Working At Heights Training: Construction Site Safety

Working at heights training prepares your employees for a variety of different tasks and can hugely reduce the risk of workplace accidents. Construction, especially at great heights, can be very dangerous for the staff involved if they are not properly trained.

The safety of your staff should be a priority and our working at heights courses are a fantastic starting point in that regard. In this article, we will cover some important reasons why every construction site requires workers who have undergone sufficient training for working at heights.

Working At Heights Training Courses: Why Are They Important?

As an employer of construction workers, it is imperative that any and all steps are taken to avoid dangerous incidents on site. Without adequate training, construction workers are not able to take the required steps to ensure their own safety.

We have a variety of working at heights training courses that cover different aspects of construction work. Let’s look at a few of these courses more specifically and go over some benefits they provide.

1. Portable ladder course: Although using a portable ladder may seem simple at first glance, it ends up being one of the most common ways workplace accidents occur in construction. This working at heights course covers all the important factors that go into using portable ladders safely and effectively. There is a theoretical portion of the course and a practical section.
   
   It begins with a basic introduction to working at height and covers many things such as fall factors, limitations of safe anchoring points and understanding on-site risk assessments. The practical training teaches proper ascension and descending techniques and emphasises the importance of implementing the buddy system. Along with many other vitally important things to consider when using a portable ladder.
   
   
2. Scaffolding erectors course (SE): Scaffolding is a very important part of effective construction and is essential in most instances. With this in mind, having multiple people on site who fully understand the mechanics and erection of access scaffolding can be massively beneficial. If scaffolding is built incorrectly or is used improperly, serious accidents or even fatalities can occur.
   
   This training course instructs your staff on how to effectively interpret basic drawings and instructions on how to erect access scaffolding. Coordinating necessary equipment for the process and safely dismantling the scaffolding structures. Our instructors are extremely well-informed and knowledgeable, and we believe these skills are invaluable in creating a safe working environment.
   

3. Scaffolding inspectors course (SI): Equally as important as erecting the scaffolding is the inspection that follows. A scaffold inspector has a big role to play in decreasing potential risk on-site. Without employees who have this certificate, you may have access structures that are not in compliance with the South African National Standards (SANS).
   
   This working at heights training course prepares participants with adequate knowledge to differentiate between different types of access scaffolding and how they should be implemented. We emphasise the important role of the inspector and aim to assist in understanding client requirements and special requests.
   
   
4. Climbing equipment inspection and maintenance course: For more specialised construction work this particular working at heights training course could prove to be a necessity. It’s designed for equipment controllers, site supervisors and technicians. Similarly to the portable ladder course, there are theoretical and practical elements to provide a comprehensive learning experience.
   
   In this training course, trainees are taught how to properly perform inspections on their climbing gear and how the equipment itself is maintained. Additionally, they are shown how to successfully employ equipment control procedures, correct storage of the hardware and many other valuable skills. The duration of this course is only a single day but the qualification it provides lasts for 3 full years.
   

5. Basic working at heights training course (WHB). The final course we will look at is possibly the most necessary of them all. It offers a broader look at most of the vital elements of working at heights training. It may be a good idea to have your staff begin with this basic training course before moving on to more specific avenues.
   
   The training itself involves covering legislation pertaining to safety at heights, fall protection plans and height safety PPE. Along with some other important training that will end up being very useful on-site. One can never be too safe when it comes to the training of construction workers, it ultimately could end up saving someone’s life.

What Can Happen If Construction Workers Are Not Properly Trained?

The unfortunate reality of working in construction is that it is an especially hazardous line of work. Without the awareness that comes from good training, the door can be left open to terrible workplace accidents.

In order to remain conscious of this fact, it is important to know what can happen without working at heights training. Here are a few common workplace accidents that occur on construction sites.

1. Inadequate access scaffolding construction: As one can imagine, if scaffolding is not erected properly there are many things that can go wrong. Parts of the structure could break loose and collide with workers or fall and cause damage or injury. The entire scaffolding could collapse and present untold problems or possible fatalities. This is a part of the reason why working at heights training is so important.
   
   
2. Lack of access to adequate safety equipment: Personal safety equipment such as tool safety lanyards that prevent the dropping of tools, safety harnesses for the workers themselves and boots with a strong tread to avoid slippage – these are pieces of equipment that may end up saving lives. It is vital that workers are properly educated on how to use and maintain said items, so they may protect themselves and their colleagues.
   
   
3. Ill-equipped or untrained construction workers: If staff are thrown into the deep end without adequate working at heights training, they are not only a danger to themselves but also to others. They may push safety limits and regulations, continue working in unfit conditions or unknowingly create structural issues – these things all have the capacity to cause major incidents and should be avoided.
   
   
4. Untrained workers may compromise the structure itself: If equipment and tools are not used correctly, there may be an impact on the structural integrity of what is being built. This presents many issues going forward and can cause serious accidents further down the line. This often arises when workers cut corners because they are worried for their own safety and are not confidently performing their duties.
   

Other Benefits To Working At Heights Courses

As important as worker safety and the avoidance of workplace accidents is – there are other reasons that our training courses are worthwhile. Our courses teach effectiveness and efficiency as well. When your staff properly understand how to utilise all the equipment at their disposal, they ultimately become more competent and can work more effectively.

This means that in the long run, as a business owner, it makes a lot of sense to have your employees be as highly trained as possible. This is for their safety and for the benefit of the business itself. Well trained construction staff can work faster and can perform duties that they otherwise would not be able to.

More About EMCARE And Our Courses

Aside from the working at heights training that we have been looking at – EMCARE is a specialised health and safety training company with more than 20 years of experience. Our many courses include fire fighting, health and safety, emergency evacuation training and more. We consider ourselves to be the number one training provider in our industry and we aim to offer only the highest quality legal compliance and care training to our learners.

We have training facilities in all of the major cities in South Africa so that we may provide our services on a national scale. Our training is very interactive between instructor and learner and we strive to embody the best in customer service and quality. We strongly believe that the services and training we provide are hugely important and for this reason, we are constantly striving to learn and improve.