When Are Fall Protection Plans Required?

When Are Fall Protection Plans Required?

Fall Protection Plans

Employers must ensure that decisions are documented in a written fall protection plan in any of the following cases:

• When technicians or performers will be working at heights of 7.5 m (25 ft.) or more without permanent guardrails

• When a fall from a lower height could involve unusual risk of injury

• When the fall protection system will consist of work procedures, such as control zones or nets

• Even if you are not required to complete a plan, briefly documenting your decisions can be useful for future reference and can establish due diligence.

What should the fall protection plan include?

Include detailed rehearsal and performance plans. All fall protection plans must specify:

• Fall hazards expected during each production phase

• Methods to prevent or mitigate the hazards

• Procedures to assemble, maintain, inspect, use, and disassemble fall protection systems

• A rescue plan for aiding workers who fall and are left suspended at height

Rescue Plans

The rescue plan should answer these questions:

• If workers at risk fell, what would likely happen?

• Would self-rescue be possible?

• If not, could rescuers get to the workers?

• What equipment and techniques (including qualified experts) would you need, and how will you provide them?