Working at Heights

Falls from heights are the leading cause of traumatic worker deaths and critical injuries in construction. The underlying causes of falls from heights are often missing, poorly maintained and improper fall protection equipment and systems, lack of safe work procedures, and inadequate supervision. Lack of training, or inadequate training for workers, supervisors, joint health and safety committee members, and worker representatives is another significant contributing factor.

To help put a stop to this suffering, regulation in Ontario requires employers to ensure construction workers complete a Ministry of Labour (MOL)-approved working at heights training program before they work at heights and use fall protection equipment and systems. Fall protection includes travel restraint systems, fall restricting systems, fall arrest systems, safety nets, and work belts or safety belts. Employers must also maintain detailed records of training. Approved training is valid for three years from the date of successful completion.

This comprehensive program is divided into two modules. Module one explores:

duties of the workplace parties under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, along with the workers’ rights to know, participate, and refuse unsafe work;
regulations addressing fall arrest hazards, fall protection equipment, and working at heights projects;
hazards of working at heights and how to identify, assess, and control these hazards;
setup, use, maintenance, and storage of travel restraint and fall arrest systems.

The second module involves practical hands-on learning including the critical safety elements of fall protection equipment and systems. Participants learn about:

regulatory requirements and procedures for use of bump lines, barriers, guardrails, and safety nets;
inspection, limitations, storage, and safe work procedures for travel restraint, fall restricting and fall arrest systems;
requirements for guardrails;
set up and use of rope grabs for both fall arrest and ladder use;
use of a harness and also vertical, horizontal, and retractable lifelines;
maintaining tie-offs and safe use of anchor systems and anchor points;
work positioning systems such as scaffolds, elevating and mast-climbing work platforms, vehicle-mounted aerial devices, suspended access equipment (swing stage), boatswain’s chair/bosun’s chair and ladders; and
key components of a fall rescue plan and emergency procedures.