DO EMPLOYERS NEED TO PROVIDE FALL PROTECTION TRAINING TO THEIR WORKERS?

The answer is “Yes”. According to the mandates enforced by the Safety And Health Administrations, employers are responsible for providing fall protection training to the workers whose scope of work is associated with a high probability of fall hazard. Employers are required to deliver training that will not only educate workers about the ways by which they can recognise fall hazards, but will also provide information on the processes that can be deployed to minimise such hazards. Besides, the fall protection training should also be designed to ensure that the workers acquire adequate practical knowledge on equipment inspection, equipment erection as well as disassembly, and equipment maintenance.

Notably, with changes in working conditions, a particular training program may become obsolete and in those cases, employers should organize new training programs to help workers to safely adapt to new conditions and use fall protection equipment in the recommended manner. Additional training may be necessary depending on how a worker performs in terms of using the equipment in the right way or ensuring its appropriate upkeep. Ultimately, the training processes will be concluded with the employer certifying that the workmen have received the appropriate training and are ready to use the equipment in the right way. The employer needs to document the training programs and the outcomes in accordance with the current standards.

Workmen are typically exposed to fall hazards when they need to work in risky locations such as elevated work stations, walls, floors with holes, and overhead platforms. The use of fall protection equipment is compulsory if workmen operate at a height of four feet in general industry sites, five feet in shipyards, six feet at construction sites, and eight feet at docks. What is more important is that a worker is bound to use fall protection equipment regardless of the elevation at which he is required to operate if he has to work over hazardous machinery.

For the training programs to deliver the desired outcomes in terms of the workers’ ability to use and maintain fall protection equipment appropriately and prevent incidents, employers need to make sure that such programs are delivered by competent persons. “Competency” is defined as a person’s ability to detect prevailing as well as probable hazards in the worksite and to deploy corrective actions to eliminate risks and all possible consequences.