The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has announced its plans to require improved worker protection from tripping, slipping, and falling hazards on walking and working surfaces.

The current walking-working surfaces regulations allow employers to provide outdated and dangerous fall protection equipment such as lanyards and body belts that can result in workers suffering greater injury from falls. Workers in the Construction and maritime industries  already receive safer, more effective fall protection devices such as self-retracting lanyards and ladder safety and rope descent systems, which these proposed revisions by OSHA would also require for general industry workers.

Current standards also do not allow OSHA to fine employers who let workers climb certain ladders without fall protection. Under the revised standards, this restriction would be lifted in virtually all industries, allowing OSHA inspectors to fine employers who jeopardize their workers’ safety and lives by climbing these ladders without proper fall protection.

To see how this may impact you and your workers, go to http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-10418.htm to read the proposed rule making notice.

For a wide variety of fall protection devices, including lanyards, harnesses and fall protection kits, visit Seton for all your employee protection needs.

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