Preventing Dropped Object Incidents in Construction

Preventing Dropped Object Incidents in Construction

In the construction industry, injuries and fatalities resulting from dropped objects are a growing concern that must be urgently addressed. The good news is that prevention is possible to minimize these unfortunate incidents. To this end, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) introduced the ANSI/ISEA 121-2018 Standard for Dropped Object Prevention Solutions, which went into effect in 2018. This standard defines the guidelines, equipment, and systems necessary to reduce the number of injuries and deaths caused by dropped objects.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), being struck by a dropped object falls under the “struck by object” fatality category, one of the four most common causes of construction fatalities on the job outside of highway collisions. The statistics show that over 11% of deaths on the job are due to workers being struck by objects such as dropped equipment, tools, or materials. Therefore, we must take proactive measures to prevent these incidents from happening.

The ANSI/ISEA 121 standard has created new equipment categories to categorize and define dropped object prevention options, helping to prevent objects from falling. The four major types are:

1. Tool Attachments: These are attachments made to be field installed onto tools or equipment to provide appropriate connection points for tethering. Ensuring no “trapping” equipment impedes the tool’s function or compromises its integrity is critical.

2. Anchor Attachments: These attachment points are intended to be field installed on a building, equipment, or workers to create appropriate connection points for tethering. It is recommended that anchor attachment point preferences be attached to a structure at a worker’s waist and connected to a worker’s wrist.

3. Tool Tethers: These are lanyards or materials designed to connect tools to approved anchor points. Various lanyards are available, including wrist lanyards, retractable lanyards, coil lanyards, specialty lanyards for hard hats, cell phones, and more. Safe Keeper recommends choosing the shortest tether possible to minimize the risk of entanglement.

4. Containers and Bags: These devices include bags, tool pouches, hoist buckets, or other containers designed to safely carry tools and equipment to and from heights, eliminating the risk of losing grip.

Inspecting all dropped object prevention equipment before each use is essential to ensure its safety and efficacy. At Safe Keeper, we carry a comprehensive inventory of safety protection products and accessories, including single-tool lanyardsdouble-tool lanyards, and more. Our commitment to safety and quality makes us a trusted partner in the construction industry. We invite you to explore our products and services and take proactive measures to prevent dropped objects in your workplace.

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