Falls from height remain the most common cause of construction worker fatalities, and falls continue to happen at an alarming rate --  especially in residential construction. After years under special "interim" fall protection guidelines, OSHA is now enforcing the same stringent standards in homebuilding that have long applied in commercial construction.  

Many residential construction contractors are still learning about the array of fall protection devices available, some of them quite new. A Washington University at St. Louis research team supported by Â鶹ÊÓƵ and NIOSH has stepped up to help by creating an suitable for use in residential construction.

The team brought a wealth of experience to the task, having spent years collaborating with framing contractors and frame carpenters in the St. Louis-area to reduce falls. Their efforts included a fall prevention technology lending program that enabled contractors to borrow, field-test and rate various fall prevention devices, from hanging scaffolds to anchorage systems aimed at the challenges of wood-framed construction.

The resulting inventory is an impressive list of more than 150 products made by 23 different manufacturers. Visitors to the website can access the devices by product type (e.g., hole covers, or personal fall arrest systems) or by phase of construction (e.g., setting trusses, or installing siding). The site is obviously meeting an essential need: within two weeks of its unveiling, the site drew more than 1,000 unique visitors. Please visit the -- and share it with your peers and colleagues in the industry. 

If you'd like to learn how it all was done, visit www.cpwr.com for a report describing the effort: Fall Protection Resources for New Home Construction.