It might not seem like a topic that needs safety training, but falls are a major source of injury for the American workforce with approximately 300,000 injuries from falls each year in the U.S.

In construction, falls are the leading cause of fatalities and 1,300 workers die in falls each year.

A personal fall arrest system is protection required by OSHA for workers on construction sites who are exposed to vertical drops of 6 feet or more.

The following video shows how to properly inspect and put on a fall protection harness.

Here is some final advice for using fall arrest systems safely:

• Inspect harnesses before each use for wear, damage, and other deterioration, removing and replacing defective components.
• Do not attach fall arrest systems to guardrail systems or hoists.
• Rig fall arrest systems to allow movement of the worker only as far as the edge of the walking surface, when used in hoist areas.
• Remove systems from service immediately if they’ve been subjected to fall impact, and test the integrity of the system before using again.
• Remember your safety training!

Until next time, stay positive and stay safe.