Do you know that more than 40,000 workers get injured by falls in Canadian construction sites annually? Not only injuries but also the deaths due to falls are on the rise, with Ontario’s construction site reporting 20 fatalities each year!

Thus, for construction workers, fall protection and height safety compliance is necessary. This blog is a comprehensive guide on why fall protection training is essential for the construction industry.

What’s Fall Protection Training?

Working at heights isn’t an easy task for every worker. While some workers become proficient with time, the job still remains unsafe and dangerous without proper safety protocols.

Generally, construction workers are prone to working at high altitudes. Therefore, it’s the employer’s responsibility to protect the workers against the risk of falls. The training provided to workers in this regard is known as ‘fall protection training.’

During training, the course teaches workers how to support their bodies with anchorage and personal fall protective equipment.

Why Is Fall Protection Training Important?

Here are some reasons why fall protection training is essential in the construction industry.

Safeguard Workers against the Risk of Falls

Protecting the employee’s life is one of the employer’s essential responsibilities when falls are the common cause of fatalities in the construction industry. Companies teach workers how to safely use scaffolds, guard railings, or barriers while working at heights. Moreover, the employer provides them with protective devices, which prevent them from falling during working at high altitudes.

Proper Training and Maintenance

While employers provide all the necessities to workers for working at heights, they’re only helpful if workers are trained to use them. Fall protection training is a comprehensive course that assists workers in handling the anchorage device while working.

Moreover, the training inspects the workers before letting them perform these high-risk activities. If they fail the inspection, it means they still need some practice and time to work at heights.

The protective equipment that they wear also deteriorates with harsh weather and UV rays. The training educates them when their protective suit needs to be changed or altered.

Cleanliness and COVID-19 Awareness

Do you know that the COVID-19 virus can survive up to 72 hours on hard surfaces? This makes cleanliness a priority in construction work. The fall protection training course constitutes teaching workers how to keep their PPE and anchorages cleaned, sanitized, and disinfected.

Moreover, if a worker who used protective equipment becomes COVID positive, their contaminated work outfit and gear can spread the virus. Therefore, cleaning and disinfecting the PPE and equipment becomes mandatory for construction industry employers and employees.

A Comprehensive Fall Training Course at Metro Safety Training

Are you interested in training your workers for fall protection? If so, you’re at the right place!

At Metro Safety Training, we offer workplace safety courses such as fall protection training, forklift training, and confined space working courses in BC. We also offer first aid training courses that are certified by Red Cross.

For more information, contact us today at 604-521-4227 or info@metrosafety.ca.