching the fall hazard by creating a barrier between the person and the danger zone. Barriers include platforms and guardrails that eliminate the need for harnesses and allow workers to move freely and improve productivity.
Inspection of the barriers is performed at the time of installation and then on an annual basis. There is very basic training that is required for most fall prevention solutions.
Conclusion
The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) prefers fall prevention, and so do the experts at Carbis. While the upfront cost is greater for fall prevention, it more than pays for itself in the long run as fall protection products have costs related to maintenance and training, along with daily set up time. Better yet, it is safer to the worker while increasing productivity and vehicle throughput. That said, every situation is unique, and there are definitely instances when fall protection is the right course of action.
If you would like to learn more about Carbis' fall prevention or protection solutions, please call us toll-free at 1-800-948-7750 in the US, Internationally at 843-669-6668 or simply fill out the contact form on our website.
