Why are falls still so common? Despite being one of the leading causes of death in the workplace, falls are still all too common. Regardless of industry or job role, no one is immune to the risk of falling. By looking at a concrete example, we want to highlight how often these accidents occur and what we can do to prevent them.
The day starts like any other. Morning meetings have been held, tasks have been assigned, and work is flowing. But it is precisely in these routine moments that the bad decisions are made. You decide to take a shortcut - to ignore safety precautions and climb up to an unguarded spot without your fall protection.
Perhaps you lack training in fall protection, or the right safety equipment has not been available in the workplace. Sometimes time pressure can lead to important safety procedures being neglected. This happens in all activities where work is carried out in a fall risk environment, such as working on branch, stumps, master or scaffolding. Thus, many of the accidents occur due to poor planning in the organisation.
If you talk to people who don't think fall protection is necessary, you'll hear things like "I'm just going to", "I have good reaction time, so if I fall I'll catch myself" or "we've been doing it for 20 years and it's always worked". However, quick reactions and good balance are not enough because they are not usually the cause of your fall.
Sometimes a platform gives way, you are knocked down by a falling object that renders you unconscious, or you suffer a sudden drop in blood sugar due to a medical condition you may not have recognised. Maybe a gust of wind blows you off a roof. The fact is, balance means nothing against the forces of nature or a two-tonne load that loses its grip. Balance won't save you when something unexpected happens to you.
If you feel your balance starting to slip, you can of course hold on. But if you don't see the danger coming, how do you react? Imagine falling two metres from a platform that is giving way. In an instant, you are in free fall and there is nothing you can or have time to do about it.
And let's be honest - the consequences of a fall are far from pretty. If they were, falls would not result in death as often as they do. If you survive the fall, you may have to face medical problems for the rest of your life. In addition to broken bones, the fall can result in ruptured internal organs, brain damage, paralysis, coma or permanent disability. A full 50% of all serious fall accidents result in medical disability.
The immediate aftermath of a fall is chaotic and intense. Some pick up their phones and dial the national emergency number, others rush to help you, and some stand frozen in shock and panic. In this moment, people are not thinking clearly and are putting themselves in danger by leaving their machines unattended, and some are running through barriers. Some put themselves in danger just to catch a glimpse of what has happened.
Soon, calls to your relatives will be waiting, whether the fall was fatal or not. It is an extremely trying experience for both your family and the caller. Your family and friends will be devastated. Counselling will be needed for many of them, as well as for your co-workers. Those who witnessed the event may be traumatised and find it difficult to return to work.
A fall affects so much more than just the physical well-being of the person concerned. The fall may have involved just one person initially, but over a dozen are affected. For those who survive a fall, major life changes await. If you can work at all, you may not be able to continue in your profession. Psychological problems are common, and people close to you may suffer from them.
Fortunately, however, falls are preventable. There must be planning and inventory to ensure that the chosen fall protection solution is appropriate, as well as a willingness to learn how to work safely. Of course, there must also be a willingness to do what is right, even if it may not be the cheapest or quickest way to get a job done. With this in mind, we can prevent hundreds of lives being lost every year.
As experts in the industry, our main goal is to reduce the number of fall accidents around the country. That's why we offer professional training, equipment and services to improve safety in your workplace. Don't hesitate to contact us if you need help choosing fall protection or have any other questions about your upcoming work project.
