Fatal falls, slips, or trips took the lives of 699 workers in 2013. Falls to a lower level accounted for 574 (82 percent) of those fatalities. In 2013, the height of the fall was reported for 466 of the fatal falls to a lower level. Of those, about 1 in 4 occurred after a fall of 10 feet or less. Another one-fifth of the fatal falls occurred from falls of over 30 feet.
The Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act (WISHA) sets forth mandatory regulations related to eliminating fall hazards on worksites. Unfortunately, many injuries and deaths from falls are preventable, and result from unsafe work conditions in violation of WISHA or other safety standards. OSHA, the federal equivalent of WISHA, reports that its construction site fall protection regulation, 29 CFR 1926.501, the federal equivalent of the WISHA regulation discussed in the following paragraphs, was the most frequently cited OSHA standard violated in 2013.
Washington State provides strict regulations intended to prevent falls from heights, requiring fall protection equipment at four feet or more. Among other things, WAC 296-155-24609 specifically requires:
WAC 296-155-24611 provides even more stringent requirements which apply to fall hazards of ten feet or more.
WISHA also includes regulations intended to reduce the risk of slips, trips and falls, whether or not from a height. Employers are required to keep worksites tidy and free of clutter that could pose a tripping hazard to workers. Under WISHA’s “housekeeping” regulation WAC 296-155-020:
If you or someone you know suffered a fall on a construction site, it is likely worth investigating whether the fall resulted from a negligent condition, including but not limited to a violation of WISHA regulations. Do you need a lawyer? Maybe not, but consulting an experienced personal injury lawyer is usually a good idea. Most personal injury lawyers will not charge for an initial consultation and will be willing to handle your case on a contingent fee basis, with any fee paid out of your final settlement or recovery. Given the ease with which many dangerous or defective conditions can be changed or repaired, a prompt consultation and investigation of your slip and fall can help to establish the facts crucial to proving your claim so that you can recover for your injuries.