OSHA Provides Training Guide for Fall Protection

WASHINGTON, D.C. – September 6, 2013 – The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently published a "Fall Prevention Training Guide: A Lesson Plan For Employers", a 24-page digital guide for employers to give fall prevention training to workers.

The fall prevention guide branches off OSHA's Fall Prevention Campaign, a nationwide outreach program that raises awareness among workers and employees about the hazards of falls from ladders, scaffolding, and roofs. Since falls are the leading cause of death in construction, OSHA aims to educate employers to take the proper steps toward making said deaths preventable.

OSHA's fall prevention educational guide is geared toward workers performing tasks at least six feet off the ground, which is the standard that makes the worker subject to serious injury or a fatal fall. The guide is a useful reference for spray foam contractors executing roofing or insulation jobs because it helps them prevent their crew from succumbing to injury and death from falls by planning the job safely, providing the right fall protection equipment, and training the crew to use the equipment safely.

"Falls can be prevented and lives can be saved through three simple steps: plan, provide, and train", said OSHA's John Hermanson in a press release.

The guide provides a series of three "Toolbox Talks", which are peer-to-peer training lessons covering safety tactics for ladder, scaffolding, and roofing worker safety. The Toolbox Talks present certain examples of fatalities related to the topic so that the instructor can discuss with the crew how this death could have been prevented, ask questions, and encourage their participation in the matter.

Each Toolbox Talks begin with an example of the types of incidents that are possible if workers do not follow the fall prevention guidelines outlined in the training. After the job site example, the training sheet lists guidelines for preventing falls related to the specific topic. Finally, the formatted training sheets include blank lines for workers to include ways that their topic is applicable to their job site. Preparation steps and advice for trainers giving the Toolbox Talks is also provided in the fall prevention guide.

The Fall Prevention Training Guide : A Lesson for Employers publication is available in PDF, EPUB, and MOBI file formats in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

OSHA's Fall Prevention Campaign recently took to the road, using posters on and in Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) busses with the message "Stop falls in construction." According to OSHA, 31 percent of all construction fatalities in the state of Texas were related to falls from August 15, 2012 to August 15, 2013.

"The DART bus campaign is intended to raise awareness among employers and workers about common fall hazards in the construction industry, such as falls from ladders, scaffolds and roofs, and how prevention can save lives," said Hermanson.

About OSHA: Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, please use the contact details and links provided below.

About OSHA's Fall Prevention Campaign: OSHA's fall prevention campaign was developed in partnership with the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health and NIOSH's National Occupational Research Agenda program. For more information on fall protection standards and educational materials available in English and Spanish, please click on the link provided below.