Fall Protection Friday: The 2025 Retrospective

This Weeks Toolbox Talk Attached Below!

Welcome back, let’s Build Smart & Build Safe! We’ve reached the final day of the final week of 2025. This year, we’ve covered everything from trenching to electrical safety, but for our last Fall Protection Friday, we must look back at the industry's leading killer: Falls from height.

As an expert who researches site-wide trends, I know that "hope" is not a safety strategy. If your team didn't suffer a fall injury in 2025, we need to know if that was due to our excellent systems or simply a run of good luck.

The 2025 Fall Data Audit

Before we ring in the new year, we need to look at our "Fall-Specific" data with a skeptical eye.

• Near-Miss Review: How many times this year did someone slip on a ladder, trip near a leading edge, or forget to hook their lanyard? If your 2025 logs show zero fall-related near misses, it’s time to double-check your reporting culture—because the hazards were definitely there.

• Equipment Wear and Tear: 2025 was a long year for your gear. Now is the time for a "year-end retirement" audit. Inspect every harness and lanyard for UV degradation, chemical spills, or frayed webbing. If it’s questionable, cut it up and toss it. Don't let 2025’s damaged gear become 2026’s failure.

Setting the "Zero-Fall" Goal for 2026

We often talk about "Zero Harm," but for 2026, let’s get more specific. Our goal is Zero Falls from Height. This requires moving beyond just "having" a harness to mastering the physics of fall protection.

1. Eliminate the Hazard First: Can we do the work on the ground? Can we use a scissor lift instead of a ladder?

2. Master Your Anchor Points: In 2025, did we struggle to find 5,000-lb anchor points? If so, our 2026 planning needs to include pre-engineered anchor solutions before the job starts.

3. The "Last Foot" Focus: Many falls happen at heights under 10 feet. In 2026, we must treat a 6-foot fall with the same life-and-death seriousness as a 60-foot fall.

Closing the Year

Safety is not a destination you reach; it is a discipline you practice every single day. As we close out 2025, I want to thank you for being the skeptical, double-checking, and dedicated professionals who keep our sites running.

The most successful project isn't the one that finishes on time or under budget—it’s the one where every single worker who stepped on the site in January is still here to celebrate in December.

Download Your Toolbox Talk Here!

Don't forget to sign your friends up for Full Brim Safety for your daily dose of construction safety tips!

-The Safety Man