COURSE 714: FALL PROTECTION PROGRAM

Welcome!

Hi, and welcome to the course. If you are a safety manager, supervisor, committee member, or someone who is entering into the occupational safety and health field, this course will help you understand your important responsibilities.

Here's how it works (Read this... it's important!)

1. Study each course module. Just click on the course "Modules" tab above to get started. It take about 30 minutes to one hour to complete each module, including the quiz.
2. Complete each module quiz. Each quiz is 5-10 questions. When you submit the quiz, a new web page will load with instant feedback on your answers. After you complete the quiz, start on the next module. There is no need to wait! No hurry either. You are in control of the pace of learning.

If you have questions as you study, just send us an email.

3. Order a certificate.***Optional*** If you want certification of training, order a certificate. The fee is only $11.95 for a emailed PDF certificate or $20 plus shipping plus shipping for a mailed original certificate. The fee covers my exam review, course certificate preparation, and maintenance of your student records.

   Go to the OSHAcademy Store to pay for the course certificate. Tip: You will save up to 50% in course fees if you enroll in a Professional Development Certificate Program.

4. Complete and submit the final course exam.
• Final exams consist of 20 questions.
• To meet OSHA requirements, you must pass the final exam with at least a 70% score.
• If you do not pass the exam, you may retake the exam.
• If you pass the exam, you may not retake the exam just to raise your score.
• Most final exam questions are derived from module quizzes.

OK, Let's go!

Have fun and study hard. To start, just click on "Introduction" above.

What is fall protection?

Go to any construction site and watch those who are working above a lower level. Should they be wearing fall protection? Should they be protected by fall-protection systems? Should they be using fall-protection methods? Do they need fall-protection training? Are they following fall-protection rules? Fall protection is a concept that's hard to describe. Ask 10 people what fall protection means and you're likely to get 10 different answers. Is it possible to make sense of fall protection? We think so.

It's important that you be familiar with OSHA's fall protection standards to help save lives and avoid OSHA citations. Take a look at OSHA's top 10 most cited violations for 2011 and you will see that fall protection ranks as the number two most commonly cited violation!

1. Scaffolding, General (1926.451)
2. Fall Protection (1926.501)
3. Hazard Communication (1910.1200)
4. Respiratory Protection (1910.134)
5. Lockout/Tagout (1919.147)
6. Electrical, Wiring (1910.305)
7. Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178)
8. Ladders (1926.1053)
9. Electrical, General 1910.303)
10. Machine Guarding (1910.212)

Why Does OSHA Have a Standard for Fall Protection?

In the construction industry in the U.S., falls are the leading cause of worker fatalities. Each year, on average, between 150 and 200 workers are killed and more than 100,000 are injured as a result of falls at construction sites. OSHA recognizes that accidents involving falls are generally complex events frequently involving a variety of factors. Consequently, the standard for fall protection deals with both the human and equipment-related issues in protecting workers from fall hazards.

What Does the Fall Protection Standard Cover?

OSHA has revised its construction industry safety standards and developed systems and procedures designed to prevent employees from falling off, onto, or through working levels and to protect employees from being struck by falling objects. The performance- oriented requirements make it easier for employers to provide the necessary protection. The rule covers most construction workers except those inspecting, investigating, or assessing workplace conditions prior to the actual start of work or after all work has been completed.

The rule identifies areas or activities where fall protection is needed. These include, but are not limited to: ramps, runways, and other walkways, excavations, hoist areas, holes, formwork and reinforcing steel, leading edge work, unprotected sides and edges, overhand bricklaying and related work, roofing work, precast concrete erection, wall openings, residential construction, and other walking/working surfaces. The rule sets a uniform threshold height of 6 feet (1.8 meters), thereby providing consistent protection. This means that construction employers must protect their employees from fall hazards and falling objects whenever an affected employee is 6 feet (1.8 meters) or more above a lower level. Protection also must be provided for construction workers who are exposed to the hazard of falling into dangerous equipment.

Under the standard, employers are able to select fall protection measures compatible with the type of work being performed. Fall protection generally can be provided through the use of guardrail systems, safety net systems, personal fall arrest systems, positioning device systems, and warning line systems, among others.

The OSHA rule clarifies what an employer must do to provide fall protection for employees, such as identifying and evaluating fall hazards and providing specific training. Requirements to provide fall protection for workers on scaffolds and ladders and for workers engaged in steel erection of buildings are covered in other subparts of OSHA regulations.

The course is intended primarily for construction-industry employers, employees, and others who don't have a professional background in fall protection and who want to see the "big picture." Generally, the course covers the safe practices in 29 CFR 1926, the primary fall-protection rules for construction-industry employers. To complete the picture, the course also highlights fall-protection requirements for work on ladders and scaffolds.

This course is organized so that you can read each module in the order presented or move about as you choose.

Credits:

Special thanks to Oregon OSHA Technical Resources for producing the primary source document for this training, Fall Protection for the Construction Industry.

Additional references:

Fall Protection in Construction (OSHA 3146)

Go to the first module!

To begin your online study, just click on the "Modules" link above. To study off-line, click on the "Study Guide" link above and download the PDF study guide. Download Adobe Reader to open the study guide. The study guide is for your personal use only.

To begin your training, just click on the module links below.

COURSE 714 FINAL EXAM

This is an open book exam. That means you may search high and low throughout the course material for the answers to this final exam. To receive a certificate, you must achieve a score of 70% or higher.

If you are enrolled in a Certificate Program

We have a "don't pay until you pass" option! You may wait until you have completed all course exams before paying the one-time program certificate fee. Your exam will be placed in our archives folder for one year. If you have not paid the administrative fee after one year, you will be required to retake the exam. Let the instructor know when you have completed the last course in your program.

If you are not enrolled

You may pay for a course certificate before or after you complete the exam. No worries. If you don't pass the exam, you are welcome to retake the exam until you pass for no additional charge. If you want to save money on fees, think about enrolling in a Certificate Program. You may enroll in a program at any time.

If you only want free training

We will save your exam in archives for one year. If you change your mind and want a certificate later, just pay the certificate fee and we will score your exam at that time.

Course Study Guide. Use it for studying off-line and creating a reference binder.