subject: Identifying Hazards in the Workplace: Swing Falls at Roof Corners [print this page] Identifying Hazards in the Workplace: Swing Falls at Roof Corners
Workplace injuries can happen daily, but in most cases are preventable. The first step in preventing injuries to employees or contractors is to identify a potential hazard and correct it before it becomes a problem.
In the case of fall related injuries one in particular, swing falls, often happen due to a false sense of security. If a worker is using proper fall arrest equipment in an improper way, a swing fall can occur resulting in injury or even death.
Swing falls occur when an anchorage point is not directly overhead where the fall is likely to happen. If a lifeline is connected to an anchor point creating an angle, instead of a straight line to the ground, a pendulum effect occurs. This scenario most often occurs while working at the corners of buildings along the roof edge. Security lights and security cameras are commonly mounted in locations such as this.
Example: A worker attaches his lifeline to an anchor point and proceeds to work twenty-five feet away at an angle from the anchor. The anchor is located at a point only ten feet from the actual roof line (see diagram). The worker has created a potential swing fall hazard. In the event of a fall the line will straighten directly toward the ground, striking the worker on the side of the building as he swings downward. The force of striking the building's exterior wall, an architectural element or exterior fixture in a swing fall can cause serious injury or even death. It's important to work as directly below the anchorage point as possible in order to minimize the risk of a swing fall accident.
In 1990, OSHA proposed a rule that addressed slip, trip and fall hazards as well as establishing requirements for personal fall protection systems. Since then the Agency has been working to update the rules to better reflect current technologies and procedures that have become available for protecting employees from these hazards. The Walking-Working Surfaces and Personal Protective Equipment (Fall Protection Systems) Rule incorporates current protection technologies and methods. The new rule includes performance and use requirements for certain types of protective equipment as well.
A licensed fall protection company can provide consultation services by engineering professionals who are experienced in OSHA compliance. Peak Fall Protection can inspect facilities and identify locations and situations that could create a potential hazard. They will assist in the correct placement and installation of fall protection systems that will help eliminate the risk of swing falls, as well as other fall hazards.
