OSHA Grant Enables Free Fall-Prevention Training

This article first appeared in the November 2019 issue of Pro Builder.

Fall prevention is a critical aspect of workplace safety, and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has worked hard to make quality fall-prevention training available to construction workers across the country.

A $150,000 grant from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will enable NAHB, in partnership with the Job-Site Safety Institute (JSI), to continue offering fall-protection safety training through NAHB’s state and local home builder association affiliates nationwide. The training will reach thousands of residential construction workers at more than 600 construction firms.

Thanks to the grant, the fall-prevention course is available free of charge to NAHB members and is typically offered through Home Builders Associations. The 4-hour session is offered in both English and Spanish and teaches participants how to:

• Identify common fall hazards in residential construction.

• Determine processes to use when fall protection is required.

• Decide which protective system will work best for a given fall hazard.

• Understand basic safety practices for ladders and scaffolding.

OSHA’s Susan Harwood Training Grants program, honoring the late Susan Harwood, former director of the Office of Risk Assessment in OSHA’s Health standards directorate, provides training and education to help workers and employers recognize serious workplace hazards, implement injury prevention measures, and understand their rights and responsibilities under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. OSHA this year has awarded approximately $10.5 million in Susan Harwood federal safety and health training grants to 79 nonprofit organizations.

NAHB places a high priority on worker safety and health and offers its members a number of other resources on jobsite safety, including courses, webinars, toolkits, and videos.

During the 2020 NAHB International Builders’ Show, January 21-23, in Las Vegas, industry attendees have the opportunity to visit the Jobsite Safety Zone where they can see the latest cutting-edge construction safety products and hear from industry leaders on practical training tips and the latest advancements in jobsite safety.

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NAHB Housing Policy Briefing | The National Association of Home Builders is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing more than 140,000 members involved in home building, remodeling, multifamily construction, property management, subcontracting, design, housing finance, building product manufacturing, and other aspects of residential and light commercial construction.