Staying Safe from Falling Objects in Your Workplace

Falling objects can fall into two categories; static dropped objects, and dynamic dropped objects.

A static dropped object falls from rest to another position, under the force of its gravity, without any external forces added to it.

A dynamic dropped object is any object that falls from its initial position due to the application of an external force.

In both cases, many people are not aware of the forces generated when an object drops. In spite of the size of the dropping object, it is capable of causing incredible damage and injury, even when using protective gear.

For instance, a simple hammer of about 2 kilograms dropped from a height of about 5 meters will generate an impact force over one ton.

Similarly, a seemingly harmless object like a pen or a nail would cause a lot of damage if dropped from a significant height, especially from hundreds of feet high.

The danger of dropping objects increases with an increase in height; height affects the velocity of the object coming down, and the higher the speed, the more the force contained and thus more damage.

Additionally, dropped objects fall into two groups; direct hits, and deflections. Direct hits are those that fall directly to the ground via the force of gravity. Deflected objects, on the other hand, are those whose downward trajectory gets disrupted and gets directed to another path. 

Safety Concerns of Dropped Objects

Statistically, dropped objects have been a cause for thousands of fatalities around the world. In the United States, for instance, falling objects have been responsible for over 250 deaths.

Additionally, there have been close to 50 thousand incidences reported where dropping objects hit and injured individuals, and that is in construction sites alone. Every day, there are reports of hundreds of people struck by dropped objects in the country.

The story is similar in the United Kingdom, where dropped objects rank in the top three causes of deaths at the workplace.

In addition to causing related fatalities and injuries as in the US, falling objects have also resulted in hours of lost work time, due to missing workers on injury leaves.

Similarly, in Australia, dropped objects caused more deaths in four years since 2010, than those resulting from falling from a height. Dropped objects were also the bases for tens of thousands of compensation claims from injured workers.

Reports show that there is a severe incident involving dropped objects every 30 minutes in Australia.

These statistics apply for every workplace where workers work in elevated environments, or where objects have to be lifted continuously and stored, such as in warehouses.

Both environments pose a serious threat to both workers, and the public since injuries from dropped objects tend to have devastating effects.

Falling objects can also lead to bleeding and cause the spread of bloodborne pathogens from one worker to the next.

Effects of Dropped Objects

Dropped objects at a workplace result in numerous effects, both to the employees and to the company in charge. For instance, dropped objects can lead to the responsible company incurring hefty costs, both direct and indirect.

Direct costs are those that involve money, while indirect damages are mostly about a damaged reputation and lost time.

A dropped object incident causes loss of money via many avenues. First, it is through the cost of replacement or retrieval of the item lost.

While it may not be a considerable cost replacing one small thing, constant repair or replacement, or even recovery, can add to the budget of the project.

Money is also spent taking injured personnel for medical care and also catering for any lawsuits that may result from any injuries. Suits get worse if those involved in the incident are ordinary people, the public, and the result could be reputation and brand damage.

Falling objects can also lead to bleeding and cause the spread of bloodborne pathogens from one worker to the next. This affects a worker’s wellbeing while also increasing expenses on the employer’s part.

Incidents involving falling objects also consume a lot of time, ranging from time taken during replacements and retrievals, time used up during court cases involving lawsuits, and even time used by workers recuperating in hospitals.

Wasted time, therefore, may lead to additional costs to the project at hand.

However, the most critical loss in any case involving dropped objects is the loss of life. Life is irreplaceable. No amount of compensation can bring someone back to life. Loss of life in such cases leads to a domino effect in the workplace.

Even recoverable injuries have severe effects on the workplace since the people involved and their families will suffer from the trauma resulting from the injuries. It will also affect the income flow to that family. You also have to consider the medical bills.

Workplace deaths, on the other hand, would result in substantial traumatic consequences and financial constraints.

On costs, the company responsible must answer to lawsuits and pay insurance costs, fines for negligence, and even extra costs from delayed production resulting from time and money commitments elsewhere.

Emotionally, a workplace death will also affect the progress of a project since workers close to the deceased may suffer psychological trauma. Colleagues may also raise concern over their safety, hoping to avoid a similar fate.

Such concerns impact the morale of the workers and inevitably affects the productivity of the company as a whole. Generally, it is impossible to calculate the effects of a workplace fatality accurately.

Factors Increasing Risk of Dropping Objects

Incidences involving falling objects can be resultant from several factors. For instance, estimates show that about a third of all dropped object incidences are a result of design, mechanical, or technical issues with the tools.

However, it is clear that the majority of the instances, more than half, are caused by human factors.

Some of these factors, further clarified, are:

  1. Inadequate risk assessment.

Many dropped object cases are usually caused by incomplete risk assessment.

In these instances, the project manager or the company in charge of the project may fail to educate workers on the possible risks of working at high altitudes, and the potential dangers of tools and other objects falling during work.

Without sufficient risk assessment, workers, as well as the general public, may be unaware of the potentially risky regions at the workplace, which may lead to unintentional injuries.

Risk assessment can also identify potential energy sources, ensuring precaution is taken when working in those areas.

Further risk assessment also involves considering the possibility of an injured worker infecting the other with blood and body fluid exposures and taking precautionary measures to ensure safe response to dropped-object injuries.

  • Human factors

As explained earlier, human factors are the most notorious causes of incidences involving dropping objects. These may stem from operator error, negligence, complacency, or poor work ethics.

These factors may compromise the safety of the workers themselves as well as the general public, if the projects is in a public area.

In the case of carelessness, a worker or supervisor may identify a potential risk factor in the workplace that could result in injury. Still, they choose to ignore it, usually until the potential risk has become an actual cause of a workplace injury, or worse.

Complacency increases the risk of potential damage or injury from dropped objects, usually because employees have become used to a safe working environment that they forget to follow the safety procedures effectively.

For instance, employees may choose to avoid wearing safety hats since they are sure that there have never been any incidences involving falling projectiles at the workplace in a long time.

Complacency also makes employees leave their tools anywhere, which hold the potential energy to cause a lot of damage.

Complacent companies may also choose to forego essential safety kits, like safety nets, because they trust that their employees are competent and have enough experience at their jobs, that they do not require extra safety measures.

Inadequate training increases the risk for incidences resulting from dropped objects, since the employees may not have the necessary knowhow to understand what they are required to carry or use during their work.

As a result, they take numerous tools, which are all potential falling objects.

Inadequate training can also result in accidents since workers are not well equipped to operate in the zones they get assigned to work.

Poor behavior at workplaces may also increase the probability of dropped object related cases. Inadequate response may include slacking off at work or taking naps, during which the worker limits their alertness.

In such a scenario, it is easy for the employee to drop a potentially damaging object.

  • Careless storage of tools

Tools that are not safely stored are more likely to cause accidents than those that are well kept.

Many workers do not worry about careful placement of tools and personal protective equipment, which results in many potential or actual injuries.

Many project managers do not offer tool lanyards and harnesses, which increases the risk of dropped object incidences.

Most employees also tend to leave their tools lying around at elevated levels, which makes them prone to dropping.

  • Poor workplace procedures.

Bad planning and absence of management of change will hinder the identification and control of new risk factors in the workplace.

Some organizations may not have measures in place to help correct any risk factors identified in the workplace. The negligence of such risk factors marginally increases the probability of the risks materializing into actual incidences.

  • Lack of inspection

Failed fixtures and fittings are potential hazards, especially if coupled with corrosions, vibrations, and poor design. When exposed to these factors, these improperly installed items will, more often than not, dislodge and fall, potentially causing damage.

Workers are also not adequately inspected for correct dressing in terms of protective wear, which increases their risk of injury.

  • Poor storage

Improper storage of tools or disorganized systems increases the risk of injury. Loose tools or equipment may cause damage to unaware workers.

  • Accidents

In any workplace, there is a lot of lifting and moving of equipment. During transport or lifting, there can be snags and collisions whose impact can cause breakages, resulting in falling objects.

The dropping objects may also come from the debris of the colliding crates or boxes.

  • Unsafe tools

The use of home-made instruments can result in injuries since these tools have not undergone adequate testing to validate their safety.

Additionally, improvised devices can fail or break unexpectedly and become dangerous dropping objects.

  • Environmental factors.

The environment can also increase the risk of injury from dropping objects in a workplace, especially in exposed sites.

Extreme winds, snow, and other extreme weather conditions may affect the integrity of the tools or equipment in use, resulting in structural damage or breakages that may then injure workers or passersby.

Safety Measures

It is not feasible to close down operations because of the risk of accidents caused by dropping objects, nor is it possible to ensure complete security from dropped object related accidents.

It is important to set up a few measures in the workplace to reduce the probability of accidents.

  1. Installing safety netting

One of the easiest and the most effective ways of reducing falling object-related accidents at work is the installation of safety nets. Safety nets are especially useful in construction sites since they will effectively catch any falling tools or debris.

Most netting is inexpensive, and the effectiveness is priceless. However, it is essential to notice that safety netting is not a substitute for harnesses since the most mesh is not effective in holding heavy objects, like human beings who weigh a lot.

Safety nets are effective in catching smaller objects like tools and small fragments. However, for increased safety, ensure you use safety nets with a tight weave to ensure that objects do not slip through it.

Safety nets should also be installed on several levels of a construction site, both inside and outside, to increase the effectiveness in preventing incidences.

  • Identify risk areas

Many people are cautious enough to avoid work areas where they are at risk of getting struck by dropping objects, but they do not know the radius of safety, where they cannot be affected.

One case in New Jersey involved a man who got hit in the head by a dropped tape measure, which had been deflected by another object. Despite the distance, the man was from the construction site; he ended up dying.

To prevent similar scenarios, workers and the general public should maintain their vigilance, and should have their protective gear even when they are several feet away from the site.

Unstable regions should be adequately marked, using notices that raise awareness to the level of the danger presented by the falling debris. All those within the risky sector should be urged to wear protective gear to ensure that they reduce the chances of injury.

  • Use harnesses

Harnesses are mainly used to protect workers from falling. However, it is also a smart idea to incorporate harnesses in keeping the tools.

Installing a harness system for the tools will ensure that the tools do not drop at all. The devices are attached to a harness and usually have extendable cords which aid maneuverability.

Harnesses, coupled with safety, will ensure that virtually no tools will be dropped, reducing the probability of falling objects.

Using tools attached to harnesses may impede work speed, and some workers and project managers may discourage their use. However, it is essential to look at the bigger picture, safety. Workers will eventually get used to working with the tools while tethered.

  • Encourage workers to carry only the tools they need.

One common cause of dropped objects at the workplace is taking numerous unnecessary items. Carrying a full toolbox, or having a tool belt filled with all the tools, but which are unnecessary increases the number of objects likely to fall.

A large number of items that drop from time to time are personal artifacts like mobile phones and house keys, which are not essential during work hours but which pose a massive danger if dropped.

Workers are therefore urged to identify what they need for their task, and carry only that. If every worker carries only the essentials, it would significantly reduce the risk of dropped objects at the workplace.

  • Keep edges clear

Objects on ledges or those kept on sides, and are more likely to fall and cause injury and damage, more so if they are in a higher places. When tools get kept on workers’ pathways, they are more likely to be kicked or bumped on, which would create hazardous projectiles.

To solve this issue, workers should have a designated safe area where they can safely store all the tools that are not in use to help create a safe work environment.

In addition to safety, secure storage of tools not in use ensures that devices do not get misplaced around the workplace, reducing replacement costs.

  • Wear protective gear

While it may seem obvious that all employees and visitors within workplaces are aware of risks of dropping objects, some individuals ignore the risks, especially if there have been no prior reports of accidents involving falling objects.

It is, however, a health and safety requirement that individuals have to be in protective clothing at all times in such environments. The protective gear is to prevent any possible accidents, regardless of whether they are imminent or not.

Safety equipment should fit properly. All workers should ensure that their gears are well fastened for maximum effectiveness. The safety gear should also be adequately secured to prevent any accidents that may result from them.

  • Frequent inspections

All workspaces at the risk of dropping objects should be frequently and carefully inspected to ensure that they are safe for workers. Any surfaces under threat of collapse or corrosion should be fixed immediately, to improve safety.

The work stations should also be tested (from time to time) for their ability to withstand adverse weather conditions, from strong winds to snow. They should also be steadfast even if shaken and should maintain their structural integrity.

The safety of the workplace itself increases the safety of the workers therein.

  • Adequate training

All employees working in high-risk jobs that may involve dropped objects should be well trained on the risks and outcomes of carelessly placed objects, and how they can minimize those risks.

They should also get adequately trained in using the harnesses, protective attire, and other safety equipment so that they can increase their vigilance during their work.

Further training should involve first aid and basic life support drills to help workers learn how to respond to emergency situations.

  • Raise awareness

Another way to ensure safety at workstations with potential dropping objects is to raise awareness. The exercise should be focused mainly on the general public, who may not have any information about keeping themselves safe in such environments.

These awareness campaigns should be made through different media to make them more productive, and be taught even in school to ensure that children are also safe.

The public must also be taught on the correct way to handle themselves near such work sites and be dissuaded from approaching such environments without the necessary protective gear.

Visible signs should also be set up near such workplaces to ensure that the public is aware and watchful of any falling objects.

They should also get advised on the safest distance they can keep from construction sites that pose the risk of falling items.

All companies with projects that involve potential dropping objects should also take all safety precautions and secure their sites to restrict access by unauthorized personnel.


Dropping objects is one of the primary causes of workplace injuries and damages. Caution must taken to ensure that any workplaces prone to falling objects are safe enough for workers and the neighborhood.

Granted, complacency is very probable, especially for workers who are used to the job, or those who have not had a workplace incident resulting from dropping objects.

Employers should ensure that they remain vigilant and frequently raise awareness to their employees on workplace dangers resulting from dropping objects. 

If all employees would follow all the safety guidelines at their workplaces, and if they faithfully maintained safety at the workplace, incidents resulting from dropped objects would reduce significantly.