There are various professions that require work at height that can be perceived as very risky, regardless of how often you work under these circumstances. Everyone who’s involved in them is susceptible to all types of injuries and accidents.
That’s something that unfortunately many employers aren’t aware of, or they simply aren’t interested in resorting to various preventative measures that will ensure that everybody is properly safeguarded.
What you need to understand is that safety must always be prioritized in these instances, and if you honestly care about your workers, as well as the equipment you are using, then these are the steps that you should take.
Height Training Is A Must!
Lots of industries today include working at height, and as stated in the beginning, these professions are full of various hurdles and risks that may result in different injuries and incidents. That’s precisely why it’s of huge importance to consider having working at heights training to make sure all your workforce is protected at any given moment. Why does this training matter so much?
Namely, the main purpose of it is to provide your employees with the necessary knowledge and skills that will allow them to execute various tasks effectively and safely. We cannot stress enough how safety is crucial and that’s precisely what training programs emphasize.
They are aware of all potential hazards that may arise, and they are designed to teach your staff how to recognize them in a timely manner. Furthermore, it will educate them about various types of dangers, like unstable surfaces, rough weather conditions, equipment malfunctions, and many other things that may go wrong.
Once they get familiar with these potential issues, they’ll know exactly what they should do to properly react to these mishaps and problems. Besides that, they’ll also be capable of identifying potential hazards, and, at the same time, resort to different preventative measures to mitigate the consequences.
Railing Can Be Of Massive Assistance As Well!
Whenever you are able to, you should utilize railing because that’s something that could greatly benefit your business, and workers too! So what does it represent? It can be described as a passive protection that’s commonly leveraged to ensure that your workforce is secured, and, simultaneously, compliant.
What’s great about it is the fact that it doesn’t require any particular tools and training because there’s nothing specific that they should do to stay safe. There is a railing system for practically any type of rooftop, like parapet-mounted railing, non-penetrating roof railing, metal roof railing, etc.
Regardless of what you are utilizing, you will still be able to reap the benefits of the railing due to its fantastic ability to provide excellent protection.
Conduct A Job Safety Evaluation
So what does it encompass? Namely, it means that you will break down the whole job into several smaller tasks. In these types of situations, it’s essential to be as thorough as you can possibly be.
Once you jot down all these tasks, make sure to accentuate any areas that you perceive as potentially risky. For example, if there’s a task that needs a lot of work (that needs to be executed) at height, then you’re supposed to provide your workforce with effective heights training to be sure they all stay safe while executing their job.
The Benefits Of Personal Protective Equipment
Also known as PPE, it is one of the most commonly used pieces of equipment for every company that has staff who work at heights. If you decide to opt for it as well, then you need to make sure your employees wear a full-body harness that is properly connected to an anchor point.
Apart from that, you also need to be sure that the harness, along with other parts of the PPE, such as gloves, helmets, and non-slip footwear comply with all the rules and regulations, and above all, that they are in excellent condition.
Speaking of this, you must thoroughly inspect PPE to see if there’s wear and tear, and as previously mentioned, it needs to comply with different industry rules and regulations as well!
Moving On To Aerial Lifts
If you are using aerial lifts, then it’s pivotal to ensure that they work properly, particularly when it comes to fall protection. The same rule applies to the boom lifts. If you are also employing them, then your workers must be correctly tied off at any given moment, regardless of the height they are on.
In these circumstances, you must utilize anchor points that are intended for the lift. In a nutshell, you should avoid common oversights, like wrapping the lanyard around the rails and making sure that the lanyard is suitable for a particular working height.
Another thing that’s also very crucial and that’s going to help you keep the accidents at bay is to maintain a sturdy footing on the ground or work platform. This is something that lots of employers fail to do and tend to overlook which is a huge mistake.
These preventative measures aren’t only going to help you keep your workforce secure, but they will also allow you to adhere to the regulatory requirements.
Are You Familiar With The Fall Distance?
Although having high-quality fall protection gear comes with numerous advantages, keep in mind that, if by any chance, it doesn’t engage before you hit something, it would be as if you have nothing.
This may sound like a very logical conclusion, but you wouldn’t believe how many people have the tendency to completely ignore this fact. It’s quite common to go onto a construction site and see your staff at 10-12’ off the ground with a 6’ lanyard that comes with a deceleration device.
Even though it seemingly looks like a good idea, that actually isn’t entirely true. This is just one out of many examples, but the point is that you should determine the minimum distance for fall clearance before you begin utilizing the system.
There’s nothing more essential than the safety of your people, because, after all, they are your biggest asset. Consequently, if you share this opinion, then you should definitely implement at least one of the tips above.
