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Environmental Health & Safety

Fall Protection

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Falls are among the leading causes of workplace injuries and fatalities, but they can be prevented through the use of fall protection systems, safe work practices, and personal protective equipment. There are a variety of fall protection systems and selection shall be based on a fall hazard assessment that includes the location, environment, type of work performed, and the fall distance.  

Employers must provide fall protection for each employee on a walking-working surface with an unprotected side or edge that is four (4) feet or more above a lower level. Each employee must be protected from falling by one or more of the following, depending on the fall hazard:

  • Hole covers;
  • Guardrail systems;
  • Stair rail systems;
  • Rope descent systems;
  • Safety net systems;
  • Personal fall protection systems (e.g., personal arrest system); or
  • Safety ladder systems

Inspection of Personal Fall Protection Systems
Personal fall protection systems must be inspected before initial use during each work shift for wear, damage, mildew, or other deterioration. Defective components must be removed from service immediately.  Additionally, a personal fall system subjected to impact loading must be removed from service and not used again until a 'competent person' inspects the system and determines it is not damaged and is safe for use. 

Resources & Forms
OSHA 29 CFR 1910 - General Industry Standards
OSHA 29 CRF 1910 Subpart D - Walking-Working Surfaces
OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart M - Fall Protection
OSHA 29 CFR 1926 Subpart L - Scaffolds
OSHA Fall Protection Overview

Training
Employees who may be exposed to fall hazards must be trained to recognize the hazards and understand the procedures to follow in order to minimize the hazards. Initial training is required before an employee is exposed to a fall hazard and refresher training shall be provided every three years, at a minimum. Retraining training must be provided if/when any of the following scenarios occurs:

  • when changes in the workplace make previous training obsolete or inadequate; 
  • when changes in the types of fall protection systems or equipment to be used make previous training obsolete or inadequate;  
  • when there is reason to believe employee no longer has the understanding or skill necessary to use equipment or perform the job safely; or
  • post incident.

Training shall include the following: 

  • Review of applicable regulatory requirements and OSHA requirements for fall protection
  • Identification of common workplace fall hazards 
  • Correct procedures for assembling, installing, operating, maintaining, disassembling, and inspecting the fall prevention and fall protection systems
  • Equipment inspection processes

Online and in-person training assignments are administered by the Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) Coordinator. For further information, contact the EHS Coordinator at 817-257-7220 or safety@tcu.edu. 

Fall Protection - FAL-1.2
This online course covers fall hazards on working surfaces and on stairs, ladders, and scaffolds. Safe work practices and use of proper personal protective equipment is addressed, in addition to OSHA's Fall Protection regulations.