As an employer, one of your responsibilities is to ensure the safety of the workers. This is especially important for construction or real estate companies. Construction companies hire workers who regularly work at heights and hence they require strict height safety compliance programs.
Almost every day a construction worker loses his life or becomes paralyzed for life after falling from dangerous heights during the construction of a high-rise building. This proves to be devastating not only for the injured worker but also for his family and the company. The media is always looking for opportunities to create sensational news that might tarnish the image of your company. It is not just the media that will come after you but also the government. So instead of being on the wrong side of the media and law, it is better to prepare a height safety compliance program for the workers of your company.
To whom will this Height Safety Compliance Program apply to
This height safety compliance program will apply to all construction workers who use travel restraint systems, fall arrest systems, fall restricting systems, work belts, and safety nets to prevent them from falling from a considerable height. This safety height program is well-suited for both fresher and experienced ones. The program involves group activities as well as one-to-one discussions. The program has been designed in such a way that it can be easily followed.
What will the Height Safety Compliance Program do?
It is a training program that will train workers on how to safely work at heights. If an effective safety height training program is introduced in construction companies, it will reduce the percentage of fatalities. The height safety training program is only a day-long program. The workers, as well as supervisors, will be well-versed with all the fall prevention equipment and safety
What will be taught in the Safety Height Program?
The program comprises two parts – the theoretical part and the practical part.
In the Theoretical Part, The Workers will learn the Following Things –
- How to effectively prevent falls and fall protection.
- Warning system and rescue plans if any mishap takes place.
- Stakeholders’ roles and responsibilities.
- The dangers of working at heights.
- Government rules and regulations for workers working at heights.
- How to work from scaffolding.
In the Practical Part, Workers will be Trained in the Following Things –
- Correct tie-off techniques
- Rope grabs for both horizontal and vertical direction
- Harness fit testing
- Secure anchor points with beam straps and guardrail
What should be your Role as an Employer?
Other than introducing safety height programs, here are a few other things that you should do –
- Make sure that the workers do not have problems moving to and fro in the area where they are working.
- Also, Make sure that they are aware of how dangerous the job is and take special care when working on or near fragile surfaces.
- Make sure that the workers are protected from any kind of hanging or falling objects that can prove dangerous to them.
- The ladders should be used only for climbing purposes, and not for placing any kind of equipment. Make sure your workers do not overload it.
- Make sure that your workers do not use ladders for demanding tasks.
- The ladders should not be placed on or leaned against fragile surfaces.
- Prepare for emergency evacuations if the need arises.
Conclusion
Also, screen the candidates thoroughly before hiring them to work at heights. Incompetent workers will not be able to handle working at heights.
