Competent Person ADVANCED (FALL PROTECTION)

Course Description

Gravitec’s Competent Person Advanced (Fall Protection) is an advanced-level program designed for experienced professionals who are already proficient in fundamental fall protection principles and are responsible for planning, analyzing, documenting, and defending fall protection systems in complex environments. This course builds on the foundation established in Gravitec’s Competent Person training and focuses on high-level decision-making, system evaluation, and advanced problem-solving.

Participants will analyze real-world scenarios involving non-standard conditions, changing site constraints, and complex system interactions. Emphasis is placed on understanding system behavior, force paths, clearance requirements, compatibility, and rescue integration. Classroom instruction is combined with intensive, scenario-based hands-on exercises, including live equipment testing on Gravitec’s training floor and in the ISO 17025 testing laboratory. Written and practical exercises are used throughout the course to verify comprehension and decision-making ability. Documentation practices are reinforced to support due diligence, regulatory compliance, and defensible fall protection programs.

This course is not a fall protection trainer course. Participants who complete this course are not endorsed to conduct fall protection training. Refer to the Fall Protection Trainer Course for information about becoming a fall protection trainer.

This course meets the Criteria for Accepted Practices in Safety, Health, and Environmental Training (ANSI/ASSE Z490.1) and supports the requirements of ANSI/ASSE Z359.2, Minimum Requirements for a Comprehensive Managed Fall Protection Program, within the ANSI/ASSE Z359 Fall Protection Code. Instruction also aligns with applicable OSHA regulations and other jurisdictional requirements, as appropriate to the training location.

Gravitec can supply all necessary fall protection and rescue equipment for this course.

CALL GRAVITEC’S TRAINING ADVISORS AT 800.755.8455 FOR MORE INFORMATION

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, students will be capable of analyzing existing and predictable fall hazards in complex and non-standard work environments and making informed, defensible decisions to control those hazards through advanced fall protection system design, evaluation, and documentation. The Advanced Fall Protection Competent Person will be capable of planning, implementing, reviewing, and defending fall protection strategies in a supervisory or leadership capacity across a wide range of industries, structures, and conditions.

This course emphasizes professional judgment, system-level thinking, and the ability to evaluate how individual components interact as a complete fall protection and rescue system. Graduates of this course will be capable of identifying system limitations, anticipating failure modes, and integrating rescue planning into fall protection solutions before work begins.

Students completing this course will demonstrate the ability to:

• Identify, assess, and prioritize fall hazards using structured hazard assessment and ranking methodologies
• Apply the hierarchy of fall protection to complex work tasks where conventional solutions may be limited or impractical
• Analyze fall protection system performance, including free fall distance, arresting forces, and total clearance requirements
• Evaluate anchorage locations and configurations for strength, redundancy, load paths, and rescue suitability
• Design, assemble, and critique complete fall protection systems using compatible components
• Diagnose improper equipment selection, misuse, and system configuration errors through hands-on evaluation
• Evaluate harness selection, fit, and application for specialized work environments and rescue considerations
• Analyze the behavior and limitations of energy absorbing lanyards, self-retracting devices, and fall arrestors in real-world scenarios
• Identify hazards related to swing falls, sharp edges, leading edges, and changing anchor locations
• Integrate rescue planning into fall protection system design to ensure prompt and effective rescue capability
• Develop and evaluate written fall protection plans, task-specific procedures, and fall protection matrices
• Interpret and apply applicable OSHA regulations, ANSI Z359 standards, and jurisdictional requirements to complex site conditions
• Evaluate existing fall protection programs, documentation, and work practices for gaps, deficiencies, and improvement opportunities
• Communicate system requirements, limitations, and corrective actions clearly to workers, supervisors, and safety personnel
• Make and defend fall protection decisions using technical justification, documentation, and industry standards