2. Maintenance and Distribution of a Fall Protection Plan

Whether you’ve developed a Fall Protection Plan, an employee handbook, a policy manual, or some other form of documentation of your company’s policies, it is crucial to communicate the contents of these documents to your employees. Your employees should be advised why it was created, what the purpose is and how the document will be used in the company. This also applies when updates are being made.

You should also incorporate employee feedback, opinions and ideas about what to include in the document, preferably prior to its creation. Asking employees up-front for their input about what they would like to see included is the first step to communicating company policies and procedures. Communication with employees should start well before the formal document is completed.

Develop your communication strategy first, before you start documenting the company’s Fall Protection Plan. It is important to keep employees informed of the process to encourage their buy-in and input.

Keep the following recommendations in mind for how to communicate the Fall Protection Plan to the employees:

1. Inform Employees Up-front

• At the start of a project, let employees know that the company will work on developing (or updating) the Fall Protection Plan.
• Explain why the information is important and relevant, and what impact it will have on them.

2. Ask For Feedback

• To encourage employee involvement, ask employees for their valued input about what should be included in the Fall Protection Plan.
• Incorporate as much of the employee feedback as possible.

3. Introduce the Final Product

• Conduct a meeting with all workers to introduce the completed Fall Protection Plan and review its purpose.
• Reinforce its importance and how it should be used.

4. Request Employee Sign-off

• It is important for workers to read the document to become familiar with the company’s Fall Protection Plan.
• Request each employee signs off on having read the document.
• A copy of the sign-off should be placed in the health and safety system file.

The Fall Protection Plan should be reviewed, maintained and updated regularly – about once a year – and should incorporate any employee suggestions for improving the document. Following these recommendations, you’ll be well on your way to communicating your policies and procedures to staff effectively.