Table 1:
St. Louis Audit of Fall Risks Pilot Observation Results (n=16)
| Domains / Items | Observed Met |
Observed Not Met |
Not Observed |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Safety Climate & Housekeeping | |||
| All workers wear hard hats | 9 | 7 | 0 |
| All workers wear safety glasses/eye protection | 13 | 3 | 0 |
| Pathways/access point free of materials/debris | 10 | 5 | 1 |
| Floor Joist & Sub-floor Installation | |||
| Floor joists are set/secured from ladder/ground/ scaffold, not beam/top plate | 2 | 1 | 13 |
| First sheet of sub-floor installed from ground/ ladder/scaffold, not joist | 1 | 0 | 15 |
| Workers install subsequent sub-flooring standing on established deck, not joist | 1 | 0 | 15 |
| Walking Surfaces & Edges | |||
| Walking surfaces >6’ above lower level are protected by guardrail or erected wall | 6 | 1 | 9 |
| All walking surfaces >6’ above lower level that are not protected by guardrail or wall are identified with a warning line painted 6’ from leading edge | 2 | 2 | 12 |
| All areas with unprotected walking surfaces are designated Control Access Zones; boundary is clearly marked, workers monitored, and access restricted | 1 | 3 | 12 |
| Guardrails protecting openings are constructed sturdily (200# force) with 2 x 4’s, top rail 42”, mid-rail 21” | 5 | 4 | 7 |
| Holes >6’ above lower levels are covered; a hole is a gap > 2” in a pathway commonly accessed | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| Stairwell has sturdy handrail on at least one side | 1 | 1 | 14 |
| Wall Openings (window/door) | |||
| Walls > 6’ above lower levels that have openings with bottom edge <39” from floor are protected by guardrails | 5 | 0 | 11 |
| For walls >6’ above lower levels, guardrails are constructed sturdily (200# force) with 2 x 4’s, top rail 42”, mid-rail or lower wall at 21” from ground | 4 | 2 | 10 |
| Truss Setting | |||
| Lay out for trusses is performed from sub-floor or ladder, not from top plate | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| For walls up to 8’, trusses are installed from ladder or scaffold along interior wall | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| For walls >8’, first 2 trusses are set from ladder or scaffold along interior wall | 0 | 1 | 15 |
| For walls > 8’, common trusses are set & secured from ladder, scaffold, or interior top plate using stable truss for support; not standing on exterior top plate | 1 | 0 | 15 |
| Worker removes chain/webbing from truss while standing on ladder/secure truss | 0 | 1 | 15 |
| Workers lift boards/stand trusses only when using stable truss for support | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| Roof Sheathing | |||
| Bottom row of roof sheathing installed from truss web, ladder, or scaffold | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| Workers install slide guard on 1st row of sheathing before installing next row | 1 | 0 | 15 |
| Slide guards are ≥ 2 x 4 boards, bottom guard is perpendicular to sheathing | 2 | 0 | 14 |
| Slide guard intervals: pitch up to 9 in 12 at 13’ intervals, > 9 in 12 at 4’ intervals | 2 | 0 | 14 |
| Slide guards are installed across full width of the roof & on all sides of roof | 3 | 0 | 13 |
| Roof is clear of sawdust, debris & dew/snow/ice if workers are on roof | 2 | 0 | 14 |
| If slide guards are not used, fall arrest is properly used by all workers on roof | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| Ladders | |||
| Straight, free of cracks/broken parts, free of mud/ice, side locks on step ladder | 12 | 0 | 4 |
| Set up on level & solid base, securely set at the bottom | 8 | 3 | 5 |
| Extension & job-built ladders are secured at the top in appropriate manner | 1 | 5 | 10 |
| Step ladders fully opened & side locks engage, not leaned on structure like straight ladder | 6 | 3 | 7 |
| Extension & job-built ladders are set at correct angle of 1:4 ratio (palms of hands reach side rails if toes at base) | 6 | 0 | 10 |
| Extension & job-built ladders extend 3’ past upper landing surface | 4 | 1 | 11 |
| Workers do not work from top 3 rungs of extension & job-built ladders & top rung or platform of step ladder | 7 | 1 | 8 |
| Workers maintain 3 points of contact while climbing ladders & do not carry supplies while climbing ladder | 2 | 3 | 11 |
| Workers always keep belt buckle region within side rails & both feet on ladder | 4 | 1 | 11 |
| Workers drag excess mud off of shoes before climbing ladder | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| Scaffolds | |||
| All Scaffolds: Fall protection used if > 10’ tall (personal fall arrest/guardrail/net) | 1 | 0 | 15 |
| Ladder Jack: Ladders are safely secured at both the top & bottom | 1 | 1 | 14 |
| Ladder Jack: Maximum height is 20’ | 2 | 0 | 14 |
| Ladder Jack: Walk board is 12” wide | 2 | 0 | 14 |
| Ladder Jack: 3rd ladder present to access if walk board is outside of ladders | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| Ladder Jack: If access ladder is present, it extends 3’ above walk board | 1 | 0 | 15 |
| Pump Jack: Set on secure/stable base | 1 | 0 | 15 |
| Pump Jack: 4 x 4 posts are properly braced & secured to building | 1 | 0 | 15 |
| Pump Jack: Maximum height is 50’ | 1 | 0 | 15 |
| Pump Jack: Workers only disengage 1 brake at a time | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| Job-Built: Set up on level, stable footing | 1 | 0 | 15 |
| Job-Built: Platform is secure & stable | 1 | 0 | 15 |
| Job-Built: Platform is 18” wide | 1 | 0 | 15 |
| Personal Fall Arrest | |||
| Workers wearing fall arrest use approved harness that is worn properly | 2 | 0 | 14 |
| Lanyard is properly attached to secure anchorage point/lanyard length is correct | 2 | 0 | 14 |