Cleveland partner Patricia Poole authored an article, "OSHA Releases Proposed Standards on Fall Protection for General Industry," which was published in the July 6, 2010, Bloomberg Law Reports Labor & Employment edition.
According to Poole: "On May 24, 2010, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a Proposed Rule on Walking-Working Surfaces and on Personal Fall Protection . . . OSHA has estimated that 3706 injuries and 20 fatalities will be prevented annually by the adoption of these provisions. Industrial slips, trips and falls are the main risks addressed. Identifying fall hazards and deciding how best to protect employees is the first step in reducing or eliminating the hazards, according to OSHA. As a result, the new provisions require employers to assess the workplace to identify fall hazards and to select and require the use of appropriate personal protective equipment. In addition, the proposal requires that employers train employees on the proper use of selected PPE. Once employers determine that the use of PPE is the most appropriate way to protect employees from falls, the proposed rule requires employers to provide equipment that meets certain strength and performance criteria."
Poole's article goes on to provide a brief history of OSHA's prior attempts to address fall protection and personal protective equipment, as well as an explanation of the current, proposed rules and the related issues for employers.
According to Poole, OSHA has requested comment from industry and advises, "because OSHA has requested comment on a wide variety of topics and because this proposed standard will affect a significant number of general industry workplaces, employers should seize the opportunity to submit comments no later than the August 23 deadline."