Working at height happens to be risky if suitable safety precautions are not adopted. One of the vital safety equipment used widely is safety harnesses, however, the wearer need to have the necessary training about how to put on it. The OSHA regulation obligates employers in construction industries to equip their workforce who involve in such activities with the necessary safety gear like safety harnesses, train them on wearing the gear, and organize safety audits with experts to ensure protection from falls. According to Jason Wible Frenchcreek employers who are still on the fence to invest in safety harnesses, need to read the article to find out why using safety equipment is necessary.

Defending Employees From Falling

Current data accounts for millions of non-fatal injuries and casualties in the construction industry itself. This is why, the importance of using a safety harness is so critical for employees who are working at height including roof work, roof maintenance, painting, working on scaffolding, skylight and window washing, HVAC work, and so on. The safety equipment is uniquely designed to protect workers from falling making them victims of disability or death. Its unmatched mechanism lessens the impact of a fall while distributing the total force evenly across the body of the falling person.

Ensures Compliance With The Standards

OSHA’s fall protection standards and regulations need employers to ensure the necessary protections for saving their workers from falls by using a range of safety equipment including, safety harnesses, anchor points, guardrails and alarm systems, etc. Employers also remain responsible to provide employees with proper training on the method of wearing safety tools safely and effectively.

The authority also obligates employers to make necessary arrangements for inspection of the worksite with safety experts while they should also ensure that all fall protection equipment is in perfect. Employers are also responsible to provide a safe anchor point for workers who use personal fall arrest systems. Non-compliance with OSHA standards may attract hefty fines and civil penalties apart from criminal penalties like imprisonment.

Loss Of Business

Employers involved in construction or any other business where using safety equipment is a legal standard need to realize the impact of an employee’s fall on their business, says Jason Wible Frenchcreek. If the fall is caused due to sheer slackness of the employer to provide the necessary safety equipment to their employees who work at higher elevations or providing necessary training, negligence to set safety audit, then it can lead to a temporary suspension of operation, personal injury claim, penalization by authority and more.

It will have a high negative impact on employee morale and thereby result in loss of productivity and loss of business.  Conversely, a business that adheres to the standard of safety protocol and undergoes due diligence is less likely to experience such an incident. When properly equipped with safety harnesses employees will feel confident considering they are secure from any possible falling. They can perform more challenging jobs at heights with more ease, efficiency, and quicker. This will translate into higher productivity, greater reputation, increased productivity and profitability.