 Fall accidents rank high on OSHA violation list  OSHA
standards have gone a long way toward improving worker safety. They have
also had a marked impact on helping to contain healthcare and insurance
costs associated with accidents in the workplace. Unfortunately, many
OSHA regulations are not being observed as stringently as they should
be. This is particularly true when it comes to fall protection. In 2001, over 4,000 reported fall accidents placed falls second in the top 10 "Most Serious" OSHA violations and third in a list of 10 "Most-Often Cited" violations. "Part of the problem stems from a lack of training or awareness of OSHA Fall Protection requirements, and how they really do pertain to the task(s) that workers are performing," remarked Bob Apel, product manager of fall protection products at MSA/Rose. OSHA concludes that major growth in the construction industry the past eight years has contributed to the significant escalation in fall accidents. Greater numbers of workers on more construction sites coincide with increases in fall injuries, such as falls around open edges of floors. Apparently, workers step on surfaces they believe to be sound, only to fall through them to the floor below. And for those not wearing fall protection equipment, the results can be disastrous.  "Sometimes
workers think they don't need fall protection, or to them, the situation
doesn't LOOK dangerous. Their minds are on the job. Will these high statistics
convince workers that their own safety might depend on using fall protection
equipment? I sure hope so," commented Apel. "We can offer a complete line
of fall protection products to help workers avoid many of these unfortunate
accidents. We can remind employers of how much accidents can cost them
in terms of lost human resources, time, and OSHA citations. We can show
them how our experts match the right equipment and supportive training
with their job site applications." Don't become an accident statistic for 2002. To find out more about how MSA can help you protect you or your employees from fall accidents and OSHA violations, contact your distributor or MSA at 1-800-MSA-2222.
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