As part of its Fall Prevention Campaign, OSHA has ventured into a new area: ebook publishing. What, you might ask, do ebooks that can be read on computers and other electronic devices have to do with fall prevention?
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OSHA is hoping that its new 16-page booklet, Falling Off Ladders Can Kill: Use Them Safely, will make it into the smartphones and tablets of the younger generation of workers—and that they will use the information to help keep themselves safe.
New Technology to Reach a New Generation
According to OSHA, young people, Latinos, and other workers at high risk of fall injuries are more likely than other groups to go online for information, including safety and health resources.
The new ladder safety ebook is modeled on a publication from the Singapore Workplace Safety and Health Council. It is bilingual (English and Spanish) an uses clear illustrations and plain language, together with electronic format, to put needed information into the hands of workers at the time and place where they need it most—while working on the jobsite.
Falls are a major cause of work-related injuries and fatalities. Now OSHA is proposing new rules for fall protection in general industry workplaces. BLR’s upcoming live webinar will bring you up to speed on what could change and suggest some key opportunities for improving your fall protection program. Click here for details.
Although the book is not an exhaustive primer on ladder safety, it provides portable safety information that workers can access quickly when they need it. Because it is bilingual and illustrated with line drawings, a broad cross section of workers should be able to understand the information.
Critical Information
The ebook provides important safety information, including:
- When to use a ladder. Sometimes ladders are the wrong choice. If workers must transport materials and equipment to the work height, work at heights for a long period of time, or work very high above the ground (at heights where a ladder can become unstable), a scissor lift or scaffolding may be a safer choice.
- How to choose a ladder. If the employee will work from the ladder, it should be tall enough for him or her to easily reach the work area. If the ladder is used to access another level, it must extend at least 3 feet above the landing point.
For a list of other OSHA publications available online, click here.
Join us on February 13 for an in-depth webinar in which our speaker, a seasoned safety professional and an expert in developing and implementing comprehensive fall protection programs, will help you evaluate your existing program to determine improvement opportunities based on best practices, ANSI Z359, Version 3, and the proposed OSHA rules. Learn More.
Combat Workplace Falls
To combat the threats of slips, trips, and falls that employees across industries may face, OSHA published a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) on subparts D and I of 29 CFR 1910 back in 2010, which contain occupational safety standards for general industry. OSHA believes the proposed rule will substantially reduce work-related injuries and deaths. A final rule is expected later this year.
Since consensus standards have a way of becoming the benchmark—and in some cases incorporated into law—companies need to pay attention to them as they begin to lay to the best practice for a given area.
The proposed regulations involve a new mandate for fall hazard surveys. In proposed subpart I, related to fall protection personal protective equipment, specific language requires employers to identify all fall hazards related to work tasks and locations that put workers at risk for a fall. While this has always been the case for other types of hazards where PPE is required, it would become explicitly required for fall hazards under the new rules.
Companies should begin to look closely at the regulations to determine how they could impact their organizations, what changes will be required in existing fall protection programs, and if a proposed change actually looks feasible, consider implementing prior to regulation finalization.
Join us for an in-depth webinar on advances in fall protection on February 13. Our speaker, a seasoned safety professional and an expert in developing and implementing comprehensive fall protection programs, will help participants evaluate their existing programs to determine improvement opportunities based on best practices, ANSI Z359, Version 3, and the proposed OSHA rules.
You and your colleagues will learn:
- The typical slips, trips, and fall accidents to be aware of, and the common causes of those types of incidents
- Proactive assessment methods to identify slip trip and fall hazards
- OSHA’s current requirements for a compliant fall protection program
- An overview of ANSI Z359, Version 3 and the proposed OSHA Subpart D and I rulemaking
- The practical impact of the new ANSI guidance and OSHA’s potential regulatory updates on your fall protection program design
- What are some key opportunities for improving your Fall Protection Program based on industry best practices and selected components of ANSI Z359, Version 3 and the proposed OSHA Subpart D and I rulemaking
- How can you best identify and evaluate outside resources to help you establish a world-class process
About Your Speaker
Chip Darius is founder and president of Safety Priority Consultants, LLC, established in 2000. Over the course of the past13 years the company has provided training and consulting in occupational safety & health, OSHA compliance, and safety management systems for clients in numerous states from coast to coast. He is an experienced litigation consultant and expert witness in safety-related matters and also has served as safety advisor for the Connecticut Business & Industry Association.
Mr. Darius holds certifications as a Certified Walkway Auditor Safety Specialist, an Occupational Health & Safety Technologist (OHST), a Certified Environmental, Safety & Health Trainer (CET), a Certified Instructional Technologist (CIT), Certified Safety & Health Official (CSHO), Forklift Safety Technician (FST), and Machine Safeguarding Technician. He earned BS and MA degrees from the University of Connecticut, where he has also served as Adjunct Faculty.
Mr. Darius is a member of the National Environmental, Safety & Health Training Association (NESHTA), author of 3 guidebooks, and designer of more than 200 specialized courses in safety and trainer development. He holds certificates from the OSHA Training Institute, National Safety Council, Construction Safety Council, National Fire Protection Association, and others.
Chip has presented on-site training, conference presentations, keynotes, and seminar programs in numerous states, Canadian provinces, and foreign countries. He presented on fall protection at the 2011 National Safety Council Congress in Philadelphia, PA. From 2002 to 2005 he also served as a principal member of a National Fire Protection Association technical committee on Emergency Service Organization Risk Management (NFPA 1250).
Mr. Darius also has been a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) for more than 30 years.
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