Who would have known that all of your training from your years in a manufacturing plant would be so helpful in so many other places. Your knowledge of web slings and rigging supplies helped you to quickly understand the steps involved in moving students in and out of wheel chairs and getting these same students in and out of buses. Understanding the correct order of securing the safety straps was easy for you as you were able to think back to similar safety devices you had used on the job.
In addition to serving as a paraprofessional substitute in the district, you also spend some time working in the warehouse of a large furniture store. Although you did not have to do any heavy lifting, you did operate some of the equipment. The equipment work also used knowledge and skills that you had learned while you were in the manufacturing plant. Again, understanding the use of rigging hardware and other equipment is as important in the furniture moving business as it was in your former plant job.
Understanding the Safe Use of Fall Protection Equipment Is a Good Knowledge Base for Other jobs
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is an organization in the Department of Labor that outlines the safe use of materials and equipment, as well as providing safety guidelines to help avoid falls and other accidents. From the detailed description of how to use rigging hardware and other equipment, OSHA also requires training for new employees and required follow up training for workers who have been on the job for awhile. Fortunately, by paying close attention to these safety regulations, the country has seen a significant decrease in the number of accidents.
By using a simple three step plan in their fall protection strategy, for instance, workers are able to memorize the steps that they need to pay attention to whenever they working at elevated height. By knowing that it is important to plan, provide, and train, managers and work crew leaders can help create and maintain a safe work environment. For instance, any worker who is six feet or more above lower levels is at risk for serious injury or death if a fall occurs. To protect every workers, employers are required to provide fall protection and the right equipment for the job, including the right kinds of scaffolds, ladders, and safety gear.
One added benefit of working at a job that stresses the basics of fall protection and workplace safety, including the use of rigging hardware, is that these valuable and life saving skills may help you as you approach any future job site or task.
