Assignment:
Select one of the following scenarios and post your response below. Be sure to identify which topic you are responding to.
1. Competent Person
Several OSHA standards require that a "competent person" be in charge of certain activities on a site. Two of the topics covered in this module; fall protection and scaffolds, have competent person requirements. Research the qualities/training/knowledge that OSHA says a competent person must have to be put in charge of a particular task. Specifically. for fall protection and scaffolds, what type of training and/or experience do you think is necessary to meet the OSHA requirements (be specific)? Do you feel that the safety professional would be the best person on a construction site to fit the competent person role? Explain your answer.
2. Conflicting Fall Protection Heights
29 CFR 1926.501(b)(1) states that "Each employee on a walking/working surface (horizontal and vertical surface) with an unprotected side or edge which is 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above a lower level shall be protected from falling by the use of guardrail systems safety net systems. or personal fall arrest systems:
For comparison purposes, the following are several different OSHA fall protection requirements:
• General Industry - 4 feet
• Construction - 6 feet
• Scaffolds - 10 feet
• Portable Extension/Step Ladders - Maximum working height of the ladder
• Fixed Ladders - 20 feet
• Steel Erection - 15 feet or 30 feet
• Crane Assembly/Disassembly - 15 feet
Research why these requirements are different. Post a reflection for your classmates that summarizes what you found on why these standards are different (i.e.. have different fall protection height requirements). In addition, provide what you think are some pros and cons of having different fall protection height requirements for different activities. How do you think a fall protection program for a large construction site can effectively overcome the confusion that might occur because of these different requirements? Give some examples.