Ladder safety is no joke: Fatalities caused by falls from elevation continue to be a leading cause of death for construction workers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 370 of the 991 construction fatalities in 2016 were caused by falls from elevation, and all of these deaths were preventable.
And while construction workers are most at risk, falls can happen in agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, and virtually any other industry that may involve working from height. Following highway crashes, falls are the second leading cause of workplace death.
With this in mind, the Master Builders’ Association (MBA) and Simcoach Games have introduced their latest construction safety game, Site Coach: Ladder Safety.
Site Coach: Ladder Safety is a video game designed to raise awareness of risks related to ladder safety on construction sites. Players are challenged to investigate construction sites and practice identifying some of the most common hazards in ladder safety, including improper use, failure of inspection, faulty set-up, and many other unsafe practices. The game features the following safety precautions: identification of ladder damage, use near fall hazards, secured ladders, placement of ladders in excavation, overhead power lines, selection of the right ladder, and more.
The game features:
- Highway and building virtual construction sites
- Bonuses for identifying common ladder hazards
- Badges earned through the Simcoach Skill Arcade.
Site Coach: Ladder Safety is the newest of the Simcoach Skill Arcade apps that allow users to explore careers, practice basic job skills, and earn badges to gain exposure to careers and training opportunities. In 2016, the staggering number of deaths in construction caused by falls prompted Simcoach and the MBA to develop Harness Hero, a game that not only teaches the importance of fall arrest safety, but equips players with basic skills. It was followed by Harness Hero: Bridge Edition.
During these games, players choose where to anchor their fall arrest system, what anchorage device to use, how to set up the harness, what connection device to use, and inspect their equipment for burns, rips, rust and other malfunctions. At the end of each play, players encounter a fall, and depending on how well they did setting up their fall arrest system, will either witness a rescue, a severe injury, or even a fatality.
“We started Simcoach Games to make games that train, inspire, protect people, and even save lives — and to benefit the workforce in our region,” said Jessica Trybus, CEO of Simcoach Games. “Harness Hero is a great example of this — we partnered with the Master Builders’ Association to deliver a simple tool to raise awareness around fall protection and to help workers practice critical skills to stay safe.”
Site Coach: Ladder Safety, Harness Hero, and Harness Hero: Bridge Edition are available for free through the iOS App Store, Google Play Store, and Amazon App Store.
Ladder Safety: Looking Ahead
Next month, the National Safety Council, OSHA, and its partners are asking employers to take a few minutes to discuss fall protection and safety when working from heights during the annual Fall Safety Stand Down, May 7-11, 2018.
