As United States manufacturers restore growth and competitiveness to pre-pandemic levels, the operational focus has not been on accident prevention or new safety initiatives. However, for an industry that employs 8.5% of the workforce and accounts for 11.6% of the total output in the economy, it’s never been more necessary to identify potential hazards that could put employees and production lines at risk. The following article covers hazard areas common to manufacturing facilities and what steps can be taken to ensure work at height is safe and compliant. 

Common Fall Hazards Found in Manufacturing Facilities 

A Fall Hazard is a source of risk that can cause an accidental loss of balance or bodily support, leading to a fall from an elevated height. Some of the most common fall hazards found in manufacturing facilities include: 

• Ladders and Stairs: Numerous factors can lead to workers slipping, tripping, or falling off ladders and stairs, such as uneven steps, slippery surfaces, poor maintenance, spilled liquid, objects lying in the way, weak structure, inadequate attaching and mounting hardware, broken or missing handrails, overreaching, and inadequate lighting. Falls also happen if ladders are not stable or properly positioned or mounted. OSHA requires fixed ladders over 24 feet include fall arrest systems to prevent a workers from falling from potentially life-threatening heights.   

• Elevated Work Areas: Many jobs within a manufacturing facility require workers to access work areas using elevated surfaces. Personal fall protection systems or integrated safety features such as guardrail, safety gates, and lifelines should be applied to catwalks, mezzanines, platforms, maintenance stands, and conveyor systems to ensure workers are not at risk. These structures, safety features and their attaching hardware should be reviewed regularly to ensure they are properly installed and maintained.  

• Loading and Unloading Areas: When busy operations are handling shipping & receiving of raw material or finished goods, workers are often exposed to unprotected edges, unpredictable movement, uneven surfaces, changes in elevation and loads that provide unstable footing when using trailers and railcars. The standard height of a flatbed trailer is 5 feet and, depending on their configuration, railcars are between 13 and 15 feet tall, which puts the working/walking surface of trailers and the top of railcars in a range where fall protection is required by OSHA. Permanent or mobile overhead lifeline systems are often preferred for this type of work.    

• Unprotected Openings: Workers may accidentally step into unprotected floor openings, skylights, and roof hatches. According to OSHA, you must protect employees from falling through any hole that is four feet or more above a lower level (1910.28(b)(3)(i)). OSHA 29 CFR 1910.23(a)(4) requires that skylights in the roof of buildings through which persons may fall while walking or working shall be guarded by a standard skylight screen or a fixed standard railing on all exposed sides. An open hatch creates a fall hazard for anyone in the surrounding area. If additional fall protection like guardrails is not present, it creates a serious fall hazard.  

• Lack of Training: Workers require proper training to keep themselves safe while working at heights. Even in cases where an employer has implemented effective fall protection systems and measures at their facility (including guardrail systems, rigid rail overhead fall protection equipment, lifeline systems, and hatch railing systems​​)​, ​​​the workers may still be at risk of falling if they are not properly trained on how to identify hazards and how to use equipment and perform their work safely.  

• Uneven Surfaces: Cracks in the flooring or uneven surfaces on elevated walkways can cause workers to slip, trip, and fall. According to OSHA 1910.22(d)(2) Hazardous conditions on walking-working surfaces are corrected or repaired before an employee uses the walking-working surface again. If the correction or repair cannot be made immediately, the hazard must be guarded to prevent employees from using the walking-working surface until the hazard is corrected or repaired
  
• Poor Housekeeping Practices: Cluttered work areas or debris and other obstacles on the walkways or crossover platforms can cause workers to lose their footing and fall from heights. According to OSHA 1910.22(a)(1) All places of employment, passageways, storerooms, service rooms, and walking-working surfaces are kept in a clean, orderly, and sanitary condition. 
  
  
• Poor Housekeeping Practices: Cluttered work areas or debris and other obstacles on the walkways or crossover platforms can cause workers to lose their footing and fall from heights. According to OSHA 1910.22(a)(1) All places of employment, passageways, storerooms, service rooms, and walking-working surfaces are kept in a clean, orderly, and sanitary condition. 

• Poor Weather: Harsh weather conditions involving snow, rain, or high winds can significantly raise the risk of falls for workers, whether they are working at ground level or at heights. Falls from elevated surfaces during poor weather conditions can have even more severe consequences than falls under normal circumstances.  

Why Are Fall Risk Assessments and Equipment Inspection Services Important for Manufacturing Companies? 

Fall hazard assessment is the process of identifying and evaluating potential fall hazards in a workplace. A fall or even near miss can cause disruption to production. In the worst cases, unaddressed fall hazards can lead to unnecessary and often easily avoidable injury, loss of life, and/or fines, penalties, and legal action. When evaluating fall hazards according to OSHA/ANSI guidelines, it is important to review the frequency of the work at height and the severity of injury in the event of a fall to determine the likelihood of falling and type of protection that is required. The following reasons explain why fall hazard assessments are crucial for manufacturing firms.  

Complying with Regulations 

According to the safety standards and regulations by (Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and American National Standards Institute (ANSI), employers must implement appropriate fall protection measures if they require workers to work above 4’ in General Industry or 6’ in Construction. Fall hazard analysis by professionals can help manufacturers comply with these safety regulations and avoid penalties. 

Ensuring the Safety of Workers 

Ensuring a safe and healthy working environment is not only a legal obligation but also a moral and ethical responsibility of employers. Falls from heights can result in severe injuries to workers and​,​ in many cases, death. Fall risk assessments allow manufacturers to identify fall risks and take timely measures to keep their workers safe.  

Reducing the Risk of Fall-Related Costs 

Fall-related injuries can have grave consequences for ​​workers and employers. Fall-related injuries lead to significant costs for manufacturers, including medical expenses, downtime, compensation claims, and lost productivity. Plus, they may also have to pay fines for not implementing fall protection systems at their facility. By addressing fall hazards, manufacturers can reduce the risk of such costs and improve their bottom line. 

Enhanced Employee Morale and Productivity 

Workers who lack proper protective equipment to access and work at heights can feel unsafe and reluctant to perform their job. Their morale and performance remain low if they work in fear of losing their balance and falling from heights. This may also cause them to leave the organization within a short time. In contrast, workers ​​provided and trained to use fall protection systems feel safer and more motivated at work, leading to better performance. This results in higher productivity and reduced turnover for the organization.  

Why Is Regular Inspection of Fall Protection Equipment Essential in Manufacturing Firms?  

Employers’ responsibility to keep their at-height workers safe does not end with installing a fall protection system in their manufacturing facility. They must also ensure the functionality of the equipment in that system for as long as it is in use.  

Regular visual inspection of personal protection equipment should be performed prior to use and engineered fall protection systems should be carefully evaluated competent & qualified personnel at least annually. Overtime wear & tear can compromise the effectiveness of the fall protection equipment, increasing the risk of malfunction and falls. Plus, over time adjustments to operations and changes to work at height routines can render fall protection systems and programs ineffective.  

• Regular annual inspections, conducted by competent fall protection personnel, ensures that equipment remains in good working condition, performs as designed, and extends its useful life. 

• Engineering Design Reviews are conducted at least every five years by competent & qualified fall protection engineers to certify that fall protection meets all relevant safety standards. 

• Having fall protection systems regularly inspected demonstrates that you prioritize your workers’ safety. It boosts morale and encourages the workforce to seriously follow OSHA/ANSI  regulations and best practices. 

Schedule a Fall Risk Assessment or Hire Inspection Services for Your Fall Protection Equipment Right Away! 

If you are looking to get a reliable fall risk assessment of your facility reach out to schedule an onsite visit today. A fall protection expert will meet with you and members of your team to conduct a thorough assessment of your facility to identify compliancy issues and hazards and propose at least two solutions to address each exposure to risk.  

Lighthouse Safety offers OSHA/ANSI-compliant work at height solutions for manufacturing environments, including skylight & hatch railing systems, rooftop crossover platforms, safe access solutions, lifeline systems, and engineered fall protection solutions.  

The fall protection experts at Lighthouse Safety have been delivering services and solutions to ensure work at height is safe and compliant for over 25 years. Our team has built a reputation for providing practical measures to migrate risk, taking the guesswork out of how to implement comprehensive safety programs, and assisting with establishing strong safety cultures within manufacturing facilities.

The fall protection experts at Lighthouse Safety can work with you to assess the potential hazards and risks and customize a fall protection system that meets your specific needs. Let's get to work!