Procedure
Fall protection is required whenever employees are potentially exposed to falls from heights of six feet (6') in Construction and four feet (4') in General Industry. This includes work near and around excavations. Use of guard rails, safety net, or personal fall arrest systems should be used when the standard methods of protection are not feasible, or a greater hazard would be created.
Industry or Regulatory Standards
Fall protection equipment must meet the requirements of applicable ANSI Z 359.1, ASTM or OSHA requirements.
Minimum Standards
Fall protection is provided when you are working at heights above 4' feet without a protective edge or barrier.
The Height at Which Fall Protection is Required
Fall protection is required whenever employees are potentially exposed to falls from heights that exceed applicable regulatory thresholds. Some applicable regulatory thresholds may include:
- General Industry 1910.23- This section covers all ladders, except when the ladder is:
- Used in emergency operations such as firefighting, rescue, and tactical law enforcement operations, or training for these operations; or
- Designed into or is an integral part of machines or equipment.
The following are minimum standards for Company employee personal fall protection systems:
- All D-rings must be a minimum of 2¼ inches (inside diameter).
- All snap hooks shall not allow pressure to be applied to the gate in the opening direction.
- No pelican hooks on lanyards should be used as a primary connection.
- Connectors shall be drop forged, pressed or formed steel, or made of equivalent materials.
- Connectors shall have a corrosion-resistant finish, and all surfaces and edges shall be smooth to prevent damage to interfacing parts of the system.
- D-rings and snap hooks shall have a minimum tensile strength of 5,000 pounds.
- D-rings and snap hooks shall be proof-tested to a minimum tensile load of 3,600 pounds without cracking, breaking, or taking permanent deformation.
- Snap hooks shall be sized to be compatible with the member to which they are connected to prevent unintentional disengagement of the snap hook. Only a locking type snap hook designed and used to prevent disengagement of the snap hook by the contact of the snap hook keeper by the connected member shall be used.
- Horizontal lifelines shall be designed, installed, and used, under the supervision of a qualified person, as part of a complete personal fall arrest system, which maintains a safety factor of at least two.
- Lanyards and vertical lifelines shall have a minimum breaking strength of 5,000 pounds. Where vertical lifelines are used, each employee shall be attached to a separate lifeline.
- Lifelines shall be protected against being cut or abraded.
- Self-retracting lifelines and lanyards which automatically limit free fall distance to 2 feet or less shall be capable of sustaining a minimum tensile load of 3,000 pounds applied to the device with the lifeline or lanyard in the fully extended position.
- Self-retracting lifelines and lanyards which do not limit free fall distance to 2 feet or less, rip stitch lanyards, and tearing and deforming lanyards shall be capable of sustaining a minimum tensile load of 5,000 pounds applied to the device with the lifeline or lanyard in the fully extended position.
- Anchorages used for attachment of personal fall arrest equipment shall be independent of any anchorage being used to support or suspend platforms and capable of supporting at least 5,000 pounds per employee attached, or shall be designed, installed, and used as part of a complete personal fall arrest system which maintains a safety factor of at least two and under the supervision of a qualified person.
- Systems used by an employee having a combined person and tool weight in excess of 310 pounds shall be modified to provide proper protection for such heavier loads.
- The attachment point of the body harness shall be located in the center of the wearer’s back near shoulder level, or above the wearer’s head, except when climbing.
- Body harnesses and components shall be used only for employee protection and not to hoist materials.
- Personal fall arrest systems and components subjected to impact loading shall be immediately removed from service and shall not be used again for employee protection until inspected and determined by a competent person to be undamaged and suitable for reuse.
- Provide for prompt rescue of employees in the event of a fall or shall assure the employees are able to rescue themselves.
- Personal fall arrest systems shall be inspected prior to each use for wear, damage and other deterioration, and defective components shall be removed from service.
- Personal fall arrest systems shall not be attached to guardrail systems, nor shall they be attached to hoists unless prior approval is obtained from a competent person.
- If and when a personal fall arrest system is used at hoist areas, it shall be rigged to allow the movement of the employee only as far as the edge of the walking/working surface.
Stopping a Fall
The arresting force on an employee stopped by a fall shall be limited to a maximum arresting force of 1,800 pounds when wearing a body harness.
The fall arrest system shall be rigged such that an employee can neither free fall more than 6 feet, nor contact any lower level.
The fall arrest system shall bring an employee to a complete stop and limit maximum deceleration distance an employee travels to 3.5 feet.
The fall arrest system shall have sufficient strength to withstand twice the potential impact energy of an employee free falling a distance of 6 feet, or the free fall distance permitted by the system, whichever is less.
Protection From Falling Objects
When employees are required to work in the near vicinity of others working with materials, tools, or equipment at elevated levels, Barricades around the immediate area of the overhead work shall be erected to prohibit employees from entering the barricaded area.
Employees performing work at elevated levels shall keep tools, materials, and equipment away from the edge to keep potential objects from falling over the side. Where practical, tools, etc. shall be secured with rope, wire, etc. to keep them from falling.
Portable Ladders
Three point climbing is required while ascending/descending ladders. While on ladders, both hands and one foot, or both feet and one hand shall always be in contact with the ladder.
Tools required to perform a task shall be transported by a mechanical carrier such as a tag line, suspended bucket or tool belt.
- Tools shall not be carried by hand while climbing.
- Hands must be free to grip the ladder.
- Tools shall not be carried in clothing pockets.
- Tools shall be pulled up to the job site only after reaching the area of work.
When work is to be performed from straight/extension ladders, fall protection shall be utilized when foothold heights exceed 6 feet.
Straight ladders shall be tied off at the top to prevent them from moving. A second person shall steady the ladder at the base while it is being tied off at the top by another employee. Do not tie off fall protection equipment to the ladder, instead, ascend to the work area and tie off to a permanent fixture suitable as a fall arrest anchor.
Storage
A dedicated storage area shall be provided for the storage of fall protection equipment and all components. The storage area shall keep the equipment clean, dry, and free from oils, chemicals, paints, and excessive heat.
Inspections
Fall protection equipment shall be inspected before each use for wear, damage, other deterioration, or other defects.
Elevated Personnel Platforms
Work performed, regardless of the nature of the work, from personnel platforms raised by forklifts, cranes, scissor lifts, etc., shall require the use of a full body harness that shall be connected to the platform.
Prompt Rescue of an Employee in the Event of a Fall
The Company shall provide for prompt rescue of employees in the event of a fall or shall assure the employees are able to rescue themselves.
The pre-planning stage prior to the beginning of each elevated work assignment shall be evaluated by the supervisor to provide rescue of employees involved in a fall.
Fall Protection Plan
This option is available only to employees engaged in leading edge work who can demonstrate that it is infeasible, or it creates a greater hazard to use conventional fall protection equipment. The fall protection plan shall conform to the following provisions:
- The fall protection plan shall be prepared by a qualified supervisor and developed specifically for the site where the leading edge work is being performed.
- The fall protection plan shall document the reasons why the use of conventional fall protection systems (guardrail systems, personal fall arrest systems, or safety net systems) are infeasible or why their use would create a greater hazard.
- The fall protection plan shall identify each location where conventional fall Protection methods cannot be used.
- These locations shall then be classified as controlled access zones.
Site Specific Fall Protection Plan
A site specific Fall Protection plan must be developed by a qualified person.
Controlled Access Zones
When used to control access to areas where leading edge or other operations are taking place the controlled access zone shall be defined by a control line or by any other means that restricts access.
When control lines are used, they shall be erected not less than 6 feet (1.8 m) nor more than 25 feet (7.7 m) from the unprotected or leading edge.
The control line shall extend along the entire length of the unprotected or leading edge and shall be approximately parallel to the unprotected or leading edge.
The control line shall be connected on each side to a guardrail system or wall.
- Control lines shall consist of ropes, wires, tapes, or equivalent materials.
- Each line shall be flagged or otherwise clearly marked at not more than 6-foot (1.8 m) intervals with high-visibility material.
- Each line shall be rigged and supported in such a way that its lowest point (including sag) is not less than 39 inches (1 m) from the walking/working surface and its highest point is not more than 45 inches (1.3 m).
- Each line shall have a minimum breaking strength of 200 pounds.
Only employees engaged in the related work shall be permitted in the controlled access zone.
Safety Monitoring System
When the use of conventional fall protection equipment is deemed infeasible, or the use of this equipment creates a greater hazard a Fall Protection Plan which includes a safety monitoring system shall be implemented by the supervisor.
Supervisors shall designate a competent person to monitor the safety of other employees. The competent person shall be assigned to:
- Recognize fall hazards
- Warn employees if they are unaware of fall hazard or are acting in an unsafe manner
- Be on the same working surface and in visual contact of working employees
- Stay close enough for verbal communication
- Not have other assignments that would take his/her attention from the monitoring function
Incidents Involving a Fall are Investigated
Incident investigations shall be conducted to evaluate the fall protection plan for potential updates to practices, procedures, or training in order to prevent reoccurrence.
Changes to the fall protection program shall be implemented if deemed appropriate from incident corrective actions.