Fall protection is usually grouped by the hierarchy of controls: elimination (remove the hazard or the need to work at height), passive prevention (guardrails, covers, and other physical barriers that need no worker action), active fall restraint or fall arrest (harness-and-anchor systems), and administrative controls (warning lines, training, and procedures). A crossover platform is passive prevention: it removes the exposure at the obstruction without depending on worker action, which is why it sits above harness-based systems in the order an employer should consider. The CSA Z259 series covers the equipment used in the active categories.

In Canada, the trigger is set by the provincial OH&S regulation, or federally by the Canada Labour Code, Part II and the Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (COHSR), Part XII. A common trigger across most jurisdictions is a fall of 3 metres (about 10 feet), but the exact threshold and attached conditions vary by province and type of work, and several jurisdictions require protection at lower heights for specific work. Ontario construction projects fall under O. Reg. 213/91, Alberta under the OHS Code, Part 9, British Columbia under the OHS Regulation, Part 11, and Québec’s CNESST enforces protection for falls of more than 3 metres. Confirm the governing regulation for the site before relying on any single figure.