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714 Fall Protection Program
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Develop a Fall Protection Emergency Response Plan (ERP)

Rescue procedures should address how the rescued worker will be handled to avoid any post-rescue injuries.

Practice Rescue from Wind Turbine

The following guidelines will help you develop an Emergency Response Plan for responding promptly to falls and other emergencies.

Effective plans don't need to be elaborate: Your plan should show that you've thought about how to eliminate and control hazards and that workers know how to respond promptly if something goes wrong.

Get others involved in planning: When other workers participate, they'll contribute valuable information, take the plan seriously, and be more likely to respond effectively during an emergency. Key objectives for an effective Fall Protection ERP include:

  • Identify the emergencies that could affect your site.
  • Establish a chain of command.
  • Establish procedures for responding to the emergencies.
  • Identify critical resources and rescue equipment.
  • Train on-site emergency responders.

Identify emergencies that could affect your workplace: Identify any event that could threaten worker safety or health. Two examples:

  • A worker suspended in a full-body harness for a long time after a fall.
  • A worker on a scaffold who contacts an overhead power line.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

9-2. An objective of a Fall Protection Emergency Response Plan should include _____.