Fall Prevention

A hazard is a condition, practice or behaviour (in the workplace) that has the potential to cause injury, illness or property damage. Having a process to recognize, evaluate and control these hazards is the key to a safe and healthy workplace. Controlling hazards results in fewer illnesses and injuries, reduces associated incident costs, increases productivity, improves morale and reinforces a company’s commitment to providing healthy and safe working conditions.

A job hazard analysis/job safety analysis (JHA/JSA) is just one tool to assist employers with hazard recognition, evaluation and control.  A JHA takes a particular task, breaks it down into its basic steps and assesses the hazards at each step.  It helps to ensure that workers understand how the work is to proceed as well as the task specific hazards and control measures necessary for their protection.

Sample Hazard Assessment Documentation

Sample Hazard Assessments

A safety program is a plan of action designed to prevent loss (incidents, property damage and occupational disease). It is comprised of policies, procedures and rules tailored to meet the needs of the company and administered by management. The following samples are intended to provide guidance and should always be tailored to meet the specific need of the organization.

Sample Safe Work Plans/Programs & Procedures

Sample Safe Work Practices

Inspection Checklists

Fall Protection training requirements are set out in WorkplaceNL Fall Protection Certification Standard. Any worker who is required to use fall protection equipment must complete a Fall Protection Awareness training program. Recertification is required every three years.

Training must be:

• Delivered by a WorkplaceNL-approved training provider.
• Taken before a worker uses fall protection equipment

Fall protection equipment would include any of the following methods of fall protection:

• Travel restraint system
• Fall restricting system
• Fall arrest system
• Fall protection safety net
• Work belt
• Safety belt

Employers should also ensure that workers are trained on the site-specific fall hazards.

All organizations must ensure that they have systems in place to communicate health and safety-related information to workers, whether that be the results of a workplace inspection or investigation report, a job hazard analysis, safe work practices and job procedures etc.  Common mechanisms for communication include:

Copies of all health and safety communications should be kept on file at the company’s head office.