ComTrain's Instructors Corner
INSTRUCTORS' CORNER
Welcome to ComTrain's Instructors' Corner. This section is designed to serve the Certified Comtrain Instructors and those that may be considering that certification. Bookmark this page as a Favorite and check back often for updated safety information, instructor announcements and teaching tools, equipment updates, refresher/re-Certification classes and answers to often asked your questions.
Scheduled Instructor Re-Certification Classes
May Tower and Safety Training |
Instructor Re-Certification Atlanta, GA |
2 Day Class | May 16-17 | Thur - Fri Class Email or Call (512) 275-6600 |
Instructor Tools
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Ask your Question
(See Answers to Recent Questions Below)
(See Answers to Recent Questions Below)
We want to support our Instructors at Comtrain. Answering your questions about safety equipment, OSHA regulations, ANSI standards, certifications and our industry in general is a big part of that support. Type your question(s) in the form to the right and submit. We will answer your questions as quickly as possible and anonymously post those questions and answers that we think everyone can benefit from.
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Your Questions & Answers
Question
Has the fisk been outlawed?
Answer
No, the fisk HAS NOT been outlawed. Many influential companies have safety plans and policies implementing ANSI standards calling for auto-locking or auto-braking devices which eliminates the fisk as part of their allowed equipment. Many safety associations and organizations have also adopted the "no fisk" type standards but OSHA has not. Until OSHA adopts and starts to enforce the standards that would render the fisk obsolete or "outlawed", it is still an accepted tool for controlled descent.
Question
How long are the in-house trained climber certificates good for?
Answer
The Basic "Authorized Climber/Rescuer" certifications Comtrain has issued for your students are valid until OSHA changes or updates their regulations and then the climber must be retrained and re-certified. OSHA and Comtrain recognize our 3rd and 4th Edition certifications as valid as of this date.
That being said, clients or major contractors may require your climbers to be certified in the last 24 months (or other time frame).
They may also have other contract requirements such as:
*Your company name must be on the certification & card
*Some will not accept training from an In-house Instructor from a previous company
*Some will only accept training done by a 3rd party qualified training company like Comtrain
*And many other combinations of the these requirements.
Bottom line...To avoid work stoppage and expensive down time, make sure you know your contractor's or client's certification requirements before you start work. They are all different and some are more strict than OSHA requires.
Question
I have always taught that in a real rescue situation, once you are on the rescue line you don't need a back up lifeline. Is there some kind of industry regulation or standard?
Answer
The question of a Safety Line or Life Line is an objective one. The only time you conduct a rescue without using a Safety Line is when it is considered a catostrophic event. When a victim is bleeding out, having a heart attack or is unconscious, that is considered a catastrophic event and you can move to rescue without using a Safety Line.
We spend a good deal of time in our Comtrain classes going over this question. You have to take a moment and access the event. Will the victim die, is he/she in imminent danger, will the situation become worse if I go to the effort of rigging a Safety Line?
The optimal question: Is this a catastrophic event? Will this person die or is this person in imminent danger?.
Question
We keep hearing about "the 2 climber rule". Does OSHA require 2 climbers on the tower?
Answer
The 2 climber rule is supported by Comtrain.
OSHA 1910.151(b)
In the absence of an infirmary, clinic, or hospital in near proximity to the workplace which is used for the treatment of all injured employees, a person or persons shall be adequately trained to render first aid. Adequate first aid supplies shall be readily available.
Comtrain's stance: (When interpreting OSHA 1901.151b)
This indicates the necessity of a minimum of two persons.
OSHA 1910.38 Emergency action plans.
Comtrain's stance:(When interpreting OSHA 1910.38)
The requirements for a rescue under OSHA 1910.38 clearly requires a written rescue plan and we know of no successful rescue option that calls for a lone climber.
Question
Can In-House Comtrain Instructors train and certify employees/climbers for their company's sub contractors or other companies?
Answer
No! Certified In-House Comtrain Instructors can only train and certify employees of the company they work for and are certified with. The Comtrain In-House Instructor must be an employee (on the payroll) of the company they train for. They cannot act as "consultants or independent contractors" to train and certify any climbers other than those that work for their employer. The sub-contractor must implement their own Comtrain In-House instructor or send their employees to a Comtrain open enrollment class for training and certification.
Has the fisk been outlawed?
Answer
No, the fisk HAS NOT been outlawed. Many influential companies have safety plans and policies implementing ANSI standards calling for auto-locking or auto-braking devices which eliminates the fisk as part of their allowed equipment. Many safety associations and organizations have also adopted the "no fisk" type standards but OSHA has not. Until OSHA adopts and starts to enforce the standards that would render the fisk obsolete or "outlawed", it is still an accepted tool for controlled descent.
Question
How long are the in-house trained climber certificates good for?
Answer
The Basic "Authorized Climber/Rescuer" certifications Comtrain has issued for your students are valid until OSHA changes or updates their regulations and then the climber must be retrained and re-certified. OSHA and Comtrain recognize our 3rd and 4th Edition certifications as valid as of this date.
That being said, clients or major contractors may require your climbers to be certified in the last 24 months (or other time frame).
They may also have other contract requirements such as:
*Your company name must be on the certification & card
*Some will not accept training from an In-house Instructor from a previous company
*Some will only accept training done by a 3rd party qualified training company like Comtrain
*And many other combinations of the these requirements.
Bottom line...To avoid work stoppage and expensive down time, make sure you know your contractor's or client's certification requirements before you start work. They are all different and some are more strict than OSHA requires.
Question
I have always taught that in a real rescue situation, once you are on the rescue line you don't need a back up lifeline. Is there some kind of industry regulation or standard?
Answer
The question of a Safety Line or Life Line is an objective one. The only time you conduct a rescue without using a Safety Line is when it is considered a catostrophic event. When a victim is bleeding out, having a heart attack or is unconscious, that is considered a catastrophic event and you can move to rescue without using a Safety Line.
We spend a good deal of time in our Comtrain classes going over this question. You have to take a moment and access the event. Will the victim die, is he/she in imminent danger, will the situation become worse if I go to the effort of rigging a Safety Line?
The optimal question: Is this a catastrophic event? Will this person die or is this person in imminent danger?.
Question
We keep hearing about "the 2 climber rule". Does OSHA require 2 climbers on the tower?
Answer
The 2 climber rule is supported by Comtrain.
OSHA 1910.151(b)
In the absence of an infirmary, clinic, or hospital in near proximity to the workplace which is used for the treatment of all injured employees, a person or persons shall be adequately trained to render first aid. Adequate first aid supplies shall be readily available.
Comtrain's stance: (When interpreting OSHA 1901.151b)
This indicates the necessity of a minimum of two persons.
OSHA 1910.38 Emergency action plans.
Comtrain's stance:(When interpreting OSHA 1910.38)
The requirements for a rescue under OSHA 1910.38 clearly requires a written rescue plan and we know of no successful rescue option that calls for a lone climber.
Question
Can In-House Comtrain Instructors train and certify employees/climbers for their company's sub contractors or other companies?
Answer
No! Certified In-House Comtrain Instructors can only train and certify employees of the company they work for and are certified with. The Comtrain In-House Instructor must be an employee (on the payroll) of the company they train for. They cannot act as "consultants or independent contractors" to train and certify any climbers other than those that work for their employer. The sub-contractor must implement their own Comtrain In-House instructor or send their employees to a Comtrain open enrollment class for training and certification.
