ISEA Launches 2019 Safety at Heights Campaign
Falling and being struck by dropped objects are among the top causes of injuries and fatalities in the workplace, with dropped objects the third leading cause of construction-industry injuries, according to OSHA.
The International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) has launched its 2019 Safety at Heights campaign, which aims to reduce the risk of fatalities and injuries from falls and dropped objects. Falling and being struck by dropped objects are among the top causes of injuries and fatalities in the workplace, with dropped objects the third leading cause of construction-industry injuries, according to OSHA.
As part of the campaign, which kicked off this week, ISEA is providing educational resources for workers and employers at SafetyAtHeights.org.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2017, ““fatal falls were at their highest level in the 26-year history of the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), accounting for 887 (17 percent) of worker deaths.” In 2017, being struck by falling objects or equipment resulted in 45,940 injuries, 5.2 percent of all workplace injuries, BLS reported.
“ISEA’s fall protection members take very seriously that falls continue to be among the top causes of fatalities in the workplace,” said Raymond Mann, Senior Specialist Application Engineer for 3M Fall Protection and Chair of ISEA’s Fall Protection Group. “We continually strive to create new fall protection solutions, including custom configurations, using modern technology to help protect the nation’s workforce from fall hazards.”
ISEA and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) have also developed a first-in-the-industry standard with the goal of helping employers reduce the risk of dropped objects incidents in industrial and occupational settings.
ANSI/ISEA 121-2018, American National Standard for Dropped Object Prevention Solutions, establishes minimum requirements for design, performance, and labeling with regard to solutions and testing to mitigate dropped object hazards. The standard addresses four active controls: anchor attachments, tool attachments, tool tethers, and containers, but does not include passive controls.
“Every death in the workplace is a tragedy, and ISEA is dedicated to helping industries and employers protect their workers from being injured or killed by falling objects,” said Nate Bohmbach, Associate Product Director, Ergodyne and Chair of ISEA’s Dropped Object Prevention Group.
The ISEA campaign will continue throughout the year, and more details can be found at SafetyAtHeights.org.