Reflecting on Pro-Bel’s Role in Risk Management
It’s the end of a successful 2015. As a Department Manager, I am inclined to sit back and reflect on what my department did well, what we did not do well, and how we can grow the business while continuing to exceed our customers’ expectations.
This type of introspection forces me to look at just what our “business” really is. Sure, we at Pro-Bel inspect and load test roof anchors, roof davits, and most other types of fall protection equipment. But what service do we offer our clients?
Conducting the Federal OSHA-mandated roof anchor/davit inspections is essential, but when I delve into what we offer our clients, I settle on peace of mind.
The peace of mind we offer is indeed a form of risk management in that, as a property manager, facility manager, or building owner, you can rest assured that Pro-Bel has completed the equipment inspection by competent, honest, and reliable technicians.
Of course, this peace of mind is provided if your facility has suitable roof anchors/roof davits designed and engineered for their use. What if your facility does not have roof anchors or fall protection? How is Pro-Bel meeting your needs for managing risk on those buildings, and how can we be of service moving forward?
Identifying and Managing Risk for Your Building
Over the past few weeks, I’ve had some exciting conversations with Marc Lebel, our Founder and CEO, regarding this topic, which seemed to be a natural fit for the first blog of 2016.
Marc and I are working together to see how we can help building owners identify and manage the risk associated with workers performing suspended maintenance work on our client’s buildings and any worker accessing the roof. This ranges from your staff to HVAC Service Technicians. At any given time, these workers may be exposed to the hazard of a fall of 4’ or greater, and as such, some form of fall protection shall be provided by the controlling employer.
Understanding OSHA’s Multi-Employer Citation Policy
But who is the controlling employer? Is it the owner of the HVAC or window cleaning company, the property management firm, or the Board of Directors of the condominium corporation? This question (through Marc’s help) has led me to an exciting document that discusses Federal OSHA’s Multi-Employer Citation Policy.
In this policy, the Federal OSHA defines the four types of employers and discusses their responsibilities throughout a project or task. The four types of employers are the Controlling Employer, Creating Employer, Exposing Employer, and Correcting Employer.
Pro-Bel’s 2016 Initiative for Risk Management
While I won’t go into detail in this particular blog, I will advise that throughout 2016, Pro-Bel will assist our clients in identifying what category they fall into and how, by identifying this, they can minimize exposure and risk of civil and criminal liability.
Through a program we are developing, we will identify hazards on a particular project, whether or not there is existing fall protection, and create a program to protect workers from injury and control employers from risk of liability.
We will educate our clients on codes and standards, common rigging practices, and available options to ensure that any recognized hazards are eliminated.
Providing Solutions Beyond Roof Anchors
Our goal is not just to provide our clients with roof anchors or davits. We want clients with a risk management issue to know that there are alternatives and assist them in developing a plan to minimize the risk that explores all of the options.
In 2016, Pro-Bel will work with you to explain your liability and exposure when allowing anyone on your roof and how to control this access.
Pro-Bel will regularly update this blog throughout 2016, posting interesting and informative data. We look forward to your comments, questions, and concerns about fall protection, roof safety, roof anchors, and roof davits.
Letting Pro-Bel take care of your roof anchor inspections
Pro-Bel was the first company in North America to patent the roof anchor—we’ve known for decades how vital they are for safety. We have countless competent inspectors all over North America who specialize in suspended access and fall protection systems. We can ensure that rooftop davits, roof anchors/tieback anchors, wall anchors, outrigger beams, and any other system in place are in full compliance with OSHA.
Rooftop safety inspections are due annually, and waiting over 365 since your building’s previous inspection runs the risk of a total liability lawsuit for any injury or death that occurs.
Don’t hesitate on safety. Contact us to discuss how we can help you identify and manage the risks associated with roof safety. Reach out to our team for tailored advice and support and book a suspended access or fall protection inspection.
Yours in safety,
Brent LaPorte
USA Inspections Manager