All employees have the right to stay safe in the workplace. For this reason, all workers should be trained on how to protect themselves at work and on using certain protection equipment. OSHA enforces workplace safety regulations to make sure everyone can enjoy working without worrying about injuries.
Apart from having OSHA offer regulations regarding fall protection equipment, weight limits, and so on, it is also essential that workers get the training they require. Through this type of training, a worker will learn how to protect themselves at work, which is vital to the safety of the employee.
The OSHA walking-working surfaces and fall protection standards are very useful, and every employee and employer should be aware of them. So, let’s find out more.
What Are the OSHA Walking-Working Surfaces Standards?
The OSHA safety standards refer to a series of requirements that employers must know about in order to create proper health and safety policies in the workplace. Not only do these standards help employers create a safe environment, but they also help employees act according to OSHA fall protection policies to maintaineir own safety.
There are also more specific OSHA standards that differ based on each industry, but they all serve the same purpose: protecting the employees.
The OSHA fall protection regulations refer to the requirements for employers to offer fall protection systems to their employees. This is especially necessary for workplaces where the risk of falling is high, such as the constructions industry. It can be in workplaces with unprotected roofs, sides and edges, holes, and other similar things. Fall protection systems become a must in these situations.
The standard goes into detail about situations when safety net and personal fall arrest systems are required, as well as other methods of protecting employees from falling.
What Does the OSHA Fall Protection Standard Cover?
The OSHA walking-working surface and fall protection standard includes multiple aspects regarding how to protect and prevent employees from falling in the workplace.
More specifically, the fall standard covers the application, scope, and definitions that apply to it, the duty to have fall protection for employees, as well as the fall protection systems criteria and practices. It also goes into detail about the training requirements, as well as how to determine roof widths, guardrail systems, personal fall arrest systems, positioning device systems, and sample fall protection plans.
OSHA Fall Protection Demands
The OSHA fall protection standards imply the usage of different protection equipment in the workplace, or lifelines and fall arrest harnesses to be used at work. The lifelines and harnesses should be used everywhere someone might experience a fall of at least six feet.
The safety standards also apply for places that are positioned right above dangerous pieces of equipment or close to any openings. Protection equipment and OSHA fall protection training which are an integral part of both the OSHA Focus Four training and the OSHA ten hour construction training are a must in these situations. Workers should receive instructions on how to use these protection systems, allowing them to be protected against potential falls at work.
Who Needs to Take OSHA Fall Protection Training?
All workers who are exposed to any fall hazards at work should be trained in these safety areas:
- The use of fall protection pieces of equipment like safety nets, barrier systems, fall arrest gear, or others
- Installing or maintaining the standards for fall protection systems
- Identifying and assessing any risk factors and possible fall risks
- The best practices to maintain workplace safety
- Initial certification and fall protection recertification procedures where it applies
- Correct procedures for controlled access zones, as well as systems for safety monitoring
- The roles that some workers in the company assume in the workplace safety and fall protection plan
Fall Protection Training Online
There are different courses that you can take online to be introduced to the basic safety practices related to fall risks. You can take these lessons whether you are an employee, supervisor, or manager.
You will also take quizzes to test your knowledge and at the end of the course, you will obtain a certificate. Of course, you will also have to pay for this course if you want to be truly certified.
OSHA certificate online training is available right here on our site for immediate start!
Requirements for Recertification
Here are some reasons why someone might have to recertify:
- The staff members failed to practice and show any safe working habits in the areas with high risk
- There were replacements or changes to the fall protection systems that were in use in the workplace
- The workers had to move to a new building, locations, or worksites that have other fall protection requests and challenges, and thus, they need proper certification
- They must fulfill the annual training requirement for OSHA Focus 4 Hazards or OSHA 1- Hour training.
The training that the workers go through during recertification should be similar to the one they received initially.
The OSHA standards have to be respected as they have been put in place for the safety of employees. So, make sure your workers are properly trained and protected from any fall hazards.
