NOT SAFE FOR WORK By Don Stock,
Owner, The Adventure Guild
When it comes to OSHA violations, these 10 repeat offenses can sneak past aerial activity operators.
Most everyone has heard the maxim, “You don’t know what you don’t know.” It’s a common saying, and is gener- ally pretty accurate. As individuals and organizations, we can be blissfully unaware of certain information, a cus- tom, or a rule simply because we have not been exposed to it or have not sought to learn it. This lack of awareness can result in a spectrum of outcomes, from the comical- ly inappropriate—such as giving your Iraqi cab driver a “thumbs up”—to fines and a reckless driving charge for presuming a lack of speed limit signs means, “GO AS FAST AS YOU WANT!” Nowhere is this phenomenon more prevalent, nor does it hold more sobering and expensive consequences, than in re- lation to OSHA workplace safety compliance. Violations of the OSHA code not only put employees at risk but can also result in hefty fines and legal consequences for the company. Since it’s true that we often “don’t know what we don’t know,” here are 10 OSHA violations that aerial adventure companies may not know they’re committing.
platforms that are connected to aerial elements.
A zip line takeoff or landing platform situated at ground level, but that services a zip line that spans a drop-off, is a prime example. In these circumstances, it’s woefully easy to miss the danger of a fall from height that could result from an unteth- ered employee being pulled from the platform by a patron. This exact scenario has resulted in multiple injuries and fatali- ties across our industry in the past decade. The moral: If there’s potential for an employee to fall from a height higher than 6 feet, that risk must be mitigated. If it is not, you’re in violation of this high-profile requirement.
The sobering truth is: falls from height are one of the leading causes of workplace injuries and fatalities.
1. FAILURE TO PROVIDE FALL PROTECTION
2. Inadequate Hazard Communication
Given how much of our work in the aerial adventure industry involves moving around and working at height, this one may not seem like it should make it into the top 10. I mean, we have cool harnesses and lanyards and belay systems that we use to keep our employees and guests safe, right? The sobering truth is: falls from height are one of the leading causes of workplace injuries and fatalities. Many may not know that the OSHA code dictates that employers must pro- vide fall protection for employees working at heights of 6 feet or more.
Many of the violations on this list are things that employers who are focused on high-profile safety concerns, like work-at- height, may blithely overlook. Hazard awareness and hazard communication, especially as it relates to chemical hazards in the workplace, are among those potential blind spots. Employees are commonly called upon to handle and dispense things like pesticides, herbicides, gasoline, etc., and the dan- gers associated with those products must be communicated via the creation and maintenance of Safety Data Sheets, and through proper training and instructions.
One place where this requirement, and the potential for catastrophic consequences, is missed is on ground-based
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