Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government.

Preventing Falls from Height - Safety Alert

In the last ten years, 22 miners and contractors have been fatally injured and

over 1,000 have been disabled or lost time from work in fall-from-height accidents.

Fall from height accidents result in over 100 fatal and serious injuries every year. Prevent these injuries by providing walkways and platforms with handrails that provide safe access, and by using adequate fall protection.

Fall from height accidents result in over 100 fatal and serious injuries every year. Prevent these injuries by providing walkways and platforms with handrails that provide safe access, and by using adequate fall protection.

Los accidentes por caídas desde altura provocan cada año más de 100 lesiones graves y mortales.  Prevenga estas lesiones dotando a las pasarelas y plataformas de barandillas que permitan un acceso seguro, y utilizando una protección contra caídas adecuada.

Best Practices
  • Reduce hazards. Design work areas and develop job tasks to minimize fall hazards.
  • Have a program. Establish an effective fall prevention and protection program. Provide task and site-specific hazard training that prohibits working at unprotected locations.
  • Provide fall protection to each miner who may work at an elevated height, or a location unprotected by handrails. Ensure their use.
  • Provide secure anchor points.
  • Provide mobile or stationary platforms or scaffolding at locations and on work projects where there is a risk of falling.
  • Provide safe truck tarping and bulk truck hatch access facilities.