
28 Sep Your Guide to Height Safety Training
359 Australian workers were killed between the 1st of January 2003 and the 31st of December 2015 due to falls from a height. These unnecessary deaths remind us why investing in compliant height safety equipment should be a top priority at every worksite- big or small. It is equally important that all workers are regularly and correctly trained to use the life-saving equipment.
Below, we answer all of your questions about height safety training including why it is important, how often should workers be trained, and the training records you must keep.
Why is training important if I have safety equipment set up?
The answer is simple – to protect workers and prevent falls by ensuring every person working from a height can properly use the equipment.
Height safety equipment such as fall arrest systems, anchor points, roof guardrails and static lines are an extremely important fall prevention measure. When used correctly, they prevent injuries and saves lives. When a worker doesn’t know how to use the safety equipment, however, they may cancel the risk-reducing effect and create an unsafe work environment.
All workplaces should protect their workers by investing in height safety equipment and training. A workplace injury or fatality can be life-changing for the worker and their employer.
How often do workers need height safety training?
All employees required to work from a height must have a thorough understanding of how to operate the exact equipment they will be using. Professional, regular training is designed to increase safety and proactively prevent falls.
If the working environment changes, workers should be retrained. A new workplace could have different equipment, fall protection systems or safety requirements. It is therefore imperative that worksite managers and site supervisors update training where applicable.
The latest safety standards outlined in ANSI Z359 suggest that workers should be retrained every two years. If a worker appears to not understand how to operate equipment, however, they must also be retrained before working from a height.
According to OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), a worker is considered ‘trained’ after completing initial training. The two circumstances where this title is revoked are:
– If the environment or equipment changes.
– The worker demonstrates incompetence.
In these cases, a worker must be retrained to ensure their safety.
What records do I have to keep about height safety training?
In the event of a workplace injury or lawsuit, the courts may request your training records to determine whether you provided appropriate training. This is why record-keeping is essential and should be carefully maintained.
When keeping these records, ensure you note the dates, training providers, employees involved, and objectives for the training.
At Australian Height Safety Services, we offer a range of height safety equipment to construction sites across Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane including fall arrest systems, roof step ladders, static lines, roof guardrails, access ladders, roof walkway systems, aluminium walkway systems and grating. We recognise the importance of appropriate training of any employee required to work from a height. You can get in touch with our team on 1800 850 121.
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