TOP 5 FALL PROTECTION TIPS EVERY CONSTRUCTION WORKER SHOULD KNOW

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Falls remain the leading cause of serious injuries and fatalities on construction sites across Ontario. The good news is that most fall-related incidents are entirely preventable. Whether you are brand new to the trade or have been working at heights for decades, these five tips will help you stay safe every single day on the job.

1. Always Inspect Your Harness Before Use

Your full-body harness is your last line of defence if something goes wrong. But a harness can only protect you if it is in proper working condition. Make a pre-use inspection part of your daily routine — it takes less than two minutes and could save your life.

Every time you pick up your harness, check for the following:

• Webbing: Run every strap through your hands. Look for cuts, fraying, abrasion, burns, chemical damage, or UV degradation. Even a small nick weakens the material significantly.
• D-rings and buckles: Make sure the dorsal D-ring moves freely and is not bent, cracked, or corroded. Check that all buckles latch securely and release properly.
• Stitching: Inspect all sewn connection points. Pulled, broken, or loose stitching means the harness needs to be taken out of service immediately.
• Labels and dates: Confirm the manufacturer's label is legible. Check the manufacture date and any inspection tags. Follow your employer's policy on harness lifespan.

If you find any defect — no matter how minor it looks — take that harness out of service right away. Tag it, report it, and grab a replacement. Never use damaged fall protection equipment. There is no repair that makes a compromised harness safe again.

2. Know Your Anchor Points

Your harness is only as reliable as what it is connected to. Choosing the wrong anchor point is one of the most common and most dangerous mistakes workers make when it comes to fall protection.

Here is what you need to know:

• Capacity matters: A personal fall arrest anchor point must be capable of supporting at least 5,000 lbs (22.2 kN) per worker attached to it, unless it has been engineered and certified for a lower load as part of a complete system.
• Fixed vs. temporary anchors: Fixed anchors are permanently installed structural connections (steel beams, engineered roof anchors). Temporary anchors (beam clamps, anchor straps) are portable but must still meet the same strength requirements. Know which type you are using and whether it is rated for your situation.
• Never anchor to: Vents, pipes, conduit, railings, ladders, or any component that was not designed to handle fall arrest loads. If you are not sure whether something is a rated anchor point, ask your supervisor before you tie off.
• Height and position: Anchor as high as possible — ideally at or above your dorsal D-ring. A lower anchor increases your free fall distance and the force on your body during arrest.

When in doubt, stop and ask. Guessing about anchor points is never worth the risk.

If you find any defect on your harness — no matter how minor — take it out of service immediately. There is no repair that makes a compromised harness safe again.

3. Ensure Proper Harness Fit

A harness that does not fit correctly will not protect you the way it is designed to. A loose harness can shift during a fall, causing the forces to land on the wrong parts of your body. A harness that is too tight restricts movement and makes workers less likely to wear it properly throughout the day.

Follow these fitting guidelines every time you put your harness on:

• Dorsal D-ring placement: The back D-ring should sit between your shoulder blades, roughly in the centre of your upper back. If it is too high or too low, adjust the shoulder straps until it sits in the right position.
• Shoulder straps: Should be snug but not digging in. You should be able to fit a flat hand between the strap and your body.
• Chest strap: Position it at mid-chest level and buckle it securely. This keeps the shoulder straps from sliding off.
• Leg straps: Tighten until snug. You should be able to fit a flat hand between the strap and your thigh. Loose leg straps are a serious problem — during a fall arrest, all the stopping force transfers through these straps.
• No twists: Make sure no webbing is twisted anywhere on the harness. Twisted straps concentrate force on a narrow line instead of distributing it across the full width of the strap.

Take the extra minute to get the fit right. A properly fitted harness is more comfortable to wear all day and far more effective if you ever need it to catch you.

4. Plan Your Rescue Before You Start

This is the tip that gets overlooked most often. Everyone focuses on preventing the fall, but very few crews have a solid plan for what happens after a fall is arrested. That gap can be fatal.

Here is why rescue planning is critical:

• Suspension trauma is real: When a worker is suspended in a harness after a fall, the leg straps compress the blood vessels in the thighs. Blood pools in the legs. Within 10 to 30 minutes, this can lead to suspension trauma (orthostatic intolerance), which can cause loss of consciousness, kidney failure, and death.
• Time is everything: Emergency services may not arrive fast enough. Your rescue plan needs to get the fallen worker down quickly — ideally within minutes, not the 20-plus minutes it might take for first responders to reach a construction site and access the worker.
• Have a plan before work begins: Ontario regulations require a written rescue procedure before any work at heights begins. This is not a formality — it should name the person responsible for the rescue, describe the equipment available, and outline the step-by-step procedure.
• Practice it: A plan on paper is only useful if the crew knows how to execute it. Run through rescue scenarios so everyone knows their role.

Ask yourself before every shift: if someone falls right now, how are we getting them down? If you do not have a clear answer, stop and figure it out.

5. Keep Your Work Area Clear

This one sounds basic, but poor housekeeping is behind a surprising number of falls on construction sites. A cluttered work surface near an open edge or elevated platform turns a minor stumble into a potentially fatal fall.

• Secure your tools: Use tool lanyards, tethers, and pouches. Loose tools on a work surface are a trip hazard for you and a falling object hazard for anyone below.
• Maintain clear walkways: Extension cords, hoses, scrap material, and debris should never be left in walking paths, especially near edges or openings.
• Mark and cover floor openings: Every floor hole and opening must be covered with material that can support at least twice the expected load, or protected with guardrails. Covers must be secured so they cannot be accidentally moved, and clearly labelled "HOLE" or "OPENING."
• Clean as you go: Do not wait until the end of the shift. Make housekeeping a continuous part of the work. If you see a hazard, deal with it right away.
• Watch for weather conditions: Rain, ice, and snow make surfaces slippery. If conditions change, reassess your footing and take extra precautions.

Good housekeeping is not glamorous, but it is one of the simplest and most effective ways to prevent falls. Keep your workspace clean and you eliminate hazards before they have a chance to cause problems.

The Bottom Line

Fall protection is not just about having the right equipment — it is about using it correctly, every single time. Inspect your gear, choose proper anchor points, wear your harness so it fits, plan for rescue, and keep a clean work area. These five habits do not take much extra time, but they make an enormous difference.

If you or your crew need hands-on fall protection training, Working at Heights certification is available through 4 Your Safety Solutions. Our MLITSD-approved courses are taught by experienced instructors who know what it is like to work on real job sites.