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714 Fall Protection Program
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714 Fall Protection Program

Training Must Be How-To and Hands-On

Employers may assume that they can complete fall protection training simply by providing a classroom lecture, showing a video, or having employees complete an online course.

Instructor conducting fall protection training to a group of workers.
Training is an important component of the fall protection program.

However, lectures, videos, or online training do not completely satisfy OSHA requirements for employers to prove their employees have adequate knowledge, skills, and abilities (SKAs) to use fall protection equipment. Although employers may satisfy the how-to instructional component, they cannot prove adequate knowledge and skills unless they provide employees an opportunity to practice hands-on to develop the necessary skills and abilities.

Blended Learning

Blended learning is an effective educational strategy for conducting fall protection training that helps employers meet OSHA requirements and ensures employees gain adequate knowledge, skills, and abilities.

Four workers learning how to and hands on training for fall protection.
Blended learning is "how to" and "hands-on" education.

We call it "blended learning" because it blends multiple educational strategies to provide both the how-to and hands-on components through instruction, practice, and performance evaluation.

Steps you can follow using the blended learning approach include:

  1. Employees complete an online course or video presentation on general fall protection principles and equipment before participating in classroom instruction.
  2. The trainer follows up with more complete instruction on the specific equipment that will be used after training.
  3. Employees complete written exams to verify they have gained adequate knowledge.
  4. Employees next practice using the equipment in a safe training environment.
  5. After practice, the trainer requires employees to demonstrate how to use the equipment in the training environment.
  6. The trainer evaluates employee skills during the demonstrations and, if appropriate, certifies employees as initially qualified.
  7. When employees return to work, a supervisor or competent person evaluates the ability of employees to use equipment safely while performing tasks and certifies them as fully qualified.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

7-2. OSHA considers an employee as fully qualified in the use of fall protection equipment _____.

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