Fall Protection Course in BC

Pick a date and book online. Class sizes are small so everyone gets time on the equipment.

Under the WorkSafeBC Occupational Health and Safety Regulation (Part 11), fall protection is required where a fall of 3 metres (10 feet) or more may occur, and also for a shorter fall where the risk of injury is greater than landing on a flat surface (section 11.2). The Regulation sets an order of controls: guardrails first where practicable, then fall restraint, then fall arrest or rope access, and only then work procedures acceptable to WorkSafeBC.

Before a worker enters an area where they could fall, the employer must make sure they are instructed in the fall protection system for that area (section 11.2(6)). Where there is no permanent guardrail and a fall of 7.5 metres (25 feet) or more may occur, a written fall protection plan is required (section 11.3). Equipment must be inspected by a qualified person before use on each workshift (section 11.9).

Our course gives you the foundation: how to choose, inspect, put on and use equipment correctly, and what to do if someone falls. Your employer still has to instruct you on the system and procedures at your own work site. For a plain-language walk through the rules, read When is fall protection required in BC?

• How falls happen and how to spot fall hazards on a site
• The hierarchy of fall protection: guardrails, restraint, arrest and other controls
• Full-body harnesses: inspection, fitting and adjustment
• Lanyards, shock absorbers, self-retracting lifelines and connectors
• Anchor points and anchorage requirements
• Clearance distances and swing-fall hazards
• Fall protection plans and when a written plan is needed
• Rescue planning and emergency preparedness

Hands-on practice

This is not a lecture-only day. You inspect real harnesses and lanyards, put on and adjust a harness, and practise connecting to anchors with an instructor watching.

The online fall protection course ($52.95) is good for theory, refreshers, or getting started before a shift. The in-person class adds hands-on time with harnesses and anchors, which many BC employers and site supervisors like to see. Either way, your employer must instruct you on the fall protection system used at your site.

Prices are in Canadian dollars, before 5% GST.

• Construction workers, framers and roofers
• Painters, window installers and siding crews
• Scaffold, drywall and renovation workers
• Electricians, HVAC and telecom technicians who work on roofs or towers
• Warehouse workers on mezzanines, racking or elevated platforms
• Aerial lift operators: pair this course with scissor lift or boom lift training
• Supervisors who approve work at heights

Companies can book several seats in a class or ask about a custom session. We supply receipts and training records. See team training or call 1-866-661-9803.

Gama Safety Canada Training Centre, 122-2544 Douglas Road, Burnaby, BC V5C 5B4. This is our only classroom and it serves workers across Metro Vancouver.

• From Vancouver: usually 20 to 40 minutes by car depending on the time of day (an estimate), or the Millennium Line SkyTrain to Holdom Station, the closest stop we know of. Check Google Maps for the exact route.
• From Surrey, Coquitlam and the Tri-Cities: via Highway 1 or the Lougheed Highway.
• Parking: free, in front of the building and behind it under the bridge.

Working elsewhere in BC? Start with the online course and join an in-person class when you are in the Lower Mainland. Looking for forklift or lift training too? See forklift training near Vancouver.