New Fall Protection Rule

WAC 296-155-24601

History of the Rule Ad Hoc Group – Governs Moratorium

New Rule Combine Part C-1 with Part K

Filed New Draft 2012

Statewide Hearings – October 2012

Adoption Date Feb 2013

Effective Date April 2013

Fall Protection

Definitions

General Requirements

Fall protection Regardless of Height

Fall protection 4 feet

Fall Protection 10 feet

Fall Arrest, Restraint and Positioning systems

Training

Appendix A, B non mandatory guidelines

How the Rule is Broken Up

Definitions Important to understand

– Affected Area

– Hazardous Slope

– Positioning Harness

– Self Rescue Devices

– Safety Watch

– Walking Working Surface

Less than 12 inches

This includes surface

Floor Hole

12 inches or more

This includes surface

Floor Opening

Free Fall Distance

Hazardous Slope

Leading Edge

Pitch of a Roof4/12 equal to or less than

Low Pitched

4/12 greater than

Steep Pitched

Positioning Harness

Self Rescue Devices

Walking Working Surface

45 Inches

45 Inches

45 Inches

General Requirements– Surfaces Structurally Sound

– Inspections

– Safety Nets

– Personal Fall protection only for employee protection

– Exemptions

• Initial installation

• Inspection on Low Pitched roofs

Installation and removal of fall protection

x

Regardless of Height

• Dangerous Equipment

• Floor holes and

Floor openings

• Impalement Hazards

Fall Protection - 4 Feet

Walking working surface

Adding Guardrail Height

Floor Openings

Vertical Work on Rebar or Forms

Steep Pitched Roofs – regardless of activity

Fall Protection - 4 Feet

Low Pitched Roofs – except low pitched roofing or leading edge work

Hazardous Slopes

Catch Platforms

Fall Protection – 10 feet

Roofing work on low pitched roofs

Constructing a leading edge

Trenching and Excavations

Non - Walking Working Surface

Exceptions;– Trenching and Excavations – affected area

Fall hazards can occur at any level. There are three threshold levels at which fall hazard concerns and requirements are addressed in DOSH standards:

0 feet 4 feet

Hazards of falls on walking/working surfaces with open sides, ramps, roofs or runways

Hazards of falls where conditions of the surface have a risk of a fall, even though the fall distance may be small.

Hazards of falls during leading edge work, roofing work or any other working surface that is not a walking/working surface, such as beams, the sides of structures, etc.

10 feet

WAC 296-155 Part C-1 applies here

Fall Arrest Specifications

Full Body Harness – ANSI Z359.1

Shock Absorbing Lanyards – ANSI Z359.1

Catch Platforms

Fall Restraint Specifications

4 times the intended load

Warning Lines on Low Pitched Surfaces – 15 feet

Safety Watch – Low Pitched Surfaces

Flagging of cable guardrails

Positioning Specifications

Positioning Harness - ANSI Z359.3

Other Specifications

Self Rescue Devices

Documented Training and Kept on file

Training

Appendix’s

Appendix B‑-Calculating fall clearance

distance using a shock-absorbing lanyard

and D-ring anchorage connector

Options for Fall Protection on Roofs

Fall Restraint/Fall Arrest Safety watch First man up Fall protection work plan Pre planning of task

Safety Watch

Competent person monitors ONE worker who is engaged in repair work or servicing equipment on low pitch roofs

Safety watch system specifications. When one employee is conducting any repair work or servicing equipment on a

roof that has a pitch no greater than four in twelve, Ensure the safety watch system meets the following requirements: There can only be two people on the roof One employee is safety watch , one employee engaged in work Employee must comply promptly with fall hazard warnings from the safety

watch;

• Mechanical equipment is not used• When weather conditions create additional hazards.

Safety watch meets all of the following: Is a competent person as defined in WAC 296-155-24603; Has full control over the work as it relates to fall protection; Has a clear, unobstructed view of the worker; Is able to maintain normal voice communication; and Performs no other duties while acting as the safety watch.

Questions

Steve Heist

Construction Safety and Health Specialist 360-902-5582 desk 360-280-5107 cell heiu235@lni.wa.gov