29 Cfr 1926.503

Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
to prevent collapse and to prevent penetration by any objects which may fall
onto the canopy.
(k) Fall protection plan. This option is
available only to employees engaged in
leading edge work, precast concrete
erection work, or residential construction work (See § 1926.501(b)(2), (b)(12),
and (b)(13)) who can demonstrate that
it is infeasible or it creates a greater
hazard to use conventional fall protection equipment. The fall protection
plan must conform to the following
provisions.
(1) The fall protection plan shall be
prepared by a qualified person and developed specifically for the site where
the leading edge work, precast concrete
work, or residential construction work
is being performed and the plan must
be maintained up to date.
(2) Any changes to the fall protection
plan shall be approved by a qualified
person.
(3) A copy of the fall protection plan
with all approved changes shall be
maintained at the job site.
(4) The implementation of the fall
protection plan shall be under the supervision of a competent person.
(5) The fall protection plan shall document the reasons why the use of conventional fall protection systems
(guardrail systems, personal fall arrest
systems, or safety nets systems) are infeasible or why their use would create
a greater hazard.
(6) The fall protection plan shall include a written discussion of other
measures that will be taken to reduce
or eliminate the fall hazard for workers
who cannot be provided with protection from the conventional fall protection systems. For example, the employer shall discuss the extent to
which scaffolds, ladders, or vehicle
mounted work platforms can be used to
provide a safer working surface and
thereby reduce the hazard of falling.
(7) 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
and the employer must comply with
the criteria in paragraph (g) of this section.
(8) Where no other alternative measure has been implemented, the em-

§ 1926.503

ployer shall implement a safety monitoring system in conformance with
§ 1926.502(h).
(9) The fall protection plan must include a statement which provides the
name or other method of identification
for each employee who is designated to
work in controlled access zones. No
other employees may enter controlled
access zones.
(10) In the event an employee falls, or
some other related, serious incident occurs, (e.g., a near miss) the employer
shall investigate the circumstances of
the fall or other incident to determine
if the fall protection plan needs to be
changed (e.g. new practices, procedures, or training) and shall implement
those changes to prevent similar types
of falls or incidents.
§ 1926.503

Training requirements.

The following training provisions
supplement and clarify the requirements of § 1926.21 regarding the hazards
addressed in subpart M of this part.
(a) Training Program. (1) The employer shall provide a training program
for each employee who might be exposed to fall hazards. The program
shall enable each employee to recognize the hazards of falling and shall
train each employee in the procedures
to be followed in order to minimize
these hazards.
(2) The employer shall assure that
each employee has been trained, as
necessary, by a competent person
qualified in the following areas:
(i) The nature of fall hazards in the
work area;
(ii) The correct procedures for erecting, maintaining, disassembling, and
inspecting the fall protection systems
to be used;
(iii) The use and operation of guardrail systems, personal fall arrest systems, safety net systems, warning line
systems, safety monitoring systems,
controlled access zones, and other protection to be used;
(iv) The role of each employee in the
safety monitoring system when this
system is used;
(v) The limitations on the use of mechanical equipment during the performance of roofing work on low-sloped
roofs;

331

VerDate Jan<31>2003

10:19 Jul 12, 2003

Jkt 200112

PO 00000

Frm 00331

Fmt 8010

Sfmt 8002

Y:\SGML\200112T.XXX

200112T

Pt. 1926, Subpt. M, App. A

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–03 Edition)

(vi) The correct procedures for the
handling and storage of equipment and
materials and the erection of overhead
protection; and
(vii) The role of employees in fall
protection plans;
(viii) The standards contained in this
subpart.
(b) Certification of training. (1) The
employer shall verify compliance with
paragraph (a) of this section by preparing a written certification record.
The written certification record shall
contain the name or other identity of
the employee trained, the date(s) of the
training, and the signature of the person who conducted the training or the
signature of the employer. If the employer relies on training conducted by
another employer or completed prior to
the effective date of this section, the
certification record shall indicate the
date the employer determined the prior
training was adequate rather than the
date of actual training.
(2) The latest training certification
shall be maintained.
(c) Retraining. When the employer has
reason to believe that any affected employee who has already been trained
does not have the understanding and
skill required by paragraph (a) of this
section, the employer shall retrain
each such employee. Circumstances
where retraining is required include,
but are not limited to, situations
where:
(1) Changes in the workplace render
previous training obsolete; or
(2) Changes in the types of fall protection systems or equipment to be
used render previous training obsolete;
or
(3) Inadequacies in an affected employee’s knowledge or use of fall protection systems or equipment indicate
that the employee has not retained the
requisite understanding or skill.
NOTE: The following appendices to subpart
M of this part serve as non-mandatory guidelines to assist employers in complying with

the appropriate requirements of subpart M of
this part.

APPENDIX A TO SUBPART M OF PART
1926—DETERMINING ROOF WIDTHS
Non-mandatory Guidelines for Complying With
§ 1926.501(b)(10)
(1) This Appendix serves as a guideline to
assist employers complying with the requirements
of
§ 1926.501(b)(10).
Section
1910.501(b)(10) allows the use of a safety monitoring system alone as a means of providing
fall protection during the performance of
roofing operations on low-sloped roofs 50 feet
(15.25 m) or less in width. Each example in
the appendix shows a roof plan or plans and
indicates where each roof or roof area is to
be measured to determine its width. Section
views or elevation views are shown where appropriate. Some examples show ‘‘correct’’
and ‘‘incorrect’’ subdivisions of irregularly
shaped roofs divided into smaller, regularly
shaped areas. In all examples, the dimension
selected to be the width of an area is the
lesser of the two primary dimensions of the
area, as viewed from above. Example A
shows that on a simple rectangular roof,
width is the lesser of the two primary overall
dimensions. This is also the case with roofs
which are sloped toward or away from the
roof center, as shown in Example B.
(2) Many roofs are not simple rectangles.
Such roofs may be broken down into subareas as shown in Example C. The process of
dividing a roof area can produce many different configurations. Example C gives the
general rule of using dividing lines of minimum length to minimize the size and number of the areas which are potentially less
than 50 feet (15.25 m) wide. The intent is to
minimize the number of roof areas where
safety monitoring systems alone are sufficient protection.
(3) Roofs which are comprised of several
separate, non-contiguous roof areas, as in
Example D, may be considered as a series of
individual roofs. Some roofs have penthouses, additional floors, courtyard openings, or similar architectural features; Example E shows how the rule for dividing
roofs into subareas is applied to such configurations. Irregular, non-rectangular roofs
must be considered on an individual basis, as
shown in Example F.

332

VerDate Jan<31>2003

10:19 Jul 12, 2003

Jkt 200112

PO 00000

Frm 00332

Fmt 8010

Sfmt 8002

Y:\SGML\200112T.XXX

200112T

Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor

Pt. 1926, Subpt. M, App. A

EXAMPLE A: RECTANGULAR SHAPED ROOFS

EXAMPLE B: SLOPED RECTANGULAR SHAPED ROOFS

ER09AU94.001

the size of roof areas where the safety monitoring
system
alone
can
be
used
[1926.502(b)(10)]. Dotted lines are used in the
examples to show the location of dividing
lines. W denotes incorrect measurements of
width.

333

VerDate Jan<31>2003

10:19 Jul 12, 2003

Jkt 200112

PO 00000

Frm 00333

Fmt 8010

Sfmt 8002

Y:\SGML\200112T.XXX

200112T

ER09AU94.000

EXAMPLE C: IRREGULARLY SHAPED ROOFS
WITH RECTANGULAR SHAPED SECTIONS
Such roofs are to be divided into sub-areas
by using dividing lines of minimum length to
minimize the size and number of the areas
which are potentially less than or equal to 50
feet (15.25 meters) in width, in order to limit

Pt. 1926, Subpt. M, App. A

EXAMPLE D:
ROOF AREAS

SEPARATE,

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–03 Edition)

NON-CONTIGUOUS

VerDate Jan<31>2003

10:19 Jul 12, 2003

Jkt 200112

PO 00000

Frm 00334

Fmt 8010

Sfmt 8003

Y:\SGML\200112T.XXX

200112T

ER09AU94.002

334

Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor

EXAMPLE E: ROOFS WITH PENTHOUSES, OPEN
COURTYARDS, ADDITIONAL FLOORS, ETC.
Such roofs are to be divided into sub-areas
by using dividing lines of minimum length to
minimize the size and number of the areas
which are potentially less than or equal to 50
feet (15.25 meters) in width, in order to limit

Pt. 1926, Subpt. M, App. A

the size of roof areas where the safety monitoring
system
alone
can
be
used
[1926.502(b)(10)]. Dotted lines are used in the
examples to show the location of dividing
lines. W denotes incorrect measurements of
width.

VerDate Jan<31>2003

10:19 Jul 12, 2003

Jkt 200112

PO 00000

Frm 00335

Fmt 8010

Sfmt 8002

Y:\SGML\200112T.XXX

200112T

ER09AU94.003

335

Pt. 1926, Subpt. M, App. A

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–03 Edition)

VerDate Jan<31>2003

10:19 Jul 12, 2003

Jkt 200112

PO 00000

Frm 00336

Fmt 8010

Sfmt 8006

Y:\SGML\200112T.XXX

200112T

ER09AU94.004

336

Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor

Pt. 1926, Subpt. M, App. B

Example F: Irregular, Non-Rectangular Shaped Roofs

APPENDIX B TO SUBPART M OF PART
1926—GUARDRAIL SYSTEMS
Non-Mandatory Guidelines for Complying with
§ 1926.502(b)
The standard requires guardrail systems
and components to be designed and built to
meet the requirements of § 1926.502 (b) (3), (4),
and (5). This Appendix serves as a non-mandatory guideline to assist employers in com-

plying with these requirements. An employer
may use these guidelines as a starting point
for designing guardrail systems. However,
the guidelines do not provide all the information necessary to build a complete system, and the employer is still responsible for
designing and assembling these components
in such a way that the completed system
will meet the requirements of § 1926.502(b) (3),
(4), and (5). Components for which no specific

VerDate Jan<31>2003

10:19 Jul 12, 2003

Jkt 200112

PO 00000

Frm 00337

Fmt 8010

Sfmt 8002

Y:\SGML\200112T.XXX

200112T

ER09AU94.005

337

Pt. 1926, Subpt. M, App. C

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–03 Edition)

guidelines are given in this Appendix (e.g.,
joints, base connections, components made
with other materials, and components with
other dimensions) must also be designed and
constructed in such a way that the completed system meets the requirements of
§ 1926.502.
(1) For wood railings: Wood components
shall be minimum 1500 lb-ft/in2 fiber (stress
grade) construction grade lumber; the posts
shall be at least 2-inch by 4-inch (5 cm×10
cm) lumber spaced not more than 8 feet (2.4
m) apart on centers; the top rail shall be at
least 2-inch by 4-inch (5 cm×10 cm) lumber,
the intermediate rail shall be at least 1-inch
by 6-inch (2.5 cm×15 cm) lumber. All lumber
dimensions are nominal sizes as provided by
the American Softwood Lumber Standards,
dated January 1970.
(2) For pipe railings: posts, top rails, and
intermediate railings shall be at least one
and one-half inches nominal diameter
(schedule 40 pipe) with posts spaced not more
than 8 feet (2.4 m) apart on centers.
(3) For structural steel railings: posts, top
rails, and intermediate rails shall be at least
2-inch by 2-inch (5 cm×10 cm) by 3⁄8-inch (1.1
cm) angles, with posts spaced not more than
8 feet (2.4 m) apart on centers.

APPENDIX C TO SUBPART M OF PART
1926—PERSONAL FALL ARREST SYSTEMS
Non-Mandatory Guidelines for Complying With
§ 1926.502(d)
I. Test methods for personal fall arrest systems
and positioning device systems—(a) General.
This appendix serves as a non-mandatory
guideline to assist employers comply with
the requirements in § 1926.502(d). Paragraphs
(b), (c), (d) and (e) of this Appendix describe
test procedures which may be used to determine compliance with the requirements in
§ 1926.502 (d)(16). As noted in Appendix D of
this subpart, the test methods listed here in
Appendix C can also be used to assist employers comply with the requirements in
§ 1926.502(e) (3) and (4) for positioning device
systems.
(b) General conditions for all tests in the Appendix to § 1926.502(d). (1) Lifelines, lanyards
and deceleration devices should be attached
to an anchorage and connected to the bodybelt or body harness in the same manner as
they would be when used to protect employees.
(2) The anchorage should be rigid, and
should not have a deflection greater than
0.04 inches (1 mm) when a force of 2,250
pounds (10 kN) is applied.
(3) The frequency response of the load
measuring instrumentation should be 500 Hz.
(4) The test weight used in the strength
and force tests should be a rigid, metal, cylindrical or torso-shaped object with a girth

of 38 inches plus or minus 4 inches (96 cm
plus or minus 10 cm).
(5) The lanyard or lifeline used to create
the free fall distance should be supplied with
the system, or in its absence, the least elastic lanyard or lifeline available to be used
with the system.
(6) The test weight for each test should be
hoisted to the required level and should be
quickly released without having any appreciable motion imparted to it.
(7) The system’s performance should be
evaluated taking into account the range of
environmental conditions for which it is designed to be used.
(8) Following the test, the system need not
be capable of further operation.
(c) Strength test. (1) During the testing of
all systems, a test weight of 300 pounds plus
or minus 5 pounds (135 kg plus or minus 2.5
kg) should be used. (See paragraph (b)(4) of
this section.)
(2) The test consists of dropping the test
weight once. A new unused system should be
used for each test.
(3) For lanyard systems, the lanyard
length should be 6 feet plus or minus 2 inches
(1.83 m plus or minus 5 cm) as measured from
the fixed anchorage to the attachment on
the body belt or body harness.
(4) For rope-grab-type deceleration systems, the length of the lifeline above the
centerline of the grabbing mechanism to the
lifeline’s anchorage point should not exceed
2 feet (0.61 m).
(5) For lanyard systems, for systems with
deceleration devices which do not automatically limit free fall distance to 2 feet (0.61 m
) or less, and for systems with deceleration
devices which have a connection distance in
excess of 1 foot (0.3 m) (measured between
the centerline of the lifeline and the attachment point to the body belt or harness), the
test weight should be rigged to free fall a distance of 7.5 feet (2.3 m) from a point that is
1.5 feet (.46 m) above the anchorage point, to
its hanging location (6 feet below the anchorage). The test weight should fall without interference, obstruction, or hitting the floor
or ground during the test. In some cases a
non-elastic wire lanyard of sufficient length
may need to be added to the system (for test
purposes) to create the necessary free fall
distance.
(6) For deceleration device systems with
integral lifelines or lanyards which automatically limit free fall distance to 2 feet
(0.61 m) or less, the test weight should be
rigged to free fall a distance of 4 feet (1.22
m).
(7) Any weight which detaches from the
belt or harness has failed the strength test.
(d) Force test—(1) General. The test consists
of dropping the respective test weight once
as specified in paragraph (d)(2)(i) or (d)(3)(i)
of this section. A new, unused system should
be used for each test.

338

VerDate Jan<31>2003

10:19 Jul 12, 2003

Jkt 200112

PO 00000

Frm 00338

Fmt 8010

Sfmt 8002

Y:\SGML\200112T.XXX

200112T

Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
(2) For lanyard systems. (i) A test weight of
220 pounds plus or minus 3 pounds (100 kg
plus or minus 1.6 kg) should be used. (See
paragraph (b)(4) of this appendix).
(ii) Lanyard length should be 6 feet plus or
minus two inches (1.83 m plus or minus 5 cm)
as measured from the fixed anchorage to the
attachment on the body belt or body harness.
(iii) The test weight should fall free from
the anchorage level to its hanging location
(a total of 6 feet (1.83 m) free fall distance)
without interference, obstruction, or hitting
the floor or ground during the test.
(3) For all other systems. (i) A test weight of
220 pounds plus or minus 3 pounds (100 kg
plus or minus 1.6 kg) should be used. (See
paragraph (b)(4) of this appendix)
(ii) The free fall distance to be used in the
test should be the maximum fall distance
physically permitted by the system during
normal use conditions, up to a maximum
free fall distance for the test weight of 6 feet
(1.83 m), except as follows:
(A) For deceleration systems which have a
connection link or lanyard, the test weight
should free fall a distance equal to the connection distance (measured between the centerline of the lifeline and the attachment
point to the body belt or harness).
(B) For deceleration device systems with
integral lifelines or lanyards which automatically limit free fall distance to 2 feet
(0.61 m) or less, the test weight should free
fall a distance equal to that permitted by the
system in normal use. (For example, to test
a system with a self-retracting lifeline or
lanyard, the test weight should be supported
and the system allowed to retract the lifeline or lanyard as it would in normal use.
The test weight would then be released and
the force and deceleration distance measured).
(4) A system fails the force test if the recorded maximum arresting force exceeds
1,260 pounds (5.6 kN) when using a body belt,
and/or exceeds 2,520 pounds (11.2 kN) when
using a body harness.
(5) The maximum elongation and deceleration distance should be recorded during the
force test.
(e) Deceleration device tests. (1) General. The
device should be evaluated or tested under
the environmental conditions, (such as rain,
ice, grease, dirt, type of lifeline, etc.), for
which the device is designed.
(2) Rope-grab-type deceleration devices. (i)
Devices should be moved on a lifeline 1,000
times over the same length of line a distance
of not less than 1 foot (30.5 cm), and the
mechanism should lock each time.
(ii) Unless the device is permanently
marked to indicate the type(s) of lifeline
which must be used, several types (different
diameters and different materials), of lifelines should be used to test the device.

Pt. 1926, Subpt. M, App. C

(3) Other self-activating-type deceleration devices. The locking mechanisms of other selfactivating-type deceleration devices designed for more than one arrest should lock
each of 1,000 times as they would in normal
service.
II. Additional non-mandatory guidelines for
personal fall arrest systems. The following information constitutes additional guidelines
for use in complying with requirements for a
personal fall arrest system.
(a) Selection and use considerations. (1) The
kind of personal fall arrest system selected
should match the particular work situation,
and any possible free fall distance should be
kept to a minimum. Consideration should be
given to the particular work environment.
For example, the presence of acids, dirt,
moisture, oil, grease, etc., and their effect on
the system, should be evaluated. Hot or cold
environments may also have an adverse effect on the system. Wire rope should not be
used where an electrical hazard is anticipated. As required by the standard, the employer must plan to have means available to
promptly rescue an employee should a fall
occur, since the suspended employee may not
be able to reach a work level independently.
(2) Where lanyards, connectors, and lifelines are subject to damage by work operations such as welding, chemical cleaning,
and sandblasting, the component should be
protected, or other securing systems should
be used. The employer should fully evaluate
the work conditions and environment (including seasonal weather changes) before selecting the appropriate personal fall protection system. Once in use, the system’s effectiveness should be monitored. In some cases,
a program for cleaning and maintenance of
the system may be necessary.
(b) Testing considerations. Before purchasing or putting into use a personal fall
arrest system, an employer should obtain
from the supplier information about the system based on its performance during testing
so that the employer can know if the system
meets this standard. Testing should be done
using recognized test methods. This Appendix contains test methods recognized for
evaluating the performance of fall arrest
systems. Not all systems may need to be individually tested; the performance of some
systems may be based on data and calculations derived from testing of similar systems, provided that enough information is
available to demonstrate similarity of function and design.
(c) Component compatibility considerations.
Ideally, a personal fall arrest system is designed, tested, and supplied as a complete
system. However, it is common practice for
lanyards, connectors, lifelines, deceleration
devices, body belts and body harnesses to be
interchanged since some components wear

339

VerDate Jan<31>2003

10:19 Jul 12, 2003

Jkt 200112

PO 00000

Frm 00339

Fmt 8010

Sfmt 8002

Y:\SGML\200112T.XXX

200112T

Pt. 1926, Subpt. M, App. C

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–03 Edition)

out before others. The employer and employee should realize that not all components are interchangeable. For instance, a
lanyard should not be connected between a
body belt (or harness) and a deceleration device of the self-retracting type since this can
result in additional free fall for which the
system was not designed. Any substitution
or change to a personal fall arrest system
should be fully evaluated or tested by a competent person to determine that it meets the
standard, before the modified system is put
in use.
(d) Employee training considerations. Thorough employee training in the selection and
use of personal fall arrest systems is imperative. Employees must be trained in the safe
use of the system. This should include the
following: application limits; proper anchoring and tie-off techniques; estimation of free
fall distance, including determination of deceleration distance, and total fall distance to
prevent striking a lower level; methods of
use; and inspection and storage of the system. Careless or improper use of the equipment can result in serious injury or death.
Employers and employees should become familiar with the material in this Appendix, as
well as manufacturer’s recommendations,
before a system is used. Of uppermost importance is the reduction in strength caused by
certain tie-offs (such as using knots, tying
around sharp edges, etc.) and maximum permitted free fall distance. Also, to be stressed
are the importance of inspections prior to
use, the limitations of the equipment, and
unique conditions at the worksite which may
be important in determining the type of system to use.
(e) Instruction considerations. Employers
should obtain comprehensive instructions
from the supplier as to the system’s proper
use and application, including, where applicable:
(1) The force measured during the sample
force test;
(2) The maximum elongation measured for
lanyards during the force test;
(3) The deceleration distance measured for
deceleration devices during the force test;
(4) Caution statements on critical use limitations;
(5) Application limits;
(6) Proper hook-up, anchoring and tie-off
techniques, including the proper dee-ring or
other attachment point to use on the body
belt and harness for fall arrest;
(7) Proper climbing techniques;
(8) Methods of inspection, use, cleaning,
and storage; and
(9) Specific lifelines which may be used.
This information should be provided to employees during training.
(f) Rescue considerations. As required by
§ 1926.502(d)(20), when personal fall arrest systems are used, the employer must assure
that employees can be promptly rescued or

can rescue themselves should a fall occur.
The availability of rescue personnel, ladders
or other rescue equipment should be evaluated. In some situations, equipment which
allows employees to rescue themselves after
the fall has been arrested may be desirable,
such as devices which have descent capability.
(g) Inspection considerations. As required by
§ 1926.502(d)(21), personal fall arrest systems
must be regularly inspected. Any component
with any significant defect, such as cuts,
tears, abrasions, mold, or undue stretching;
alterations or additions which might affect
its efficiency; damage due to deterioration;
contact with fire, acids, or other corrosives;
distorted hooks or faulty hook springs;
tongues unfitted to the shoulder of buckles;
loose or damaged mountings; non-functioning parts; or wearing or internal deterioration in the ropes must be withdrawn from
service immediately, and should be tagged or
marked as unusable, or destroyed.
(h) Tie-off considerations. (1) One of the
most important aspects of personal fall protection systems is fully planning the system
before it is put into use. Probably the most
overlooked component is planning for suitable anchorage points. Such planning should
ideally be done before the structure or building is constructed so that anchorage points
can be incorporated during construction for
use later for window cleaning or other building maintenance. If properly planned, these
anchorage points may be used during construction, as well as afterwards.
(i) Properly planned anchorages should be
used if they are available. In some cases, anchorages must be installed immediately
prior to use. In such cases, a registered professional engineer with experience in designing fall protection systems, or another qualified person with appropriate education and
experience should design an anchor point to
be installed.
(ii) In other cases, the Agency recognizes
that there will be a need to devise an anchor
point from existing structures. Examples of
what might be appropriate anchor points are
steel members or I-beams if an acceptable
strap is available for the connection (do not
use a lanyard with a snaphook clipped onto
itself); large eye-bolts made of an appropriate grade steel; guardrails or railings if
they have been designed for use as an anchor
point; or masonry or wood members only if
the attachment point is substantial and precautions have been taken to assure that
bolts or other connectors will not pull
through. A qualified person should be used to
evaluate the suitable of these ‘‘make shift’’
anchorages with a focus on proper strength.
(2) Employers and employees should at all
times be aware that the strength of a personal fall arrest system is based on its being
attached to an anchoring system which does
not reduce the strength of the system (such

340

VerDate Jan<31>2003

10:19 Jul 12, 2003

Jkt 200112

PO 00000

Frm 00340

Fmt 8010

Sfmt 8002

Y:\SGML\200112T.XXX

200112T

Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
as a properly dimensioned eye-bolt/snaphook anchorage). Therefore, if a means of attachment is used that will reduce the
strength of the system, that component
should be replaced by a stronger one, but one
that will also maintain the appropriate maximum arrest force characteristics.
(3) Tie-off using a knot in a rope lanyard or
lifeline (at any location) can reduce the lifeline or lanyard strength by 50 percent or
more. Therefore, a stronger lanyard or lifeline should be used to compensate for the
weakening effect of the knot, or the lanyard
length should be reduced (or the tie-off location raised) to minimize free fall distance, or
the lanyard or lifeline should be replaced by
one which has an appropriately incorporated
connector to eliminate the need for a knot.
(4) Tie-off of a rope lanyard or lifeline
around an ‘‘H’’ or ‘‘I’’ beam or similar support can reduce its strength as much as 70
percent due to the cutting action of the
beam edges. Therefore, use should be made of
a webbing lanyard or wire core lifeline
around the beam; or the lanyard or lifeline
should be protected from the edge; or free
fall distance should be greatly minimized.
(5) Tie-off where the line passes over or
around rough or sharp surfaces reduces
strength drastically. Such a tie-off should be
avoided or an alternative tie-off rigging
should be used. Such alternatives may include use of a snap-hook/dee ring connection,
wire rope tie-off, an effective padding of the
surfaces, or an abrasion-resistance strap
around or over the problem surface.
(6) Horizontal lifelines may, depending on
their geometry and angle of sag, be subjected
to greater loads than the impact load imposed by an attached component. When the
angle of horizontal lifeline sag is less than 30
degrees, the impact force imparted to the
lifeline by an attached lanyard is greatly
amplified. For example, with a sag angle of
15 degrees, the force amplification is about
2:1 and at 5 degrees sag, it is about 6:1. Depending on the angle of sag, and the line’s
elasticity, the strength of the horizontal lifeline and the anchorages to which it is attached should be increased a number of
times over that of the lanyard. Extreme care
should be taken in considering a horizontal
lifeline for multiple tie-offs. The reason for
this is that in multiple tie-offs to a horizontal lifeline, if one employee falls, the
movement of the falling employee and the
horizontal lifeline during arrest of the fall
may cause other employees to fall also. Horizontal lifeline and anchorage strength should
be increased for each additional employee to
be tied off. For these and other reasons, the
design of systems using horizontal lifelines
must only be done by qualified persons. Testing of installed lifelines and anchors prior to
use is recommended.
(7) The strength of an eye-bolt is rated
along the axis of the bolt and its strength is

Pt. 1926, Subpt. M, App. C

greatly reduced if the force is applied at an
angle to this axis (in the direction of shear).
Also, care should be exercised in selecting
the proper diameter of the eye to avoid accidental disengagement of snap-hooks not designed to be compatible for the connection.
(8) Due to the significant reduction in the
strength of the lifeline/lanyard (in some
cases, as much as a 70 percent reduction), the
sliding hitch knot (prusik) should not be
used for lifeline/lanyard connections except
in emergency situations where no other
available system is practical. The ‘‘one-andone’’ sliding hitch knot should never be used
because it is unreliable in stopping a fall.
The ‘‘two-and-two,’’ or ‘‘three-and-three’’
knot (preferable) may be used in emergency
situations; however, care should be taken to
limit free fall distance to a minimum because of reduced lifeline/lanyard strength.
(i) Vertical lifeline considerations. As required by the standard, each employee must
have a separate lifeline [except employees
engaged in constructing elevator shafts who
are permitted to have two employees on one
lifeline] when the lifeline is vertical. The
reason for this is that in multiple tie-offs to
a single lifeline, if one employee falls, the
movement of the lifeline during the arrest of
the fall may pull other employees’ lanyards,
causing them to fall as well.
(j) Snap-hook considerations. (1) Although
not required by this standard for all connections until January 1, 1998, locking
snaphooks designed for connection to suitable objects (of sufficient strength) are highly recommended in lieu of the nonlocking
type. Locking snaphooks incorporate a positive locking mechanism in addition to the
spring loaded keeper, which will not allow
the keeper to open under moderate pressure
without someone first releasing the mechanism. Such a feature, properly designed, effectively prevents roll-out from occurring.
(2) As required by § 1926.502(d)(6), the following connections must be avoided (unless
properly designed locking snaphooks are
used) because they are conditions which can
result in roll-out when a nonlocking
snaphook is used:
(i) Direct connection of a snaphook to a
horizontal lifeline.
(ii) Two (or more) snaphooks connected to
one dee-ring.
(iii) Two snaphooks connected to each
other.
(iv) A snaphook connected back on its integral lanyard.
(v) A snaphook connected to a webbing
loop or webbing lanyard.
(vi) Improper dimensions of the dee-ring,
rebar, or other connection point in relation
to the snaphook dimensions which would
allow the snaphook keeper to be depressed
by a turning motion of the snaphook.
(k) Free fall considerations. The employer
and employee should at all times be aware

341

VerDate Jan<31>2003

10:19 Jul 12, 2003

Jkt 200112

PO 00000

Frm 00341

Fmt 8010

Sfmt 8002

Y:\SGML\200112T.XXX

200112T

Pt. 1926, Subpt. M, App. D

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–03 Edition)

that a system’s maximum arresting force is
evaluated under normal use conditions established by the manufacturer, and in no
case using a free fall distance in excess of 6
feet (1.8 m). A few extra feet of free fall can
significantly increase the arresting force on
the employee, possibly to the point of causing injury. Because of this, the free fall distance should be kept at a minimum, and, as
required by the standard, in no case greater
than 6 feet (1.8 m). To help assure this, the
tie-off attachment point to the lifeline or anchor should be located at or above the connection point of the fall arrest equipment to
belt or harness. (Since otherwise additional
free fall distance is added to the length of
the connecting means (i.e. lanyard)). Attaching to the working surface will often result
in a free fall greater than 6 feet (1.8 m). For
instance, if a 6 foot (1.8 m) lanyard is used,
the total free fall distance will be the distance from the working level to the body
belt (or harness) attachment point plus the 6
feet (1.8 m) of lanyard length. Another important consideration is that the arresting
force which the fall system must withstand
also goes up with greater distances of free
fall, possibly exceeding the strength of the
system.
(l) Elongation and deceleration distance considerations. Other factors involved in a proper
tie-off are elongation and deceleration distance. During the arresting of a fall, a lanyard will experience a length of stretching or
elongation, whereas activation of a deceleration device will result in a certain stopping
distance. These distances should be available
with the lanyard or device’s instructions and
must be added to the free fall distance to arrive at the total fall distance before an employee is fully stopped. The additional stopping distance may be very significant if the
lanyard or deceleration device is attached
near or at the end of a long lifeline, which
may itself add considerable distance due to
its own elongation. As required by the standard, sufficient distance to allow for all of
these factors must also be maintained between the employee and obstructions below,
to prevent an injury due to impact before the
system fully arrests the fall. In addition, a
minimum of 12 feet (3.7 m) of lifeline should
be allowed below the securing point of a rope
grab type deceleration device, and the end
terminated to prevent the device from sliding off the lifeline. Alternatively, the lifeline
should extend to the ground or the next
working level below. These measures are
suggested to prevent the worker from inadvertently moving past the end of the lifeline
and having the rope grab become disengaged
from the lifeline.
(m) Obstruction considerations. The location
of the tie-off should also consider the hazard
of obstructions in the potential fall path of
the employee. Tie-offs which minimize the
possibilities of exaggerated swinging should

be considered. In addition, when a body belt
is used, the employee’s body will go through
a horizontal position to a jack-knifed position during the arrest of all falls. Thus, obstructions which might interfere with this
motion should be avoided or a severe injury
could occur.
(n) Other considerations. Because of the design of some personal fall arrest systems, additional considerations may be required for
proper tie-off. For example, heavy deceleration devices of the self-retracting type
should be secured overhead in order to avoid
the weight of the device having to be supported by the employee. Also, if self- retracting equipment is connected to a horizontal
lifeline, the sag in the lifeline should be
minimized to prevent the device from sliding
down the lifeline to a position which creates
a swing hazard during fall arrest. In all
cases, manufacturer’s instructions should be
followed.

APPENDIX D TO SUBPART M OF PART
1926—POSITIONING DEVICE SYSTEMS
Non-Mandatory Guidelines for Complying With
§ 1926.502(e)
I. Testing Methods For Positioning Device
Systems. This appendix serves as a non-mandatory guideline to assist employers comply
with the requirements for positioning device
systems in § 1926.502(e). Paragraphs (b), (c),
(d) and (e) of Appendix C of subpart M relating to § 1926.502(d)—Personal Fall Arrest
Systems—set forth test procedures which
may be used, along with the procedures listed below, to determine compliance with the
requirements for positioning device systems
in § 1926.502(e) (3) and (4) of subpart M.
(a) General. (1) Single strap positioning devices shall have one end attached to a fixed
anchorage and the other end connected to a
body belt or harness in the same manner as
they would be used to protect employees.
Double strap positioning devices, similar to
window cleaner’s belts, shall have one end of
the strap attached to a fixed anchorage and
the other end shall hang free. The body belt
or harness shall be attached to the strap in
the same manner as it would be used to protect employees. The two strap ends shall be
adjusted to their maximum span.
(2) The fixed anchorage shall be rigid, and
shall not have a deflection greater than .04
inches (1 mm) when a force of 2,250 pounds
(10 kN) is applied.
(3) During the testing of all systems, a test
weight of 250 pounds plus or minus 3 pounds
(113 kg plus or minus 1.6 kg) shall be used.
The weight shall be a rigid object with a
girth of 38 inches plus or minus 4 inches (96
cm plus or minus 10 cm).
(4) Each test shall consist of dropping the
specified weight one time without failure of

342

VerDate Jan<31>2003

10:19 Jul 12, 2003

Jkt 200112

PO 00000

Frm 00342

Fmt 8010

Sfmt 8002

Y:\SGML\200112T.XXX

200112T

Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
the system being tested. A new system shall
be used for each test.
(5) The test weight for each test shall be
hoisted exactly 4 feet (1.2 m above its ‘‘at
rest’’ position), and shall be dropped so as to
permit a vertical free fall of 4 feet (1.2 m).
(6) The test is failed whenever any breakage or slippage occurs which permits the
weight to fall free of the system.
(7) Following the test, the system need not
be capable of further operation; however, all
such incapacities shall be readily apparent.
II. Inspection Considerations. As required in
§ 1926.502 (e)(5), positioning device systems
must be regularly inspected. Any component
with any significant defect, such as cuts,
tears, abrasions, mold, or undue stretching;
alterations or additions which might affect
its efficiency; damage due to deterioration;
contact with fire, acids, or other corrosives;
distorted hooks or faulty hook springs;
tongues unfitted to the shoulder of buckles;
loose or damaged mountings; non-functioning parts; or wearing or internal deterioration in the ropes must be withdrawn from
service immediately, and should be tagged or
marked as unusable, or destroyed.

APPENDIX E TO SUBPART M OF PART
1926—SAMPLE FALL PROTECTION PLAN
Non-Mandatory Guidelines for Complying With
§ 1926.502(k)
Employers engaged in leading edge work,
precast concrete construction work and residential construction work who can demonstrate that it is infeasible or creates a
greater hazard to use conventional fall protection systems must develop and follow a
fall protection plan. Below are sample fall
protection plans developed for precast concrete construction and residential work that
could be tailored to be site specific for other
precast concrete or residential jobsite. This
sample plan can be modified to be used for
other work involving leading edge work. The
sample plan outlines the elements that must
be addressed in any fall protection plan. The
reasons outlined in this sample fall protection plan are for illustrative purposes only
and are not necessarily a valid, acceptable
rationale (unless the conditions at the job
site are the same as those covered by these
sample plans) for not using conventional fall
protection systems for a particular precast
concrete or residential construction worksite. However, the sample plans provide guidance to employers on the type of information
that is required to be discussed in fall protection plans.

Pt. 1926, Subpt. M, App. E

SAMPLE FALL PROTECTION PLANS
Fall Protection Plan For Precast/Prestress
Concrete Structures
This Fall Protection Plan is specific for
the following project:
Location of Job lllllllllllllll
Erecting Company lllllllllllll
Date Plan Prepared or Modified llllll
Plan Prepared By llllllllllllll
Plan Approved By llllllllllllll
Plan Supervised By lllllllllllll
The following Fall Protection Plan is a
sample program prepared for the prevention
of injuries associated with falls. A Fall Protection Plan must be developed and evaluated on a site by site basis. It is recommended that erectors discuss the written
Fall Protection Plan with their OSHA Area
Office prior to going on a jobsite.
I. STATEMENT OF COMPANY POLICY
(Company Name) is dedicated to the protection of its employees from on-the-job injuries. All employees of (Company Name)
have the responsibility to work safely on the
job. The purpose of this plan is: (a) To supplement our standard safety policy by providing safety standards specifically designed
to cover fall protection on this job and; (b) to
ensure that each employee is trained and
made aware of the safety provisions which
are to be implemented by this plan prior to
the start of erection.
This Fall Protection Plan addresses the
use of other than conventional fall protection at a number of areas on the project, as
well as identifying specific activities that require non-conventional means of fall protection. These areas include:
a. Connecting activity (point of erection).
b. Leading edge work.
c. Unprotected sides or edge.
d. Grouting.
This plan is designed to enable employers
and employees to recognize the fall hazards
on this job and to establish the procedures
that are to be followed in order to prevent
falls to lower levels or through holes and
openings in walking/working surfaces. Each
employee will be trained in these procedures
and strictly adhere to them except when
doing so would expose the employee to a
greater hazard. If, in the employees opinion,
this is the case, the employee is to notify the
foreman of the concern and the concern addressed before proceeding.
Safety policy and procedure on any one
project cannot be administered, implemented, monitored and enforced by any one
individual. The total objective of a safe, accident free work environment can only be accomplished by a dedicated, concerted effort

343

VerDate Jan<31>2003

10:19 Jul 12, 2003

Jkt 200112

PO 00000

Frm 00343

Fmt 8010

Sfmt 8002

Y:\SGML\200112T.XXX

200112T

Pt. 1926, Subpt. M, App. E

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–03 Edition)

by every individual involved with the project
from management down to the last employee. Each employee must understand
their value to the company; the costs of accidents, both monetary, physical, and emotional; the objective of the safety policy and
procedures; the safety rules that apply to the
safety policy and procedures; and what their
individual role is in administering, implementing, monitoring, and compliance of
their safety policy and procedures. This allows for a more personal approach to compliance through planning, training, understanding and cooperative effort, rather than
by strict enforcement. If for any reason an
unsafe act persists, strict enforcement will
be implemented.
It is the responsibility of (name of competent person) to implement this Fall Protection Plan. (Name of Competent Person) is
responsible for continual observational safety checks of their work operations and to enforce the safety policy and procedures. The
foreman also is responsible to correct any
unsafe acts or conditions immediately. It is
the responsibility of the employee to understand and adhere to the procedures of this
plan and to follow the instructions of the
foreman. It is also the responsibility of the
employee to bring to managements attention
any unsafe or hazardous conditions or acts
that may cause injury to either themselves
or any other employees. Any changes to this
Fall Protection Plan must be approved by
(name of Qualified Person).
II. FALL PROTECTION SYSTEMS TO BE USED ON
THIS PROJECT
Where conventional fall protection is infeasible or creates a greater hazard at the
leading edge and during initial connecting
activity, we plan to do this work using a
safety monitoring system and expose only a
minimum number of employees for the time
necessary to actually accomplish the job.
The maximum number of workers to be monitored by one safety monitor is six (6). We
are designating the following trained employees as designated erectors and they are
permitted to enter the controlled access
zones and work without the use of conventional fall protection.
Safety monitor:
Designated erector:
Designated erector:
Designated erector:
Designated erector:
Designated erector:
Designated erector:
The safety monitor shall be identified by
wearing an orange hard hat. The designated
erectors will be identified by one of the following methods:
1. They will wear a blue colored arm band,
or

2. They will wear a blue colored hard hat,
or
3. They will wear a blue colored vest.
Only individuals with the appropriate experience, skills, and training will be authorized
as designated erectors. All employees that
will be working as designated erectors under
the safety monitoring system shall have
been trained and instructed in the following
areas:
1. Recognition of the fall hazards in the
work area (at the leading edge and when
making initial connections—point of erection).
2. Avoidance of fall hazards using established work practices which have been made
known to the employees.
3. Recognition of unsafe practices or working conditions that could lead to a fall, such
as windy conditions.
4. The function, use, and operation of safety monitoring systems, guardrail systems,
body belt/harness systems, control zones and
other protection to be used.
5. The correct procedure for erecting,
maintaining, disassembling and inspecting
the system(s) to be used.
6. Knowledge of construction sequence or
the erection plan.
A conference will take place prior to starting work involving all members of the erection crew, crane crew and supervisors of any
other concerned contractors. This conference
will be conducted by the precast concrete
erection supervisor in charge of the project.
During the pre-work conference, erection
procedures and sequences pertinent to this
job will be thoroughly discussed and safety
practices to be used throughout the project
will be specified. Further, all personnel will
be informed that the controlled access zones
are off limits to all personnel other than
those
designated
erectors
specifically
trained to work in that area.
Safety Monitoring System
A safety monitoring system means a fall
protection system in which a competent person is responsible for recognizing and warning employees of fall hazards. The duties of
the safety monitor are to:
1. Warn by voice when approaching the
open edge in an unsafe manner.
2. Warn by voice if there is a dangerous situation developing which cannot be seen by
another person involved with product placement, such as a member getting out of control.
3. Make the designated erectors aware they
are in a dangerous area.
4. Be competent in recognizing fall hazards.
5. Warn employees when they appear to be
unaware of a fall hazard or are acting in an
unsafe manner.

344

VerDate Jan<31>2003

10:19 Jul 12, 2003

Jkt 200112

PO 00000

Frm 00344

Fmt 8010

Sfmt 8002

Y:\SGML\200112T.XXX

200112T

Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
6. Be on the same walking/working surface
as the monitored employees and within visual sighting distance of the monitored employees.
7. Be close enough to communicate orally
with the employees.
8. Not allow other responsibilities to encumber monitoring. If the safety monitor becomes too encumbered with other responsibilities, the monitor shall (1) stop the erection process; and (2) turn over other responsibilities to a designated erector; or (3) turn
over the safety monitoring function to another designated, competent person. The
safety monitoring system shall not be used
when the wind is strong enough to cause
loads with large surface areas to swing out of
radius, or result in loss of control of the
load, or when weather conditions cause the
walking-working surfaces to become icy or
slippery.

Pt. 1926, Subpt. M, App. E

shipped with the member to the jobsite.
Prior to cutting holes on the job, proper protection for the hole must be provided to protect the workers. Perimeter guarding or covers will not be removed without the approval
of the erection foreman.
Precast concrete column erection through
the existing deck requires that many holes
be provided through this deck. These are to
be covered and protected. Except for the
opening being currently used to erect a column, all opening protection is to be left undisturbed. The opening being uncovered to
erect a column will become part of the point
of erection and will be addressed as part of
this Fall Protection Plan. This uncovering is
to be done at the erection foreman’s direction and will only occur immediately prior
to ‘‘feeding’’ the column through the opening. Once the end of the column is through
the slab opening, there will no longer exist a
fall hazard at this location.

Control Zone System
A controlled access zone means an area
designated and clearly marked, in which
leading edge work may take place without
the use of guardrail, safety net or personal
fall arrest systems to protect the employees
in the area. Control zone systems shall comply with the following provisions:
1. When used to control access to areas
where leading edge and 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 (l.8 m) nor more
than 60 feet (18 m) or half the length of the
member being erected, whichever is less,
from the leading edge.
2. 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.
3. The control line shall be connected on
each side to a guardrail system or wall.
4. Control lines shall consist of ropes,
wires, tapes, or equivalent materials, and
supporting stanchions as follows:
5. Each line shall be flagged or otherwise
clearly marked at not more than 6-foot (1.8
m) intervals with high- visibility material.
6. 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) from
the walking/working surface.
7. Each line shall have a minimum breaking strength of 200 pounds (.88 kN).
Holes
All openings greater than 12 in.×12 in. will
have perimeter guarding or covering. All
predetermined holes will have the plywood
covers made in the precasters’ yard and

III. IMPLEMENTATION OF FALL PROTECTION
PLAN
The structure being erected is a multistory
total precast concrete building consisting of
columns, beams, wall panels and hollow core
slabs and double tee floor and roof members.
The following is a list of the products and
erection situations on this job:
Columns
For columns 10 ft to 36 ft long, employees
disconnecting crane hooks from columns will
work from a ladder and wear a body belt/harness with lanyard and be tied off when both
hands are needed to disconnect. For tying
off, a vertical lifeline will be connected to
the lifting eye at the top of the column,
prior to lifting, to be used with a manually
operated or mobile rope grab. For columns
too high for the use of a ladder, 36 ft and
higher, an added cable will be used to reduce
the height of the disconnecting point so that
a ladder can be used. This cable will be left
in place until a point in erection that it can
be removed safely. In some cases, columns
will be unhooked from the crane by using an
erection tube or shackle with a pull pin
which is released from the ground after the
column is stabilized.
The column will be adequately connected
and/or braced to safely support the weight of
a ladder with an employee on it.
Inverted Tee Beams
Employees erecting inverted tee beams, at
a height of 6 to 40 ft, will erect the beam,
make initial connections, and final alignment from a ladder. If the employee needs to
reach over the side of the beam to bar or
make an adjustment to the alignment of the
beam, they will mount the beam and be tied
off to the lifting device in the beam after ensuring the load has been stabilized on its

345

VerDate Jan<31>2003

10:19 Jul 12, 2003

Jkt 200112

PO 00000

Frm 00345

Fmt 8010

Sfmt 8002

Y:\SGML\200112T.XXX

200112T

Pt. 1926, Subpt. M, App. E

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–03 Edition)

bearing. To disconnect the crane from the
beam an employee will stand a ladder
against the beam. Because the use of ladders
is not practical at heights above 40 ft, beams
will be initially placed with the use of tag
lines and their final alignment made by a
person on a manlift or similar employee positioning systems.
Spandrel Beams
Spandrel beams at the exterior of the
building will be aligned as closely as possible
with the use of tag lines with the final placement of the spandrel beam made from a ladder at the open end of the structure. A ladder
will be used to make the initial connections
and a ladder will be used to disconnect the
crane. The other end of the beam will be
placed by the designated erector from the
double tee deck under the observation of the
safety monitor.
The beams will be adequately connected
and/or braced to safely support the weight of
a ladder with an employee on it.
Floor and Roof Members
During installation of the precast concrete
floor and/or roof members, the work deck
continuously increases in area as more and
more units are being erected and positioned.
Thus, the unprotected floor/roof perimeter is
constantly modified with the leading edge
changing location as each member is installed. The fall protection for workers at
the leading edge shall be assured by properly
constructed and maintained control zone
lines not more than 60 ft away from the leading edge supplemented by a safety monitoring system to ensure the safety of all designated erectors working within the area defined by the control zone lines.
The hollow core slabs erected on the masonry portion of the building will be erected
and grouted using the safety monitoring system. Grout will be placed in the space between the end of the slab and face shell of
the concrete masonry by dumping from a
wheelbarrow. The grout in the keyways between the slabs will be dumped from a wheelbarrow and then spread with long handled
tools, allowing the worker to stand erect facing toward the unprotected edge and back
from any work deck edge.
Whenever possible, the designated erectors
will approach the incoming member at the
leading edge only after it is below waist
height so that the member itself provides
protection against falls.
Except for the situations described below,
when the arriving floor or roof member is
within 2 to 3 inches of its final position, the
designated erectors can then proceed to their
position of erection at each end of the member under the control of the safety monitor.
Crane hooks will be unhooked from double
tee members by designated erectors under

the direction and supervision of the safety
monitor.
Designated erectors, while waiting for the
next floor or roof member, will be constantly
under the control of the safety monitor for
fall protection and are directed to stay a
minimum of six (6) ft from the edge. In the
event a designated erector must move from
one end of a member, which has just been
placed at the leading edge, they must first
move away from the leading edge a minimum of six (6) ft and then progress to the
other end while maintaining the minimum
distance of six (6) ft at all times.
Erection of double tees, where conditions
require bearing of one end into a closed
pocket and the other end on a beam ledge,
restricting the tee legs from going directly
into the pockets, require special considerations. The tee legs that are to bear in the
closed pocket must hang lower than those at
the beam bearing. The double tee will be
‘‘two-lined’’ in order to elevate one end higher than the other to allow for the low end to
be ducked into the closed pocket using the
following procedure.
The double tee will be rigged with a standard four-way spreader off of the main load
line. An additional choker will be attached
to the married point of the two-legged
spreader at the end of the tee that is to be
elevated. The double tee will be hoisted with
the main load line and swung into a position
as close as possible to the tee’s final bearing
elevation. When the tee is in this position
and stabilized, the whip line load block will
be lowered to just above the tee deck. At this
time, two erectors will walk out on the suspended tee deck at midspan of the tee member and pull the load block to the end of the
tee to be elevated and attach the additional
choker to the load block. The possibility of
entanglement with the crane lines and other
obstacles during this two lining process
while raising and lowering the crane block
on that second line could be hazardous to an
encumbered employee. Therefore, the designated erectors will not tie off during any
part of this process. While the designated
erectors are on the double tee, the safety
monitoring system will be used. After attaching the choker, the two erectors then
step back on the previously erected tee deck
and signal the crane operator to hoist the
load with the whip line to the elevation that
will allow for enough clearance to let the low
end tee legs slide into the pockets when the
main load line is lowered. The erector, who
is handling the lowered end of the tee at the
closed pocket bearing, will step out on the
suspended tee. An erection bar will then be
placed between the end of the tee leg and the
inside face of the pocketed spandrel member.
The tee is barred away from the pocketed
member to reduce the friction and lateral
force against the pocketed member. As the

346

VerDate Jan<31>2003

10:19 Jul 12, 2003

Jkt 200112

PO 00000

Frm 00346

Fmt 8010

Sfmt 8002

Y:\SGML\200112T.XXX

200112T

Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
tee is being lowered, the other erector remains on the tee which was previously erected to handle the other end. At this point the
tee is slowly lowered by the crane to a point
where the tee legs can freely slide into the
pockets. The erector working the lowered
end of the tee must keep pressure on the bar
between the tee and the face of the pocketed
spandrel member to very gradually let the
tee legs slide into the pocket to its proper
bearing dimension. The tee is then slowly
lowered into its final erected position.
The designated erector should be allowed
onto the suspended double tee, otherwise
there is no control over the horizontal movement of the double tee and this movement
could knock the spandrel off of its bearing or
the column out of plumb. The control necessary to prevent hitting the spandrel can
only be done safely from the top of the double tee being erected.
Loadbearing Wall Panels: The erection of
the loadbearing wall panels on the elevated
decks requires the use of a safety monitor
and a controlled access zone that is a minimum of 25 ft and a maximum of 1⁄2 the
length of the wall panels away from the unprotected edge, so that designated erectors
can move freely and unencumbered when receiving the panels. Bracing, if required for
stability, will be installed by ladder. After
the braces are secured, the crane will be disconnected from the wall by using a ladder.
The wall to wall connections will also be performed from a ladder.
Non-Loadbearing Panels (Cladding): The
locating of survey lines, panel layout and
other installation prerequisites (prewelding,
etc.) for non-loadbearing panels (cladding)
will not commence until floor perimeter and
floor openings have been protected. In some
areas, it is necessary because of panel configuration to remove the perimeter protection as the cladding is being installed. Removal of perimeter protection will be performed on a bay to bay basis, just ahead of
cladding erection to minimize temporarily
unprotected floor edges. Those workers within 6 ft of the edge, receiving and positioning
the cladding when the perimeter protection
is removed shall be tied off.
Detailing
Employees exposed to falls of six (6) feet or
more to lower levels, who are not actively
engaged in leading edge work or connecting
activity, such as welding, bolting, cutting,
bracing, guying, patching, painting or other
operations, and who are working less than
six (6) ft from an unprotected edge will be
tied off at all times or guardrails will be installed. Employees engaged in these activities but who are more than six (6) ft from an
unprotected edge as defined by the control
zone lines, do not require fall protection but
a warning line or control lines must be erect-

Pt. 1926, Subpt. M, App. E

ed to remind employees they are approaching an area where fall protection is required.
IV. CONVENTIONAL FALL PROTECTION CONSIDERED FOR THE POINT OF ERECTION OR LEADING EDGE ERECTION OPERATIONS
A. Personal Fall Arrest Systems
In this particular erection sequence and
procedure, personal fall arrest systems requiring body belt/harness systems, lifelines
and lanyards will not reduce possible hazards
to workers and will create offsetting hazards
during their usage at the leading edge of precast/prestressed concrete construction.
Leading edge erection and initial connections are conducted by employees who are
specifically trained to do this type of work
and are trained to recognize the fall hazards.
The nature of such work normally exposes
the employee to the fall hazard for a short
period of time and installation of fall protection systems for a short duration is not feasible because it exposes the installers of the
system to the same fall hazard, but for a
longer period of time.
1. It is necessary that the employee be able
to move freely without encumbrance in order
to guide the sections of precast concrete into
their final position without having lifelines
attached which will restrict the employees
ability to move about at the point of erection.
2. A typical procedure requires 2 or more
workers to maneuver around each other as a
concrete member is positioned to fit into the
structure. If they are each attached to a lifeline, part of their attention must be diverted
from their main task of positioning a member weighing several tons to the task of
avoiding entanglements of their lifelines or
avoiding tripping over lanyards. Therefore, if
these workers are attached to lanyards,
more fall potential would result than from
not using such a device.
In this specific erection sequence and procedure, retractable lifelines do not solve the
problem of two workers becoming tangled. In
fact, such a tangle could prevent the lifeline
from retracting as the worker moved, thus
potentially exposing the worker to a fall
greater than 6 ft. Also, a worker crossing
over the lifeline of another worker can create a hazard because the movement of one
person can unbalance the other. In the event
of a fall by one person there is a likelihood
that the other person will be caused to fall
as well. In addition, if contamination such as
grout (during hollow core grouting) enters
the retractable housing it can cause excessive wear and damage to the device and
could clog the retracting mechanism as the
lanyard is dragged across the deck. Obstructing the cable orifice can defeat the devices
shock absorbing function, produce cable
slack and damage, and adversely affect cable
extraction and retraction.

347

VerDate Jan<31>2003

10:19 Jul 12, 2003

Jkt 200112

PO 00000

Frm 00347

Fmt 8010

Sfmt 8002

Y:\SGML\200112T.XXX

200112T

Pt. 1926, Subpt. M, App. E

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–03 Edition)

3. Employees tied to a lifeline can be
trapped and crushed by moving structural
members if the employee becomes restrained
by the lanyard or retractable lifeline and
cannot get out of the path of the moving
load.
The sudden movement of a precast concrete member being raised by a crane can be
caused by a number of factors. When this
happens, a connector may immediately have
to move a considerable distance to avoid injury. If a tied off body belt/harness is being
used, the connector could be trapped. Therefore, there is a greater risk of injury if the
connector is tied to the structure for this
specific erection sequence and procedure.
When necessary to move away from a retractable device, the worker cannot move at
a rate greater than the device locking speed
typically 3.5 to 4.5 ft/sec. When moving toward the device it is necessary to move at a
rate which does not permit cable slack to
build up. This slack may cause cable retraction acceleration and cause a worker to lose
their balance by applying a higher than normal jerking force on the body when the cable
suddenly becomes taut after building up momentum. This slack can also cause damage
to the internal spring-loaded drum, uneven
coiling of cable on the drum, and possible
cable damage.
The factors causing sudden movements for
this location include:
(a) Cranes
(1) Operator error.
(2) Site conditions (soft or unstable
ground).
(3) Mechanical failure.
(4) Structural failure.
(5) Rigging failure.
(6) Crane signal/radio communication failure.
(b) Weather Conditions
(1) Wind (strong wind/sudden gusting)—particularly a problem with the large surface
areas of precast concrete members.
(2) Snow/rain (visibility).
(3) Fog (visibility).
(4) Cold—causing slowed reactions or mechanical problems.
(c) Structure/Product Conditions.
(1) Lifting Eye failure.
(2) Bearing failure or slippage.
(3) Structure shifting.
(4) Bracing failure.
(5) Product failure.
(d) Human Error.
(1) Incorrect tag line procedure.
(2) Tag line hang-up.
(3) Incorrect or misunderstood crane signals.
(4) Misjudged elevation of member.
(5) Misjudged speed of member.
(6) Misjudged angle of member.

4. Anchorages or special attachment points
could be cast into the precast concrete members if sufficient preplanning and consideration of erectors position is done before the
members are cast. Any hole or other attachment must be approved by the engineer who
designed the member. It is possible that
some design restrictions will not allow a
member to be weakened by an additional
hole; however, it is anticipated that such situations would be the exception, not the rule.
Attachment points, other than on the deck
surface,
will
require
removal
and/or
patching. In order to remove and/or patch
these points, requires the employee to be exposed to an additional fall hazard at an unprotected perimeter. The fact that attachment points could be available anywhere on
the structure does not eliminate the hazards
of using these points for tying off as discussed above. A logical point for tying off on
double tees would be using the lifting loops,
except that they must be cut off to eliminate
a tripping hazard at an appropriate time.
5. Providing attachment at a point above
the walking/working surface would also create fall exposures for employees installing
their devices. Final positioning of a precast
concrete member requires it to be moved in
such a way that it must pass through the
area that would be occupied by the lifeline
and the lanyards attached to the point
above. Resulting entanglements of lifelines
and lanyards on a moving member could pull
employees from the work surface. Also, the
structure is being created and, in most cases,
there is no structure above the members
being placed.
(a) Temporary structural supports, installed to provide attaching points for lifelines limit the space which is essential for
orderly positioning, alignment and placement of the precast concrete members. To
keep the lanyards a reasonable and manageable length, lifeline supports would necessarily need to be in proximity to the positioning process. A sudden shift of the precast
concrete member being positioned because of
wind pressure or crane movement could
make it strike the temporary supporting
structure, moving it suddenly and causing
tied off employees to fall.
(b) The time in manhours which would be
expended in placing and maintaining temporary structural supports for lifeline attaching points could exceed the expended
manhours involved in placing the precast
concrete members. No protection could be
provided for the employees erecting the temporary structural supports and these supports would have to be moved for each successive step in the construction process, thus
greatly increasing the employees exposure to
the fall hazard.
(c) The use of a cable strung horizontally
between two columns to provide tie off lines

348

VerDate Jan<31>2003

10:19 Jul 12, 2003

Jkt 200112

PO 00000

Frm 00348

Fmt 8010

Sfmt 8002

Y:\SGML\200112T.XXX

200112T

Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
for erecting or walking a beam for connecting work is not feasible and creates a
greater hazard on this multi-story building
for the following reasons:
(1) If a connector is to use such a line, it
must be installed between the two columns.
To perform this installation requires an
erector to have more fall exposure time attaching the cable to the columns than would
be spent to make the beam to column connection itself.
(2) If such a line is to be installed so that
an erector can walk along a beam, it must be
overhead or below him. For example, if a
connector must walk along a 24 in. wide
beam, the presence of a line next to the connector at waist level, attached directly to
the columns, would prevent the connector
from centering their weight over the beam
and balancing themselves. Installing the line
above the connector might be possible on the
first level of a two-story column; however,
the column may extend only a few feet above
the floor level at the second level or be flush
with the floor level. Attaching the line to
the side of the beam could be a solution;
however, it would require the connector to
attach the lanyard below foot level which
would most likely extend a fall farther than
6 ft.
(3) When lines are strung over every beam,
it becomes more and more difficult for the
crane operator to lower a precast concrete
member into position without the member
becoming fouled. Should the member become
entangled, it could easily dislodge the line
from a column. If a worker is tied to it at
the time, a fall could be caused.
6. The ANSI A10.14–1991 American National
Standard for Construction and Demolition
Operations—Requirements for Safety Belts,
Harnesses, Lanyards and Lifelines for Construction and Demolition Use, states that
the anchor point of a lanyard or deceleration
device should, if possible, be located above
the wearer’s belt or harness attachment.
ANSI A10.14 also states that a suitable anchorage point is one which is located as high
as possible to prevent contact with an obstruction below should the worker fall. Most
manufacturers also warn in the user’s handbook that the safety block/retractable lifeline must be positioned above the D-ring
(above the work space of the intended user)
and OSHA recommends that fall arrest and
restraint equipment be used in accordance
with the manufacturer’s instructions.
Attachment of a retractable device to a
horizontal cable near floor level or using the
inserts in the floor or roof members may result in increased free fall due to the dorsal
D-ring of the full-body harness riding higher
than the attachment point of the snaphook
to the cable or insert (e.g., 6 foot tall worker
with a dorsal D-ring at 5 feet above the floor
or surface, reduces the working length to
only one foot, by placing the anchorage five

Pt. 1926, Subpt. M, App. E

feet away from the fall hazard). In addition,
impact loads may exceed maximum fall arrest forces (MAF) because the fall arrest Dring would be 4 to 5 feet higher than the safety block/retractable lifeline anchored to the
walking-working surface; and the potential
for swing hazards is increased.
Manufacturers also require that workers
not work at a level where the point of
snaphook attachment to the body harness is
above the device because this will increase
the free fall distance and the deceleration
distance and will cause higher forces on the
body in the event of an accidental fall.
Manufacturers recommend an anchorage
for the retractable lifeline which is immovably fixed in space and is independent of the
user’s support systems. A moveable anchorage is one which can be moved around (such
as equipment or wheeled vehicles) or which
can deflect substantially under shock loading (such as a horizontal cable or very flexible beam). In the case of a very flexible anchorage, a shock load applied to the anchorage during fall arrest can cause oscillation of
the flexible anchorage such that the retractable brake mechanism may undergo one or
more cycles of locking/unlocking/locking
(ratchet effect) until the anchorage deflection is dampened. Therefore, use of a moveable anchorage involves critical engineering
and safety factors and should only be considered after fixed anchorage has been determined to be not feasible.
Horizontal cables used as an anchorage
present an additional hazard due to amplification of the horizontal component of maximum arrest force (of a fall) transmitted to
the points where the horizontal cable is attached to the structure. This amplification
is due to the angle of sag of a horizontal
cable and is most severe for small angles of
sag. For a cable sag angle of 2 degrees the
horizontal force on the points of cable attachment can be amplified by a factor of 15.
It is also necessary to install the retractable device vertically overhead to minimize
swing falls. If an object is in the worker’s
swing path (or that of the cable) hazardous
situations exist: (1) due to the swing, horizontal speed of the user may be high enough
to cause injury when an obstacle in the
swing fall path is struck by either the user
or the cable; (2) the total vertical fall distance of the user may be much greater than
if the user had fallen only vertically without
a swing fall path.
With retractable lines, overconfidence may
cause the worker to engage in inappropriate
behavior, such as approaching the perimeter
of a floor or roof at a distance appreciably
greater than the shortest distance between
the anchorage point and the leading edge.
Though the retractable lifeline may arrest a
worker’s fall before he or she has fallen a few
feet, the lifeline may drag along the edge of
the floor or beam and swing the worker like

349

VerDate Jan<31>2003

10:19 Jul 12, 2003

Jkt 200112

PO 00000

Frm 00349

Fmt 8010

Sfmt 8002

Y:\SGML\200112T.XXX

200112T

Pt. 1926, Subpt. M, App. E

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–03 Edition)

a pendulum until the line has moved to a position where the distance between the anchorage point and floor edge is the shortest
distance between those two points. Accompanying this pendulum swing is a lowering of
the worker, with the attendant danger that
he or she may violently impact the floor or
some obstruction below.
The risk of a cable breaking is increased if
a lifeline is dragged sideways across the
rough surface or edge of a concrete member
at the same moment that the lifeline is
being subjected to a maximum impact loading during a fall. The typical 3⁄16 in. cable in
a retractable lifeline has a breaking strength
of from 3000 to 3700 lbs.
7. The competent person, who can take
into account the specialized operations being
performed on this project, should determine
when and where a designated erector cannot
use a personal fall arrest system.
B. Safety Net Systems
The nature of this particular precast concrete erection worksite precludes the safe
use of safety nets where point of erection or
leading edge work must take place.
1. To install safety nets in the interior
high bay of the single story portion of the
building poses rigging attachment problems.
Structural members do not exist to which
supporting devices for nets can be attached
in the area where protection is required. As
the erection operation advances, the location of point of erection or leading edge work
changes constantly as each member is attached to the structure. Due to this constant
change it is not feasible to set net sections
and build separate structures to support the
nets.
2. The nature of the erection process for
the precast concrete members is such that
an installed net would protect workers as
they position and secure only one structural
member. After each member is stabilized the
net would have to be moved to a new location (this could mean a move of 8 to 10 ft or
the possibility of a move to a different level
or area of the structure) to protect workers
placing the next piece in the construction sequence. The result would be the installation
and dismantling of safety nets repeatedly
throughout the normal work day. As the
time necessary to install a net, test, and remove it is significantly greater than the
time necessary to position and secure a precast concrete member, the exposure time for
the worker installing the safety net would be
far longer than for the workers whom the net
is intended to protect. The time exposure repeats itself each time the nets and supporting hardware must be moved laterally or
upward to provide protection at the point of
erection or leading edge.
3. Strict interpretation of § 1926.502(c) requires that operations shall not be undertaken until the net is in place and has been

tested. With the point of erection constantly
changing, the time necessary to install and
test a safety net significantly exceeds the
time necessary to position and secure the
concrete member.
4. Use of safety nets on exposed perimeter
wall openings and opensided floors, causes
attachment points to be left in architectural
concrete which must be patched and filled
with matching material after the net supporting hardware is removed. In order to
patch these openings, additional numbers of
employees must be suspended by swing
stages, boatswain chairs or other devices,
thereby increasing the amount of fall exposure time to employees.
5. Installed safety nets pose an additional
hazard at the perimeter of the erected structure where limited space is available in
which members can be turned after being
lifted from the ground by the crane. There
would be a high probability that the member
being lifted could become entangled in net
hardware, cables, etc.
6. The use of safety nets where structural
wall panels are being erected would prevent
movement of panels to point of installation.
To be effective, nets would necessarily have
to provide protection across the area where
structural supporting wall panels would be
set and plumbed before roof units could be
placed.
7. Use of a tower crane for the erection of
the high rise portion of the structure poses a
particular hazard in that the crane operator
cannot see or judge the proximity of the load
in relation to the structure or nets. If the
signaler is looking through nets and supporting structural devices while giving instructions to the crane operator, it is not
possible to judge precise relationships between the load and the structure itself or to
nets and supporting structural devices. This
could cause the load to become entangled in
the net or hit the structure causing potential damage.
C. Guardrail Systems
On this particular worksite, guardrails,
barricades, ropes, cables or other perimeter
guarding devices or methods on the erection
floor will pose problems to safe erection procedures. Typically, a floor or roof is erected
by placing 4 to 10 ft wide structural members
next to one another and welding or grouting
them together. The perimeter of a floor and
roof changes each time a new member is
placed into position. It is unreasonable and
virtually impossible to erect guardrails and
toe boards at the ever changing leading edge
of a floor or roof.
1. To position a member safely it is necessary to remove all obstructions extending
above the floor level near the point of erection. Such a procedure allows workers to
swing a new member across the erected surface as necessary to position it properly

350

VerDate Jan<31>2003

10:19 Jul 12, 2003

Jkt 200112

PO 00000

Frm 00350

Fmt 8010

Sfmt 8002

Y:\SGML\200112T.XXX

200112T

Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
without worrying about knocking material
off of this surface.
Hollow core slab erection on the masonry
wall requires installation of the perimeter
protection where the masonry wall has to be
constructed. This means the guardrail is installed then subsequently removed to continue the masonry construction. The erector
will be exposed to a fall hazard for a longer
period of time while installing and removing
perimeter protection than while erecting the
slabs.
In hollow core work, as in other precast
concrete erection, others are not typically
on the work deck until the precast concrete
erection is complete. The deck is not complete until the leveling, aligning, and grouting of the joints is done. It is normal practice to keep others off the deck until at least
the next day after the installation is complete to allow the grout to harden.
2. There is no permanent boundary until
all structural members have been placed in
the floor or roof. At the leading edge, workers are operating at the temporary edge of
the structure as they work to position the
next member in the sequence. Compliance
with the standard would require a guardrail
and toe board be installed along this edge.
However, the presence of such a device would
prevent a new member from being swung
over the erected surface low enough to allow
workers to control it safely during the positioning process. Further, these employees
would have to work through the guardrail to
align the new member and connect it to the
structure. The guardrail would not protect
an employee who must lean through it to do
the necessary work, rather it would hinder
the employee to such a degree that a greater
hazard is created than if the guardrail were
absent.
3. Guardrail requirements pose a hazard at
the leading edge of installed floor or roof
sections by creating the possibility of employees being caught between guardrails and
suspended loads. The lack of a clear work
area in which to guide the suspended load
into position for placement and welding of
members into the existing structure creates
still further hazards.
4. Where erection processes require precast
concrete stairways or openings to be installed as an integral part of the overall
erection process, it must also be recognized
that guardrails or handrails must not project
above the surface of the erection floor. Such
guardrails should be terminated at the level
of the erection floor to avoid placing hazardous obstacles in the path of a member
being positioned.
V. OTHER FALL PROTECTION MEASURES
CONSIDERED FOR THIS JOB
The following is a list and explanation of
other fall protection measures available and
an explanation of limitations for use on this

Pt. 1926, Subpt. M, App. E

particular jobsite. If during the course of
erecting the building the employee sees an
area that could be erected more safely by the
use of these fall protection measures, the
foreman should be notified.
A. Scaffolds are not used because:
1. The leading edge of the building is constantly changing and the scaffolding would
have to be moved at very frequent intervals.
Employees erecting and dismantling the
scaffolding would be exposed to fall hazards
for a greater length of time than they would
by merely erecting the precast concrete
member.
2. A scaffold tower could interfere with the
safe swinging of a load by the crane.
3. Power lines, terrain and site do not
allow for the safe use of scaffolding.
B. Vehicle mounted platforms are not used
because:
1. A vehicle mounted platform will not
reach areas on the deck that are erected over
other levels.
2. The leading edge of the building is usually over a lower level of the building and
this lower level will not support the weight
of a vehicle mounted platform.
3. A vehicle mounted platform could interfere with the safe swinging of a load by the
crane, either by the crane swinging the load
over or into the equipment.
4. Power lines and surrounding site work
do not allow for the safe use of a vehicle
mounted platform.
C. Crane suspended personnel platforms are
not used because:
1. A second crane close enough to suspend
any employee in the working and erecting
area could interfere with the safe swinging of
a load by the crane hoisting the product to
be erected.
2. Power lines and surrounding site work
do not allow for the safe use of a second
crane on the job.
VI. ENFORCEMENT
Constant awareness of and respect for fall
hazards, and compliance with all safety rules
are considered conditions of employment.
The jobsite Superintendent, as well as individuals in the Safety and Personnel Department, reserve the right to issue disciplinary
warnings to employees, up to and including
termination, for failure to follow the guidelines of this program.
VII. ACCIDENT INVESTIGATIONS
All accidents that result in injury to workers, regardless of their nature, shall be investigated and reported. It is an integral part of
any safety program that documentation take
place as soon as possible so that the cause
and means of prevention can be identified to
prevent a reoccurrence.
In the event that an employee falls or
there is some other related, serious incident

351

VerDate Jan<31>2003

10:19 Jul 12, 2003

Jkt 200112

PO 00000

Frm 00351

Fmt 8010

Sfmt 8002

Y:\SGML\200112T.XXX

200112T

Pt. 1926, Subpt. M, App. E

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–03 Edition)

occurring, this plan shall be reviewed to determine if additional practices, procedures,
or training need to be implemented to prevent similar types of falls or incidents from
occurring.
VIII. CHANGES TO PLAN
Any changes to the plan will be approved
by (name of the qualified person). This plan
shall be reviewed by a qualified person as the
job progresses to determine if additional
practices, procedures or training needs to be
implemented by the competent person to improve or provide additional fall protection.
Workers shall be notified and trained, if necessary, in the new procedures. A copy of this
plan and all approved changes shall be maintained at the jobsite.
Sample Fall Protection Plan for Residential
Construction
(INSERT COMPANY NAME)
This Fall Protection Plan Is Specific For
The Following Project:
Location of Job lllllllllllllll
Date Plan Prepared or Modified llllll
Plan Prepared By llllllllllllll
Plan Approved By llllllllllllll
Plan Supervised By lllllllllllll
The following Fall Protection Plan is a
sample program prepared for the prevention
of injuries associated with falls. A Fall Protection Plan must be developed and evaluated on a site by site basis. It is recommended that builders discuss the written
Fall Protection Plan with their OSHA Area
Office prior to going on a jobsite.
I. STATEMENT OF COMPANY POLICY
(Your company name here) is dedicated to
the protection of its employees from on-thejob injuries. All employees of (Your company
name here) have the responsibility to work
safely on the job. The purpose of the plan is
to supplement our existing safety and health
program and to ensure that every employee
who works for (Your company name here)
recognizes workplace fall hazards and takes
the appropriate measures to address those
hazards.
This Fall Protection Plan addresses the
use of conventional fall protection at a number of areas on the project, as well as identifies specific activities that require non-conventional means of fall protection. During
the construction of residential buildings
under 48 feet in height, it is sometimes infeasible or it creates a greater hazard to use
conventional fall protection systems at specific areas or for specific tasks. The areas or
tasks may include, but are not limited to:
a. Setting and bracing of roof trusses and
rafters;
b. Installation of floor sheathing and
joists;

c. Roof sheathing operations; and
d. Erecting exterior walls.
In these cases, conventional fall protection
systems may not be the safest choice for
builders. This plan is designed to enable employers and employees to recognize the fall
hazards associated with this job and to establish the safest procedures that are to be
followed in order to prevent falls to lower
levels or through holes and openings in walking/working surfaces.
Each employee will be trained in these procedures and will strictly adhere to them except when doing so would expose the employee to a greater hazard. If, in the employee’s opinion, this is the case, the employee is
to notify the competent person of their concern and have the concern addressed before
proceeding.
It is the responsibility of (name of competent person) to implement this Fall Protection Plan. Continual observational safety
checks of work operations and the enforcement of the safety policy and procedures
shall be regularly enforced. The crew supervisor or foreman (insert name) is responsible
for correcting any unsafe practices or conditions immediately.
It is the responsibility of the employer to
ensure that all employees understand and
adhere to the procedures of this plan and to
follow the instructions of the crew supervisor. It is also the responsibility of the employee to bring to management’s attention
any unsafe or hazardous conditions or practices that may cause injury to either themselves or any other employees. Any changes
to the Fall Protection Plan must be approved by (name of qualified person).
II. FALL PROTECTION SYSTEMS TO BE USED ON
THIS JOB
Installation of roof trusses/rafters, exterior
wall erection, roof sheathing, floor sheathing
and joist/truss activities will be conducted
by employees who are specifically trained to
do this type of work and are trained to recognize the fall hazards. The nature of such
work normally exposes the employee to the
fall hazard for a short period of time. This
Plan details how (Your company name here)
will minimize these hazards.
Controlled Access Zones
When using the Plan to implement the fall
protection options available, workers must
be protected through limited access to high
hazard locations. Before any non-conventional fall protection systems are used as
part of the work plan, a controlled access
zone (CAZ) shall be clearly defined by the
competent person as an area where a recognized hazard exists. The demarcation of the
CAZ shall be communicated by the competent person in a recognized manner, either
through signs, wires, tapes, ropes or chains.

352

VerDate Jan<31>2003

10:19 Jul 12, 2003

Jkt 200112

PO 00000

Frm 00352

Fmt 8010

Sfmt 8002

Y:\SGML\200112T.XXX

200112T

Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
(Your company name here) shall take the
following steps to ensure that the CAZ is
clearly marked or controlled by the competent person:
• All access to the CAZ must be restricted
to authorized entrants;
• All workers who are permitted in the
CAZ shall be listed in the appropriate sections of the Plan (or be visibly identifiable
by the competent person) prior to implementation;
• The competent person shall ensure that
all protective elements of the CAZ be implemented prior to the beginning of work.
Installation Procedures for Roof Truss and
Rafter Erection
During the erection and bracing of roof
trusses/rafters, conventional fall protection
may present a greater hazard to workers. On
this job, safety nets, guardrails and personal
fall arrest systems will not provide adequate
fall protection because the nets will cause
the walls to collapse, while there are no suitable attachment or anchorage points for
guardrails or personal fall arrest systems.
On this job, requiring workers to use a ladder for the entire installation process will
cause a greater hazard because the worker
must stand on the ladder with his back or
side to the front of the ladder. While erecting
the truss or rafter the worker will need both
hands to maneuver the truss and therefore
cannot hold onto the ladder. In addition, ladders cannot be adequately protected from
movement while trusses are being maneuvered into place. Many workers may experience additional fatigue because of the increase in overhead work with heavy materials, which can also lead to a greater hazard.
Exterior scaffolds cannot be utilized on
this job because the ground, after recent
backfilling, cannot support the scaffolding.
In most cases, the erection and dismantling
of the scaffold would expose workers to a
greater fall hazard than erection of the
trusses/rafters.
On all walls eight feet or less, workers will
install interior scaffolds along the interior
wall below the location where the trusses/
rafters will be erected. ‘‘Sawhorse’’ scaffolds
constructed of 46 inch sawhorses and 2x10
planks will often allow workers to be elevated high enough to allow for the erection
of trusses and rafters without working on
the top plate of the wall.
In structures that have walls higher than
eight feet and where the use of scaffolds and
ladders would create a greater hazard, safe
working procedures will be utilized when
working on the top plate and will be monitored by the crew supervisor. During all
stages of truss/rafter erection the stability of
the trusses/rafters will be ensured at all
times.

Pt. 1926, Subpt. M, App. E

(Your company name here) shall take the
following steps to protect workers who are
exposed to fall hazards while working from
the top plate installing trusses/rafters:
• Only the following trained workers will
be allowed to work on the top plate during
roof truss or rafter installation:
llllllllllllllllllllllll
llllllllllllllllllllllll
llllllllllllllllllllllll
• Workers shall have no other duties to
perform during truss/rafter erection procedures;
• All trusses/rafters will be adequately
braced before any worker can use the truss/
rafter as a support;
• Workers will remain on the top plate
using the previously stabilized truss/rafter as
a support while other trusses/rafters are
being erected;
• Workers will leave the area of the secured trusses only when it is necessary to secure another truss/rafter;
• The first two trusses/rafters will be set
from ladders leaning on side walls at points
where the walls can support the weight of
the ladder; and
• A worker will climb onto the interior top
plate via a ladder to secure the peaks of the
first two trusses/rafters being set.
The workers responsible for detaching
trusses from cranes and/or securing trusses
at the peaks traditionally are positioned at
the peak of the trusses/rafters. There are
also situations where workers securing
rafters to ridge beams will be positioned on
top of the ridge beam.
(Your company name here) shall take the
following steps to protect workers who are
exposed to fall hazards while securing trusses/rafters at the peak of the trusses/ridge
beam:
• Only the following trained workers will
be allowed to work at the peak during roof
truss or rafter installation:
llllllllllllllllllllllll
llllllllllllllllllllllll
llllllllllllllllllllllll
• Once truss or rafter installation begins,
workers not involved in that activity shall
not stand or walk below or adjacent to the
roof opening or exterior walls in any area
where they could be struck by falling objects;
• Workers shall have no other duties than
securing/bracing the trusses/ridge beam;
• Workers positioned at the peaks or in the
webs of trusses or on top of the ridge beam
shall work from a stable position, either by
sitting on a ‘‘ridge seat’’ or other equivalent
surface that provides additional stability or
by positioning themselves in previously stabilized trusses/rafters and leaning into and
reaching through the trusses/rafters;

353

VerDate Jan<31>2003

10:19 Jul 12, 2003

Jkt 200112

PO 00000

Frm 00353

Fmt 8010

Sfmt 8002

Y:\SGML\200112T.XXX

200112T

Pt. 1926, Subpt. M, App. E

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–03 Edition)

• Workers shall not remain on or in the
peak/ridge any longer than necessary to safely complete the task.
Roof Sheathing Operations
Workers typically install roof sheathing
after all trusses/rafters and any permanent
truss bracing is in place. Roof structures are
unstable until some sheathing is installed, so
workers installing roof sheathing cannot be
protected from fall hazards by conventional
fall protection systems until it is determined
that the roofing system can be used as an anchorage point. At that point, employees
shall be protected by a personal fall arrest
system.
Trusses/rafters are subject to collapse if a
worker falls while attached to a single truss
with a belt/harness. Nets could also cause
collapse, and there is no place to attach
guardrails.
All workers will ensure that they have secure footing before they attempt to walk on
the sheathing, including cleaning shoes/boots
of mud or other slip hazards.
To minimize the time workers must be exposed to a fall hazard, materials will be
staged to allow for the quickest installation
of sheathing.
(Your company name here) shall take the
following steps to protect workers who are
exposed to fall hazards while installing roof
sheathing:
• Once roof sheathing installation begins,
workers not involved in that activity shall
not stand or walk below or adjacent to the
roof opening or exterior walls in any area
where they could be struck by falling objects;
• The competent person shall determine
the limits of this area, which shall be clearly
communicated to workers prior to placement of the first piece of roof sheathing;
• The competent person may order work
on the roof to be suspended for brief periods
as necessary to allow other workers to pass
through such areas when this would not create a greater hazard;
• Only qualified workers shall install roof
sheathing;
• The bottom row of roof sheathing may be
installed by workers standing in truss webs;
• After the bottom row of roof sheathing is
installed, a slide guard extending the width
of the roof shall be securely attached to the
roof. Slide guards are to be constructed of no
less than nominal 4’’ height capable of limiting the uncontrolled slide of workers.
Workers should install the slide guard while
standing in truss webs and leaning over the
sheathing;
• Additional rows of roof sheathing may be
installed by workers positioned on previously installed rows of sheathing. A slide
guard can be used to assist workers in retaining their footing during successive
sheathing operations; and

• Additional slide guards shall be securely
attached to the roof at intervals not to exceed 13 feet as successive rows of sheathing
are installed. For roofs with pitches in excess of 9-in-12, slide guards will be installed
at four-foot intervals.
• When wet weather (rain, snow, or sleet)
are present, roof sheathing operations shall
be suspended unless safe footing can be assured for those workers installing sheathing.
• When strong winds (above 40 miles per
hour) are present, roof sheathing operations
are to be suspended unless wind breakers are
erected.
Installation of Floor Joists and Sheathing
During the installation of floor sheathing/
joists (leading edge construction), the following steps shall be taken to protect workers:
• Only the following trained workers will
be allowed to install floor joists or sheathing:
llllllllllllllllllllllll
llllllllllllllllllllllll
llllllllllllllllllllllll
• Materials for the operations shall be conveniently staged to allow for easy access to
workers;
• The first floor joists or trusses will be
rolled into position and secured either from
the ground, ladders or sawhorse scaffolds;
• Each successive floor joist or truss will
be rolled into place and secured from a platform created from a sheet of plywood laid
over the previously secured floor joists or
trusses;
• Except for the first row of sheathing
which will be installed from ladders or the
ground, workers shall work from the established deck; and
• Any workers not assisting in the leading
edge construction while leading edges still
exist (e.g. cutting the decking for the installers) shall not be permitted within six feet of
the leading edge under construction.
Erection of Exterior Walls
During the construction and erection of exterior walls, employers shall take the following steps to protect workers:
• Only the following trained workers will
be allowed to erect exterior walls:
llllllllllllllllllllllll
llllllllllllllllllllllll
llllllllllllllllllllllll
• A painted line six feet from the perimeter will be clearly marked prior to any wall
erection activities to warn of the approaching unprotected edge;
• Materials for operations shall be conveniently staged to minimize fall hazards; and
• Workers constructing exterior walls
shall complete as much cutting of materials
and other preparation as possible away from
the edge of the deck.

354

VerDate Jan<31>2003

10:19 Jul 12, 2003

Jkt 200112

PO 00000

Frm 00354

Fmt 8010

Sfmt 8002

Y:\SGML\200112T.XXX

200112T

Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
III. ENFORCEMENT
Constant awareness of and respect for fall
hazards, and compliance with all safety rules
are considered conditions of employment.
The crew supervisor or foreman, as well as
individuals in the Safety and Personnel Department, reserve the right to issue disciplinary warnings to employees, up to and including termination, for failure to follow the
guidelines of this program.
IV. ACCIDENT INVESTIGATIONS
All accidents that result in injury to workers, regardless of their nature, shall be investigated and reported. It is an integral part of
any safety program that documentation take
place as soon as possible so that the cause
and means of prevention can be identified to
prevent a reoccurrence.
In the event that an employee falls or
there is some other related, serious incident
occurring, this plan shall be reviewed to determine if additional practices, procedures,
or training need to be implemented to prevent similar types of falls or incidents from
occurring.
V. CHANGES TO PLAN
Any changes to the plan will be approved
by (name of the qualified person). This plan
shall be reviewed by a qualified person as the
job progresses to determine if additional
practices, procedures or training needs to be
implemented by the competent person to improve or provide additional fall protection.
Workers shall be notified and trained, if necessary, in the new procedures. A copy of this
plan and all approved changes shall be maintained at the jobsite.
[59 FR 40730, Aug. 9, 1994]

Subpart N—Cranes, Derricks,
Hoists, Elevators, and Conveyors
AUTHORITY: Sec. 107, Contract Work Hours
and Safety Standards Act (Construction
Safety Act) (40 U.S.C. 333); secs. 4, 6, 8, Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (29
U.S.C. 653, 655, 657); Secretary of Labor’s
Order No. 12–71 (36 FR 8754), 8–76 (41 FR
25059), or 9–83 (49 FR 35736), as applicable.
Section 1926.550 also issued under 29 CFR
Part 1911.

§ 1926.550 Cranes and derricks.
(a) General requirements. (1) The employer shall comply with the manufacturer’s specifications and limitations
applicable to the operation of any and
all cranes and derricks. Where manufacturer’s specifications are not available, the limitations assigned to the
equipment shall be based on the deter-

§ 1926.550

minations of a qualified engineer competent in this field and such determinations will be appropriately documented
and recorded. Attachments used with
cranes shall not exceed the capacity,
rating, or scope recommended by the
manufacturer.
(2) Rated load capacities, and recommended operating speeds, special
hazard warnings, or instruction, shall
be conspicuously posted on all equipment. Instructions or warnings shall be
visible to the operator while he is at
his control station.
(3) [Reserved]
(4) Hand signals to crane and derrick
operators shall be those prescribed by
the applicable ANSI standard for the
type of crane in use. An illustration of
the signals shall be posted at the job
site.
(5) The employer shall designate a
competent person who shall inspect all
machinery and equipment prior to each
use, and during use, to make sure it is
in safe operating condition. Any deficiencies shall be repaired, or defective
parts replaced, before continued use.
(6) A thorough, annual inspection of
the hoisting machinery shall be made
by a competent person, or by a government or private agency recognized by
the U.S. Department of Labor. The employer shall maintain a record of the
dates and results of inspections for
each hoisting machine and piece of
equipment.
(7) Wire rope shall be taken out of
service when any of the following conditions exist:
(i) In running ropes, six randomly
distributed broken wires in one lay or
three broken wires in one strand in one
lay;
(ii) Wear of one-third the original diameter of outside individual wires.
Kinking, crushing, bird caging, or any
other damage resulting in distortion of
the rope structure;
(iii) Evidence of any heat damage
from any cause;
(iv) Reductions from nominal diameter of more than one-sixty-fourth inch
for diameters up to and including fivesixteenths inch, one-thirty-second inch
for diameters three-eighths inch to and
including one-half inch, three-sixtyfourths inch for diameters nine-sixteenths inch to and including three-

355

VerDate Jan<31>2003

10:19 Jul 12, 2003

Jkt 200112

PO 00000

Frm 00355

Fmt 8010

Sfmt 8002

Y:\SGML\200112T.XXX

200112T