Why Death Follows Faulty Edge Fall Protection–And How to Fix It

    The last earthly contact Siarhei Marhunou had with a construction material was with a 2 x 4 that was part of a protective guardrail on the balcony where he had been installing siding. The barrier had been erected by a prior contractor that worked at 2330 Sansom Street, a Philadelphia residence undergoing renovation, some time before Marhunou’s arrival at the job in December 2021. The guardrail apparently was too low to meet the federal standard for edge barriers where a ladder was in use and lacked a midrail, an expert witness for Marhunou’s widow reported in her negligence lawsuit against the companies on the project.

    No one saw the fall begin or knows if Marhunou, who had no harness or tie-off, thought the guardrail could provide help in case he lost his balance. According to the report, Marhunou apparently smashed through the 2 x 4s as he went over the balcony edge and fell 50 ft, sustaining severe head and chest injuries that killed him. A video of the last 10 ft of his fall showed part of the barrier dropping with him.