Why a Simple Training Course Could Reduce Your Risk Exposure and Save Lives
Falls from heights are the #1 cause of death in the construction industry, and yet they are also among the most easily preventable.
According to a 2011 OSHA report, falls account for more than 1/3 of construction-related deaths in the United States. Many of these involved a careless mistake or a flagrant safety violation — errors that might have been avoided with proper safety training.
To that end, OSHA has created special fall protection training guidelines for worksites across the country, including special guidelines for people working in the construction industry and other workers who may be at risk for a fall from heights. This includes those who work on ladders, scaffolding, cranes, overhead platforms, and other high elevations.
Below, we provide a general overview of fall protection, explain the importance of competent person training, and briefly describe your rights after suffering an on-the-job fall in Miami, Florida.
What Is Fall Protection Training?
Fall protection training helps construction companies, supervisors, and laborers (and others working at dangerous heights) to understand what is required of them under government regulation.
Just as importantly, fall protection training provides potentially life-saving insight into how to properly use safety equipment, as well practical precautions that you and your team can take in order to reduce the risk of harm.
What Is Competent Person Training?
OSHA defines a “competent person” as “one who is capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions which are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to employees, and who has authorization to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them.”
Many fall protection training programs offer a “competent person training course.” At the end of this course, you may receive a fall protection training certificate, which certifies that you are:
• Knowledgeable of applicable standards
• Are capable of identifying workplace hazards relating to your specific operation, and
• Have the authority or ability to correct those hazards.
I Already Have a Fall Protection Training Certificate. Do I Need Additional Training?
Employers in the construction field have a duty not only to provide adequate fall protection but also to provide adequate training to their employees.
Depending on the circumstances and how long it has been since a worker obtained his or her fall protection training certificate, additional retraining may be advisable.
The Importance of Fall Protection Training Near Miami
As Miami construction accident lawyers, we have seen first-hand how devastating a simple act of carelessness on the job site can become. Too many innocent and hardworking laborers have been needlessly injured or killed as a result of inadequate fall protection and/or insufficient training.
If you work at tall heights, fall protection training could save your life.
If you own, operate, or supervise construction projects (or other work activities that present a risk of falling), enrolling in fall protection training near Miami could save your workers’ lives — and it may also spare you the costs associated with workplace injuries and litigation.
There are a number of well-established, highly-rated, OSHA-compliant programs offering fall protection training near Miami. We urge anyone working in the construction field in Florida to look into those options as soon as possible.
What to Do If You’ve Been Injured in a Fall from Heights
If you or someone you love has been injured after suffering a job-related fall, we encourage you to contact our office and learn more about your rights under Florida law.
Kaire & Heffernan, LLC is a Miami personal injury law firm with years of experience in helping Florida workers recover the full and fair financial compensation they deserve after an on-the-job accident.
We will not charge you a fee for our services unless and until we recover compensation in your case. And your initial consultation is absolutely free.
To learn more, contact the Miami construction accident lawyers at Kaire & Heffernan, LLC and request a free, no-obligation consultation today.
Mark Kaire has been practicing law in Miami for nearly 15 years. He is dedicated to helping the injured people of Miami receive compensation. Mr. Kaire has been blogging on Miami’s legal issues for 4 years.