My first response was sadness over a worker being killed.  Regardless of the job, it is always a very sad situation when someone is killed or injured.  The fact that it was a member of the billboard community makes it even worse.  I’ve always said that there is no competition between companies when it comes to safety, and we all suffer when someone is hurt.

Anytime there is a recognized fall hazard, employees must be protected.  There are certain height enforcement levels based on the industry, but the bottom line is that if there is a hazard the employee must be protected.

I frequently get asked about being hooked up to an anchor point when in a scissor lift or a single boom lift like the one that was used in the New York accident.  My answer is “what does the manufacturer say?”  Every time I have reviewed the manufacturer operating instructions. I have found that they not only require the use of fall protection equipment during operation, but they also have specific attachment points to hook into.  From the picture of the accident scene I saw, it looked like the worker could have been on the store canopy using a portable ladder.  If that were the case, they should definitely have been using fall protection when in that area.

Training is key to understanding fall protection requirements.  Many companies offer training on their fall prevention products, much like Formetco does, but safety classes like OSHA Outreach training, and targeted fall prevention programs are excellent ways to learn more about working safely at heights.   To learn more visit Formetco’s safety page.

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