How to use ANSI/ASSP Z359 Standards to prevent falls on construction sites?

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) was created in 1918. Its goal was to standardize various manufacturing, engineering or safety processes. The first project focused on pipe thread sizes. In  1992, ANSI developed the  “ANSI/ASSE Z359.1 American National Standard” for personal fall arrest systems in non-construction occupations. This standard was revised and improved significantly since it was released and has become a worldwide reference while designing and testing the performance of products and techniques used by construction workers while working at heights.

This Afternoon  at 2:00 pm ET and ahead of the National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls, the Center for Construction Research and Training is hosting a free webinar with members of the ANSI Z359 Accredited Standards Committee. The webinar will be a Q&A panel during which participants will learn tips and techniques to use the ANSI/ASSE Z359 standards on construction sites and protect workers from fall. (click here to register for the event and send your questions to the panel).

While adhering to the ANSI/ASSE Z359 standards is voluntary,  those who do so are keeping up to date with the most recent findings related to protecting workers from falls. Very often regulators such as OSHA are referring to ANSI standards to develop regulations.

Below is a video of a similar webinar that took place in March last year.

Fall is the number one cause of construction accident injuries and fatalities in New York City and in the US

In New York during the first two months of 2021, two construction workers died and 79 were injured in fall accidents. One of the workers who died was a roofer who was working on a construction site that had multiple safety violations. The second one was cleaning a construction site and stepped on a hole cover protecting a trash chute. The hole cover gave way and the worker fell to the floor below. he did not survive. Both accidents could have been prevented if proper safety measures were in place. (Read more about construction accidents in New York City in our previous blog)