Developing a Framework for Measuring the Effectiveness of Common Fall Prevention/Protection Practices

One of the major proximal causes of injury and fatality in roofing sector is falls from height. Although the use of proper fall protection devices is effective in preventing incidents, many roofers get injured due to using incomplete or inadequate fall protection devices. In fact, compliance with fall protection regulations is low, particularly in residential building construction, which stems from lack of resources for small and medium sized companies. One of the innovative ways to overcome this challenge is to find out which fall prevention/protection practices are more effective for specific task. The current study aims to present a framework to measure the effectiveness of common fall prevention/protection practices in mitigating hazards in residential building construction. It is expected that the presented framework will aid small and medium roofing contractors to enhance their current safety programs by selecting the most effective subset of fall prevention/protection practices compatible with the tasks that they are performing.