According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are more than 50,000 “struck by falling object” OSHA recordables every year in the United States. That is one injury caused by a dropped object every 10 minutes. Due to these shockingly high figures, OSHA has published many new and improved safety standards to decrease these statistics. On the OSHA website, it specifically states that “In addition to wearing hardhats, each employee on a scaffold shall be provided with additional protection from falling hand tools, debris, and other small objects through the installation of toeboards, screens, or guardrail systems, or through the erection of debris nets, catch platforms, or canopy structures that contain or deflect the falling objects.” So, the next time you go to work or are walking past a construction site, look around and see if OSHA standards are being met.

Think of it this way, OSHA wouldn’t have set such stringent rules into motion if they didn’t have copious amounts of fatalities already on the books. Workplace injuries are a huge deal and should be taken very seriously. So, how can everyone do their part to prevent the falling or dropping of potentially life threating objects in the workplace? Below are some helpful hints that Presco would like you to be aware of:

  • Train all employees in the workplace on proper safety procedures.
  • Look out below! Make sure everyone below a project site knows what is going on above as well.
  • Identify the risk of falling objects early. Assess the area in which you will be working.
  • Properly secure all tools and equipment
  • Leave those homemade tools at home
  • Keep your area tidy to avoid loose tools being left around that could cause a risk to others.
  • Wear proper safety gear at all times
  • Have your machinery and equipment regularly inspected as vibrations, poor design and old age can cause parts to dislodge and inadvertently fall.

Here at Presco, we offer a wide range of products that assist in keeping workers on the ground level, safe. Our Barricade Tapes, Safety Skirts , Pennant Flags and the all new Safety Barrier Fencing are frequently used to separate dangerous areas on the floor so that workers are aware of falling objects that are a potential threat.

Be smart. Be compliant. Be safe.

Call one of Presco’s customer representatives today for assistance in picking the right safety tapes for your job site.