AAMA creates Skylight Fall Protection Task Group

The American Architectural Manufacturers Association, Schaumburg, Ill., is addressing industry-related fall-protection concerns through the formation of the Skylight Fall Protection Task Group and a forthcoming position paper. Accounts of individuals falling through roof openings, typically reported as skylights, have increased the urgency in developing fall-protection standards and prevention measures. Earlier this year, the Skylight Fall Protection Task Group was formed by members of the Skylight Council to monitor and influence the work of the ASTM E06 WK 17797 work group developing a skylight human impact standard. “The [Skylight] Fall Protection Task Group is looking to develop a reasonable standard based on the historical data related to falls through skylights,” said AAMA Technical Director John Lewis. “The ASTM group has found that useful, credible data has proven to be problematic to obtain.” Without that data, it is difficult to determine the extent of the problem. The issue of fall protection raises numerous questions for investigation. When falls occur, is the manufacturer at fault? What is the actual number of falls specifically through skylights? What types of skylights were involved? What are the circumstances surrounding the fall? The Skylight Council says that the most important question to answer is how to prevent these falls. This is the basis of the Skylight Council’s position paper on fall protection, which will be released later this year.