Stilts make Work Easier. Training Makes Them Safer.
The challenge of preventing stilt injuries lies in the fact that virtually all common workplace objects can cause a fall from stilts.
Like many contractors, Bill Moody is always looking for a way to improve efficiencies on the worksite. When faced with the challenge of completing work on walls and ceilings, construction stilts provided Bill and his crew with the “lift” they needed. Unfortunately, the decision to use construction stilts also presented Bill with potential risks.
A recent study from the Washington State workers’ compensation system describes the magnitude, underlying causes and costs of claims incurred by construction stilt users. A total of $3.4 million was paid on 277 claims from 1996 to 2002. The median cost of compensable claims was $7,223, and these claims caused a median of 73 lost workdays. Injuries predominantly occurred in the construction job classes of wallboard taping and texturing, wallboard installation and insulation installation.
Falls were the most common injury type, accounting for 65% of all claims. Because the underlying cause of most falls is related to housekeeping, workers using construction stilts should take the following precautions at the beginning of every shift, or when work progresses into a new area:
- Identify and remove (where possible) objects that may result in a fall. This can be accomplished by clearing the floor of plastic or large debris and sweeping the floor.
- Share information on stilt hazards with other trades at the worksite. This is essential to successful housekeeping efforts.
- Be trained to recognize items that are potential fall hazards. Items causing falls can be as large as tool carts and as small as metal nuts.
The next leading cause of injuries related to the use of construction stilts was overexertion. These types of disorders can be prevented by:
- Using only high-quality, well-maintained stilts to reduce the stress they can place on the body.
- Rotating tasks so that part of the day is spent off stilts.
- Instructing all employees who wear stilts how to inspect, maintain and properly wear the equipment.
- Using extreme care when putting on and taking off stilts, as injuries have occurred during these tasks.
There is no question that construction stilts make some types of construction work easier. With proper preparation, use and instruction, that work can be safer, too.
Stilts are a form of scaffolding; however, a person wearing stilts typically lacks secondary fall protection devices such as safety rails or harnesses that are required with scaffolds.
