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Fall Protection Program Responsibilities

Environmental Health & Safety

Environmental Health & Safety is responsible for developing, implementing, and administering the Fall Protection Program. This involves:

  • Training all operators in the associated hazards and general safe work practices.
  • Maintaining centralized records of training and certification records.
  • Providing technical assistance to university personnel.
  • Evaluating the overall effectiveness of the program on a periodic basis.

Departments

Departments are expected to maintain a safe and healthy living, learning, and working environment for faculty, staff, students, and visitors to Virginia Tech.

Departments must identify fall hazards in the area, or tasks involving work at heights, and ensure personnel are properly trained to use fall protection equipment provided.

A designated responsible person(s) to coordinate the requirements of this program with employees is recommended. Designated persons must attend Environmental Health and Safety Fall Protection User training.

Employees

  • Employees using personal fall arrest systems must attend Environmental Health and Safety Fall Protection User training and use the equipment in a safe and responsible manner. 
  • Employees must report all falls involving personal fall arrest systems to their supervisor and remove the equipment from service. 
  • Where personnel are working in an area where potential fall hazards exist, but workplace policy does not permit employees to be exposed, Environmental Health and Safety Fall Hazard Awareness level training is required.

Contractors

Contractors must comply with all local, state, and federal safety requirements, and assure that all of their employees performing work on Virginia Tech properties have been suitably trained and are provided with appropriate personal protection. Contractors must also comply with the requirements outlined in Virginia Tech's Contractor Safety Program. Contractors working at heights, or exposed to a fall hazard situation, on-campus must coordinate such work with their project manager to assure both parties are informed and work activities are coordinated, where necessary. Access to any roof on campus, for example, must be coordinated due to chemical/biological exhausts, RF, noise hazards, fall hazards, and the use of anchor points. Refer to the Roof Access Policy for more information.