Print this pageFall Protection in Construction
John Huang, Ph.D., PE, LEED AP
Course Outline
As a qualified person, a structural engineer may be asked to design a new fall protection system or to evaluate the structural adequacy of an existing fall protection system/component based on the OSHA design guidelines. In this lesson, you are required to study Fall Protection in Construction (OSHA 3146 – a design standard) published by Occupational Safety and Health Administration. This technical document covers the important design aspects of fall protection systems and the required strength of each component. You will also be introduced to the proprietary fall protection devices available on the market. This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of course materials.
Learning
Objectives
At
the conclusion of this course, the student will:
- Understand what the OSHA Fall Protection Standard covers;
- Be aware of the requirements of the Standard; and
- Be familiar with the proprietary fall protection devices available on the market.
Course Introduction
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), each year between 150 and 200 workers are killed and more than 100,000 are injured in the United States as a results of falls at construction sites. As a qualified person, a structural engineer may be asked to design a new fall protection system or to evaluate the structural adequacy of an existing fall protection system/component based on the OSHA design guidelines.
The following design issues are among those need to considered in the design of a fall protection system:
1. The amount of free fall distance permitted by the system;
2. The maximum arresting force on a worker;
3. The strength of each components of the system;
4. The strength of the anchorage; and
5. The adequacy of the primary structure supporting the fall protection system.
In order to design a cost-effective fall protection system, a structural engineer
should also get familiar with the proprietary fall protection devices available
on the market. The website of Honeywell Miller contains valuable information of many fall protection
components and systems.
Course Content
In this lesson, you will be directed to the website of Occupational Safety
and Health Administration (OSHA) to study the following publication:
Fall
Protection in Construction (2015 edition, 48 pages)
Please click on
the above underlined hypertext to view, download or print the document for your
study.
Quiz
Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.
DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.
