You don’t think twice about crossing a road until you see a vehicle whizzes right past as you’re crossing the road. Near miss accidents can happen quite frequently, even when doing routine tasks, and staircases and ladders are no exception.
For individuals working in the construction sector, staircases and ladders are two areas that are constantly being used by them. However, that doesn’t mean they exercise the necessary precautions to avoid injury. When you want your employees to remain safe, you need to know about the hidden dangers of stairs and ladders:
How Can Stairs and Ladders Be Problematic For Construction Workers?
Stairways and ladders have shown themselves to be one of the biggest causes of accidents for construction workers. As many as 24000 injuries happen every year due to falls from stairways and ladders used in construction, according to OSHA.
While compliance with OSHA regulations can go a long way in preventing unfortunate accidents while using these two types of equipment, many employees are unaware of what rules they need to follow.
What Do You Need to Know?
For workers who utilize various staircases and ladders while working, they need to keep in mind general safety guidelines like:
If there are more than two points of access, one must be kept clear
Stairway and ladder fall protection systems must be installed, tested and checked to ensure that employees are safe using them.
If there is a break in elevation of 19 inches, a stairway or ladder is compulsory.
All components must be secured for greater safety
Slippery conditions must be remedied immediately.
Depending on what type of stairway or ladder you are planning on installing at the construction site, the rules and regulations given by OSHA regarding them can differ.
How Does Safety Training Help?
Employers must do their best to make a construction site as safe as possible. However, there are specific situations in which employees must also be aware of where to take precautions. Enlisting your employees to fall protection training can be ideal to ensure that they remain safe while working.
During safety training, employees who may be exposed to fall hazards are given information critical to minimizing hazards. They will learn how to use anchors, lanyards, connectors, and more during the course of their training.
Who Needs It?
Any employee that is working at a construction site and is regularly exposed to stairways and ladders needs to get this training. Employers who need to become aware of safety measures that can be taken when using staircases and ladders can also join in on the training.
Looking for Stairways & Ladder Safety Training? We Can Help
Your employees’ safety should come first, no matter what type of construction site or any other workplace you’re dealing with. Being exposed to accidents doesn’t just jeopardize your employee but your business too.
When you’re looking for reliable and trustworthy training providers to help maintain safety, Think Safety Always is here to help.
Whether you’re looking for fall protection or forklift safety training, we provide a variety of courses to cater to your every need. Contact us at 786-683-4141 to get started right away.
