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Conclusion
Falls from height are among the most serious and frequent injuries in many of the facilities and weapons platforms/systems managed by DoD and industry. System safety practitioners must consider work at elevated locations in preliminary hazard assessments, and during design and development. Early consideration can reduce risks and costs during construction and over the life cycle of systems, facilities and equipment.
Mishap data from similar venues and evaluation of potential design hazards are essential in identifying and managing risks. However, mishap statistics may be incomplete or inconclusive. This may be due to limitations of data management systems, initial mishap investigation and reporting, particularly with regard to detail and evaluation of design-related issues. Circumstantial information suggests that some averted falls may be characterized in a way that does not indicate their root cause. The ability of workers to use special care and precautions to reduce the incidence of mishaps may mask the severity of underlying hazards. Because of the link between safety and efficiency, detailed work-process evaluation may identify areas of risk.
Specialized engineering expertise is required to address fall hazards, including design applications where personal fall-arrest systems require engineered anchorages. Designs and related engineering management systems should consider walking and working surfaces, materials handling, access and emergency rescue.
Existing occupational safety and health regulations, technical guides, acquisition regulations and the system safety approach should be applied in a complementary framework to mitigate risks of work at elevated locations. Application of system safety evaluation and human factors engineering is likely to mitigate hazards while reducing construction and maintenance costs.
Acknowledgments
This effort is dedicated to the many personnel who work under difficult and often hazardous conditions, including the spaces described in this manuscript. It is hoped that this effort will support development of future designs that make their lives safer.
About the Author
Mark Geiger, M.S.E., CIH, CSP is the acquisition liaison in the Naval Safety Center's Naval Occupational Safety and Health (NAVOSH) Branch (Chief of Naval Operations, Code N09FB). His background spans 24 years of diverse experience in the occupational health, safety, industrial hygiene and environmental fields. He holds Master of Science degrees in environmental engineering (M.S.E. Civil Engineering, Catholic University, 1998) and environmental health sciences (industrial hygiene and occupational safety from Kettering Laboratory at the University of Cincinnati, 1980). He is certified by the American Board of Industrial Hygiene (CIH 1983) and the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (CSP 1991).
References
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