As a fall protection consultant, I hate to hear stories of fall fatalities, since I know how preventable most of these accidents are. But, the stories are even more difficult to hear when they happen to someone who is well trained and highly safety conscious. These stories prove that even when someone takes a personal responsibility for safety, their environment must be free of hazards to maximize safety.
The California Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation Program has published a moving YouTube video that re-enacts a fatal fall, with narration by workers who were there the day of the accident. The five-minute video explains the events that led to a roofing supervisor’s 30-foot fall through a warehouse skylight and provides fall prevention recommendations for similar circumstances.
As one of the video narrators says, “I realize that coming home isn’t guaranteed.” This is an unfortunate reality that needs to be reinforced for all people who supervise or work at heights. I encourage you to share this video with anyone in your organization who is put at risk due to roof or other work at heights.
I agree with Nolan – this one really tugs at the heart.