CARSTAIRS - Town council has approved a new fall protection policy designed to ensure that all town employees and contactors who work at heights of more than three metres are trained in the use of a fall protection system.
The new policy was considered and approved at the recent regularly scheduled council meeting.
Under the policy all Town of Carstairs employees and contactors are required to have fall protection training and certification prior to starting work on any town jobsite.
Employees and contractors must use fall protection equipment if there is a chance of the worker falling three metres or more, the possibility of injury if a worker falls less than three metres, or if a pre-job hazard assessment for the work activity identifies the need for fall protection.
Under the policy the town is responsible to erect guardrails whenever practicable, but when not practicable fall protection equipment will be used.
The town may also ensure that approved fall protection equipment is readily available and accessible.
Fall protection equipment must be worn when working over water, open vessels, machinery, extremely hot or cold surfaces, working from a boom-elevating work platform, boom-supported aerial device or telescopic forklift truck work platform.
CAO Carl McDonnell says public works staff and arena staff will be training under the new policy in the coming weeks, with other staff receiving training in the spring.
Pumper truck purchase OK'd
In other news from the recent council meeting, councillors have passed a bylaw approving the spending of $500,000 on a new pumper-ladder truck for the municipality’s fire department.
The used vehicle will be purchased from the City of Lethbridge and refurbished before coming into service in May or June 2021, said the town's CAO.
