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A Message from the President

Don’t Miss the Fall Prevention in Residential Construction
Training on December 6 th

Did you know that 40% of fatal falls occur from heights 15 feet or lower? I know
several of you heard the news reports about the collapse of a townhome in Dallas
a few weeks ago that killed one framer and injured five others when the house
under construction collapsed due to high winds.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in accordance with
29 CFR 1926.503 requires that you ensure each employee has been trained by a
competent person to recognize the hazards of falling and the procedures to put
in place to minimize those hazards. You must also verify training by preparing a
written certification record that contains the name of the employee trained, the
Bryan Smith date of the training and the instructor’s signature.
President I am pleased to share that in conjunction with the National Association of Home
Builders (NAHB), the Job Safety Institute (JSI) and the Greater San Antonio Builders
Association (GSABA) and through a grant awarded to GSABA by OSHA, we will
present a condensed four-hour class that meets OSHA’s site-specific fall protection plan and meets the requirements
of 29 CFR 1926.502(k). Training includes:
• Details on what is required in your written and site-specific fall protection plan – a link to a “Sample Fall
Protection Plan” will be sent to you in advance of the training.
• Conventional Fall Protection Methods under 1925.501(b)(13) will be presented and alternate fall protection
such as slideguards, safety monitors, and warning lines will be discussed.
• How to create a fall protection rescue plan to describe the steps, tools and equipment to safely and quickly
rescue fallen or suspended workers.
This class will also cover common fall hazards in residential construction, when fall protection is required, the
protection system to use for a given fall hazard, understanding the key requirements and basic safety practices for
each protection system and the safety requirements and practices for ladders and scaffolding.
Possibly the most important part of the training is a review of the safe work practices that must be used to minimize
the risk of workers falling during home construction operations with an emphasis on how to protect stairways, leading
edges, window/wall openings and floor holes. The instructor will also cover how to properly use a Personal Fall Arrest
System (PFAS), how to provide protection from falling objects, and how to prevent falls when working at heights on
ladders and scaffolding.
This four-hour Fall Prevention in Residential Construction class will be held on Thursday, December 6 in GSABA’s
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Ray Ellison Ballroom from 10:00 am to 2:30 pm and while the grant covers the cost of the class and the trainer, there
is a nominal $15 fee for refreshments, lunch and copies of all training materials. The class is limited to 40 people and
certificates will be presented.
The last fine imposed in our area by OSHA was $12,934 and this was for ONE VIOLATION! This training will be a great
refresher class for your construction team and will be taught by Matt Murphy, owner of SEE Inc. SEE Inc. offers several
OSHA training sessions, full site safety consulting services, writing of programs and custom training programs, hazard
assessments, audits, site inspections, and help with OSHA visits.
In closing, I want to personally invite you to get involved with the annual Military Luncheon being hosted by Building
Believers for 300+ Air Force Cadets on Friday, November 16 from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. We are in need of donations and
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volunteers so please call Bryan Lee at (210) 499-0776 or Wanda Herber at (210) 913-5656 to donate items, food, cash or
serve during the luncheon!
Sincerely,

Bryan Smith, President

6 NOVEMBER 2018 | GREATER SAN ANTONIO BUILDERS ASSOCIATION