OSHA has been beefing up its initiative against worker falls especially when on scaffolding and ladders. Its latest citations against a Staten Island masonry contractor is evidence that worker safety is a priority and all employers need to focus on the wellbeing of their workers, especially when they are commission to work at considerable heights.
The Staten Island company was found to be using rigged devices on their scaffolding system in order for workers to be able to reach higher up. As a result, one worker fell from a 6th floor balcony and suffered serious injuries. Fall hazards are still the top reason workers are dying on the job especially in the construction industry. It really is remarkable that despite the knowledge employers are still allowing workers to go unprotected while working at great heights.
It is vital to all workers that proper equipment is being utilized on the job site. Adding extra materials to a scaffolding system is just inviting injuries. Any worker who is involved in such a situation has the right to refuse to work under potentially hazardous conditions. Never do what it takes to get the job done when your safety is at risk. Demand your employer has the right equipment and materials at all times. This is not only important for your own personal safety but for the safety of every single person on the job site.
If you work in the construction industry or any type of job that requires you work at significant heights, be sure to always use the proper protection such as harnesses to prevent you from falling. Never assume you are skilled enough to go without the proper safety equipment. It is such assumptions on the part of the worker or the employer that ends up in injuries and fatalities.
