Roles and Responsibilities
Everyone at the construction worksite has a role to play and associated responsibilities in preventing falls.
- Employers: Identify fall hazards at the site. Eliminate the hazards, prevent falls from occurring, or ensure that employees aren't injured if falls occur. Ensure employees follow safe practices, use fall protection equipment properly, and are trained to recognize fall hazards.
- Employees: Follow safe work practices, use equipment properly, and participate in training. Learn to recognize unsafe practices, know the tasks that increase the risk of falling, and understand how to control exposure to fall hazards.
- Architects and engineers: Educate employers about hazards that could expose workers to falls during each phase of the project. When designing buildings and structures, consider fall protection and other safety needs of those who will do the construction work.
- Building owners and managers: Ensure those who work at height know how to protect themselves from falls, are aware of installed anchorages, and know how to use their fall protection equipment.
- Equipment manufacturers: Ensure that fall-protection equipment meets federal OSHA and ANSI safety requirements and protects workers when they use it properly. Warn workers through instruction manuals and on equipment labels about the danger of using equipment improperly.
- Lawyers: Review your client's construction bids to ensure that they comply with OSHA requirements. The documents should clearly state the client's responsibilities for protecting workers from falls and identifying and controlling hazards that cause falls.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
1-5. Who is responsible for recognizing and eliminating fall hazards, ensuring training is conducted, and preventing injuries?
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