Falls claim hundreds of lives on construction sites each year, and nearly half of the workers involved in a fall weren't using proper fall protection. Four of the top 10 most frequently cited OSHA safety standards involve fall hazards, with fall protection violations topping the list. Oftentimes, when falls occur, or fall exposures are observed, personal choice or individual worker mistakes are identified as the primary cause. Drawing this conclusion too quickly robs organizations — and the industry — of valuable insights that can reduce falls and improve safety outcomes.
The standard accident prevention playbook misses deeper systemic risks. Improvements will require a paradigm shift towards a more nuanced, data-driven strategy that strives to identify and fix the root causes of both accidents and observed exposures.