The "Safety and Compliance" Seminar – Part 5

Over the next few weeks you’ll learn the top five ways to be safe and compliant in your workplace.

Part 5: Be equipped and Protected at All Times

By Brynna Leslie

There’s really no point in training your employees on fall protection, if they opt out of using the equipment when it’s needed.

“Roofers are the worst offenders,” says Barrie Harrison, spokesperson for Alberta Occupational Health and Safety. “They think the laws don’t apply to them or they find fall protection gear gets in their way. They’ll only wear the equipment when someone passes by on the street to give the illusion that they’re in compliance, but that doesn’t do much good if you actually fall.”

Alberta only recently lifted a two-year exemption on roofers to have proper fall protection equipment in place. Harrison recalls a death earlier this year in the province where a roofer was wearing full fall protection equipment, but incorrectly. “The rope was too long,” says Harrison. “People have to get this idea out of their heads that they don’t need the equipment or that they don’t need it all the time.”

In the same vein, having tools that are up-to-code and in good working condition is the responsibility of the employer, regardless of where you live.

================================================

Brynna Leslie is a freelance writer based in Ottawa and a regular contributor to Canadian Contractor.