After more than a year of careful planning, budgeting and review, the City of Goose Creek is proud to announce the installation of Occupational Safety and Health Administration-required fall protection systems to protect employees who work on large vehicles such as sanitation trucks, fire trucks and other fleet equipment.
Employees in these departments often perform maintenance, inspections and cleaning tasks that require them to work from elevated positions on and around large vehicles. Without proper protection, these situations pose a serious fall hazard, which is one of OSHA’s most frequently cited workplace safety concerns.
Thanks to John Ciesielski, retired loss control consultant for Risk Management Services, who conducted a safety inspection at our Department of Public Works and identified the very important need for fall protection in our garage.
The new fall protection systems — designed and installed to meet OSHA standards —will help ensure employees are protected while performing essential tasks at height. The system provides secure anchorage points, user-friendly harness connections, and the stability needed to work confidently without compromising safety.
This improvement did not come without careful financial planning. Due to the cost of the equipment and installation, the project required approval through the city’s budget process. Thanks to the commitment of city leadership, department heads and the support of our safety team, funding was approved, and the installation is now complete.
This investment in safety reflects our commitment to our employees. Staff deserves the tools and protections necessary to do their jobs and return home safely at the end of each day. This system is another step toward maintaining a safe and healthy workplace.
By taking these steps, we are not only meeting legal requirements — we are protecting our most valuable asset: our people.
With this upgrade in place, our teams can work on large vehicles with greater confidence, knowing that their safety is a top priority.
Written by Wynette DeGroot, senior human resources generalist, City of Goose Creek.