How can you help prevent fall injuries?

California construction workers like you must take precautionary measures. This helps you stay safe on the job. But the dangers may not always come from the places you expect them to. Fall injuries are one of the most widespread in the industry. Recurring incidents often happen.

So how do you keep yourself protected from falls? What can you do to cut down your chances of ending up involved in a fall injury at work?

How often to fall injuries occur?

The National Safety Council takes a detailed look into falls that occur at work. The first thing they note is the prevalence of these injuries. In 2016, 48,060 workers suffered from falls that required the worker to stay home. 697 workers died in these falls. 134 of those workers died in a fall that occurred on the same level they were standing on. This debunks the idea that deadly falls only happen from great heights. Unfortunately, the construction industry makes up the bulk of these incidents. 24,7000 of these injuries happened in construction. 384 of the deaths happened to workers in the construction industry, too.

Cutting down on fall injury potential

The good news is that falls are preventable. You can prevent them through risk assessment and management. Some of the ways you can do this includes:

• Checking the area before potential hazards before starting a job
• Ensuring all of your safety and climbing equipment is in working order
• Use correct tools for the job in their intended way
• Wear slip resistant shoes and follow safety protocol when using ladders
• Do not use ladders or climb to high places without all proper safety measures in place

In essence, the most important thing is to stick to safety guidelines and not cut corners. If you feel like your employer is making work dangerous by doing this, it may be cause to blow the whistle.