Emcare Health and Safety Training: Tips for Working at Heights

There are many career opportunities for working at heights in South Africa. Gain the relevant skills and knowledge needed to work at heights from Emcare's health and safety training courses to pursue this career. Feel confident and safe when you are working at heights with our top tips.

Emcare:

Emcare is a proudly South African company that offers health and safety training courses. Our excellent health and safety courses equip individuals and companies with the skills, knowledge, and resources to ensure personal growth and maximise potential in any health and safety industry.

Our learning facilities are based in the major South African cities of Johannesburg, Polokwane, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Hoedspruit, and Cape Town. The numerous Emcare training centres allow for wider accessibility to individuals and companies eager to embark on health and safety training.

The Emcare health and safety training courses are uplifting individuals. Individuals can receive adequate training to enter into health and safety industries. Whether you are interested in pursuing a career in health care, fire fighting, or working at heights, there is a specialised health and safety training course suited to you.

All health and safety training courses at Emcare are offered at an affordable rate. This is to ensure that no matter your budget, you can have access to the health and safety skills and knowledge offered by Emcare.

If you are considering a health and safety training course for yourself or your company, get in touch with Emcare. Emcare will quickly respond and help guide you through the process of choosing a relevant health and safety training course and venue.

Health and Safety Training:

Emcare offers an extensive range of health and safety training courses. We are one of the top South African health and safety training companies, allowing you to confidently trust our professional services and facilities. All of our health and safety training courses are taught by professionals in the industry.

We pride ourselves on offering health and safety training of an exceptional quality that is taught in a professional, interactive, and valuable way. Your experience and skill development come first at Emcare and we have been offering health and safety training courses since 1997. These years of experience paired with the years of experience the Emcare teachers have, ensures that you will walk away with a confident understanding of your health and safety training course.

All health and safety training courses available are fully accredited and legally compliant with relevant authoritative bodies. After every course, you and your company will receive a certificate of completion which will be accepted within your relevant health and safety industry. One of the top health and safety courses available at Emcare is the working at heights course.

Working at Heights:

Working at heights includes any work that, if there are no precautions in place, a person can fall which can result in injury or death. According to the South African Department of Labour, any work done at a height that is three metres or higher above the ground or a landing is considered working at heights.

Working at heights is a dangerous career. Falling from scaffolding, through fragile surfaces, and off ladders are some of the common causes of injury or death for people who work at heights. It is important to consider the danger of this job position before pursuing it as a career. Although working at heights is dangerous, it is a rewarding occupation. With the correct training, a competent understanding, and all safety measures in place, working at heights is a fulfilling career to pursue in South Africa.

Certain personality characteristics will make you the right person to pursue a career working at heights. Firstly, you cannot be acrophobic, or have an excessive fear of heights. You need to feel confident working from any height when pursuing a career in working at heights.

You need to be able to follow instructions. The rules and regulations which are in place when you work at heights are there to ensure your safety. Breaking the rules will result in injury or death when working at heights.

You will often be working in a team when working at heights. This means that you need to be a team player so that you and your team are always completing your work in a way that does not endanger others. Consistent attention, physical fitness, and a positive attitude are additional traits that are beneficial to a career in working at heights. If you feel that you are up to the challenge of pursuing a career in working at heights, there are many work opportunities in South Africa.

South African Industries for Working at Heights:

The South African construction, building, building maintenance, and mining industries include work opportunities that consist of working at heights. These industries are all highly affluent in South Africa which means there are many opportunities across the nine provinces to find a work opportunity. Ensure that you choose an industry and company which values your health and safety when you are working at heights.

Emcare Working at Heights Course:

If you are planning on pursuing a career that requires you to work from heights, you need to gain relevant skills and training. Emcare offers a working at heights course that will suitably equip you for the working world.

The Emcare working at heights course is ultimately concerned with your safety. Working at heights is a dangerous job and thus requires a person who is fully equipped with the relevant knowledge, skills, and attitude. The Emcare working at heights course will cover risk assessment, legislation pertaining to height safety, the personal protective equipment you will need, fall protection plans, and numerous other relevant topics and skills.

Benefits of the Emcare Working at Heights Course:

Emcare ensures that you will reap numerous benefits from completing the working at heights course.

1. Accessible: The Emcare working at heights course is available at every Emcare training venue. This ensures that all over South Africa you have an opportunity to receive working at heights training. Alongside this, for groups of ten or more Emcare will come to your company premise to offer this training course. Emcare is consistently working towards making health and safety courses widely accessible.
2. Quick: The Emcare working at heights course is completed within one day. This quick course does not skimp on ensuring that you are adequately prepared to pursue working at heights safely and confidently. Getting your course done for a work opportunity is timely at Emcare.
3. Accredited: The Emcare working at heights course is an accredited course that provides you with a certificate that is valid for two years. The South Africa Department of Labour, EduCert, and the Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority are a few of the authoritative bodies which have accredited this course.
4. Confidence: The working at heights course falls within the Emcare health and safety courses. This means that ensuring your health and safety is the focus of this course. You can feel confident in the knowledge and skills you learn in the Emcare working at heights course, and should you fall, your chances of survival will increase after completing this course.

Eight Tips for Working at Heights:

Keep these eight tips in mind once you have obtained your Emcare working at heights training and are starting your career.

1) Wear Personal Protective Equipment:

The Emcare working at heights course will provide you with the knowledge on all relevant personal protective equipment needed to work at heights. It is important to always wear your personal protective equipment every time you work at heights. A full-body harness is one of the personal protective items which you should wear daily.

Ensure that the company you work for provides you with all relevant personal protective equipment. The company is obligated to ensure that you are fully qualified, competent, and adequately supplied with personal protective equipment to perform your working at heights job.

2) Inspect Your Personal Protective Equipment:

Inspect your personal protective equipment every time before use to ensure that the gear is maintained and working effectively. If you feel your personal protective equipment is not satisfactory, report the issue to your work manager and await new personal protective equipment.

As a company, purchasing personal protective equipment from reputable brands may be expensive initially but it reduces the need to constantly replace these items. There are also standards that reputable brands uphold, and this will offer your employees a greater sense of security.

3) Use Railings:

If you are working on a landing that has railings, it is always suggested to use these railings as a form of passive protection. Ensure that the railings are adequately fixed to the building and will prevent the risk of falling. If you are working on a rooftop, you can request the temporary installation of railings as a form of safety.

4) Understand Fall Distance Adequately:

Different fall distances require different scopes of personal protection. The Emcare working at heights course will train you fully for working at a height. This includes ensuring that you understand fall distance adequately.

5) Choose Your Anchor Points Carefully:

No matter how amazing your personal protective equipment is, if you have attached your harness and lanyard to a weak anchor point then you will face severe injury or possibly death if you fall.

Acceptable anchor points need to be approved by a professional engineer who has calculated the weight ratio or if the anchor point is clearly capable of handling your weight. Drainpipes, steel roofs, and rotted wooden beams are not suitable anchor points.

6) Use Adequate Equipment:

Ladders, scaffolding, and lifts are common equipment used when working at heights. It is important to understand which equipment is needed for specific jobs. Ensure that you understand how each type of equipment works and how to use the equipment safely. In certain situations, your equipment will be the barrier between you and the fall. Ensure that the equipment is placed in a position that can catch you.

7) Use Ladders Correctly:

The use of ladders often results in injuries because many people assume they are easy and simple to use. Ladders should only be used to gain access to a height for work when necessary. When using an extension ladder, it is always suggested to have a person holding the bottom of the ladder or to ensure that it is wedged securely against something sturdy.

8) Stay Focused:

Always ensure that you arrive at your job feeling focused. You need to be fully attentive and aware of your situation to perform your work duties competently and safely. Take regular breaks if necessary to refresh your focus.

Gain the skills and knowledge you need for a safe and successful career working at heights from the Emcare working at heights course.