Page 15 - ABC Indiana: The Hoosier Contractor, Spring 2013

The HOOSIER CONTRACTOR SPRING 2013 15
Familiarization training without operator training is
akin to putting the cart before the horse because
without first training an employee he will not have
the requisite qualifications to become familiar with
a task or equipment to be used.
One of the most misunderstood examples of this “cart before the horse”
philosophy is used in regards to aerial lifts. Often times the same story is
repeated; the rental company drops off equipment, familiarization training
is provided, equipment is accepted, and employees use the equipment.
This familiarization is free of charge and the employer mistakenly believes
his employees have been trained. Not the case.
Aerial lifts are discussed in Subpart L, Scaffolds, of the 29 CFR 1926
(specifically 1926.453) because it is a personnel platform. Paragraph
1926.454 discusses the Training Requirements employers shall provide
their employees before they are authorized to use the equipment covered in
Subpart L. Training is provided to make employees who operate aerial lifts
proficient with specialized instruction and allow for practice as it relates
to the safe use, operating practices, and recognition of hazards in the work
place. To become proficient, an employee would have to have an advanced
knowledge and/or skill related to the equipment in question. Familiarization,
in contrast, only makes known to the employee through acquaintance
information uniquely related to the specific equipment in question. Without
formalized operator training and demonstrated proficiency how can an
employee then be expected to safely operate equipment while only being
familiar with the equipment to be used? Why then does an employer accept
familiarization training in lieu of operator training in its truest form?
Thorough training is one of the means by which an employer determines
an employee to be authorized to perform specific work or operate specific
equipment. In essence, an authorized employee is a Qualified Person as it
relates to the task or equipment in question. According to OSHA, a Qualified
Person is one “. . . who by extensive knowledge, training, and experience has
successfully demonstrated his ability to solve or resolve problems relating
to the subject matter, the work, and the project.” Familiarization training
alone does not make an employee an authorized person. It is operator
training in combination with experience and knowledge that determines, in
the employer’s judgment, if an employee should be authorized.
Training, as it relates to aerial lifts, covers a wide range of topics to include:
general safety concerns, site specific safety concerns, dynamics of aerial
lift platforms, inspection procedures, start up and shut down procedures,
fueling procedures, thorough written testing and practical application
testing. This training covers aerial lifts as a class of equipment, not a
specific lift. Once this training is completed familiarization training
now takes it place on the training continuum. With the formalized
operator training achieved an employee can now become familiar
with the specific equipment delivered to the job site.
Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. of Indiana offers aerial lift
training to the membership. The ABC aerial lift training program is a
comprehensive program that includes classroom instruction, written
testing, and practical application testing. The ABC aerial lift training
program can then serve as the foundation from which specific
familiarization training can be built. Understanding the difference
between training and familiarization training will improve safety in
any company and better prepare employers in determining who is
authorized to perform specific tasks and operate specific equipment
on a job site. Call Darren Baker at ABC, Inc., Indiana Chapter for more
information at (317) 596-4950.