What are the challenges and opportunities for improving fall safety culture and performance?

1 Fall hazards and risk factors

Fall hazards are any situations or conditions that can cause you or someone else to lose balance, slip, trip, or fall from a height or on the same level. Common fall hazards include uneven, slippery, or cluttered surfaces; missing or defective guardrails, handrails, or stairs; inadequate lighting or visibility; improper use of ladders, scaffolds, or aerial lifts; lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) or fall arrest systems; and human factors such as fatigue, distraction, or complacency. To prevent falls, you must assess the risk factors that contribute to the likelihood and severity of fall incidents. These include the height and distance of the fall, the nature and condition of the landing surface, the presence and effectiveness of fall prevention or protection measures, the type and level of training and supervision, and the attitude and behavior of workers and managers towards safety.

2 Fall prevention and protection measures

Fall prevention and protection measures are the actions and devices used to reduce or eliminate the risk of falls. These measures are based on the hierarchy of hazard control, which prioritizes the most reliable methods first. This hierarchy includes elimination, substitution, engineering, administrative, and PPE control measures. It is important to always apply the highest level of control that is feasible and appropriate for your situation. Additionally, you should inspect, maintain, and update your fall prevention and protection measures regularly to guarantee their effectiveness and compliance.

3 Fall safety culture and performance

Fall safety culture and performance are the shared values, beliefs, and practices that influence how you and your organization approach and manage fall hazards and incidents. A positive fall safety culture and performance can help increase awareness and understanding of fall risks and controls, enhance communication and collaboration among workers and managers, encourage reporting and learning from fall incidents and near misses, foster trust and accountability for fall safety responsibilities, and improve morale and productivity by reducing injuries and disruptions. To develop and sustain a positive fall safety culture and performance, you need to establish clear and realistic goals and expectations, provide adequate resources for fall safety activities, involve workers in decision making, recognize good behaviors, reward outcomes, monitor progress, and evaluate performance.

5 Opportunities for improving fall safety culture and performance

Improving fall safety culture and performance can lead to better results and outcomes for your organization and workers. To maximize your potential, you should take advantage of opportunities such as learning from best practices or benchmarks, adopting new technologies or innovations, engaging with external stakeholders or partners, seeking feedback from workers or managers, celebrating successes or achievements, and developing or joining a fall safety network or community of practice. These opportunities can help you overcome challenges and accelerate progress towards improving fall safety culture and performance.