29 CFR part 1910, subpart I

§ 1915.136

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–09 Edition)
Body harness means straps which
may be secured about the employee in
a manner that will distribute the fall
arrest forces over at least the thighs,
shoulders, chest and pelvis with means
for attaching it to other components of
a personal fall arrest system.
Connector means a device which is
used to couple (connect) parts of a personal fall arrest system or parts of a
positioning device system together. It
may be an independent component of
the system, such as a carabiner, or it
may be an integral component of part
of the system (such as a buckle or Dring sewn into a body belt or body harness or a snaphook spliced or sewn to a
lanyard or self-retracting lanyard).
Deceleration device means any mechanism, such as a rope grab, ripstitch
lanyard, specially woven lanyard, tearing or deforming lanyard, or automatic
self-retracting lifeline/lanyard, which
serves to dissipate a substantial
amount of energy during a fall arrest,
or otherwise limit the energy imposed
on an employee during fall arrest.
Deceleration distance means the additional vertical distance a falling employee travels, excluding lifeline elongation and free fall distance, before
stopping, from the point at which the
deceleration device begins to operate.
It is measured as the distance between
the location of an employee’s body belt
or body harness attachment point at
the moment of activation (at the onset
of fall arrest forces) of the deceleration
device during a fall, and the location of
that attachment point after the employee comes to a full stop.
Equivalent means alternative designs,
materials, or methods to protect
against a hazard which the employer
can demonstrate will provide an equal
or greater degree of safety for employees than the method or item specified
in the standard.
Free fall means the act of falling before a personal fall arrest system begins to apply force to arrest the fall.
Free fall distance means the vertical
displacement of the fall arrest attachment point on the employee’s body belt
or body harness between onset of the
fall and just before the system begins
to apply force to arrest the fall. This
distance excludes deceleration distance, and lifeline/lanyard elongation,

§ 1915.136 Internal
combustion
engines, other than ship’s equipment.
The provisions of this section shall
apply to ship repairing, shipbuilding
and shipbreaking.
(a) When internal combustion engines furnished by the employer are
used in a fixed position below decks,
for such purposes as driving pumps,
generators, and blowers, the exhaust
shall be led to the open air, clear of
any ventilation intakes and openings
through which it might enter the vessel.
(b) All exhaust line joints and connections shall be checked for tightness
immediately upon starting the engine,
and any leaks shall be corrected at
once.
(c) When internal combustion engines
on vehicles, such as forklifts and mobile cranes, or on portable equipment
such as fans, generators, and pumps exhaust into the atmosphere below decks,
the competent person shall make tests
of the carbon monoxide content of the
atmosphere as frequently as conditions
require to ensure that dangerous concentrations do not develop. Employees
shall be removed from the compartment involved when the carbon monoxide concentration exceeds 50 parts
per million (0.005%). The employer
shall use blowers sufficient in size and
number and so arranged as to maintain
the concentration below this allowable
limit before work is resumed.

Subpart I—Personal Protective
Equipment (PPE)
SOURCE: 61 FR 26352, May 24, 1996, unless
otherwise noted.

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§ 1915.151 Scope, application and definitions.
(a) Scope and application. This subpart applies to all work in shipyard
employment regardless of geographic
location.
(b) Definitions applicable to this subpart. Anchorage means a secure point of
attachment for lifelines, lanyards, or
deceleration devices.
Body belt means a strap with means
for both securing it about the waist
and attaching it to a lanyard, lifeline,
or deceleration device.

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Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
but includes any deceleration device
slide distance or self-retracting lifeline/lanyard extension before the device operates and fall arrest forces
occur.
Lanyard means a flexible line of rope,
wire rope, or strap which generally has
a connector at each end for connecting
the body belt or body harness to a deceleration device, lifeline, or anchorage.
Lifeline means a component consisting of a flexible line for connection
to an anchorage at one end to hang
vertically (vertical lifeline), or for connection to anchorages at both ends to
stretch horizontally (horizontal lifeline), and which serves as a means for
connecting other components of a personal fall arrest system to the anchorage.
Lower levels means those areas or surfaces to which an employee can fall.
Such areas or surfaces include but are
not limited to ground levels, floors,
ramps, tanks, materials, water, excavations, pits, vessels, structures, or
portions thereof.
Personal fall arrest system means a
system used to arrest an employee in a
fall from a working level. It consists of
an anchorage, connectors, body belt or
body harness and may include a lanyard, a deceleration device, a lifeline,
or a suitable combination of these. As
of January 1, 1998, the use of a body
belt for fall arrest is prohibited.
Positioning device system means a body
belt or body harness system rigged to
allow an employee to be supported at
an elevated vertical surface, such as a
wall or window, and to be able to work
with both hands free while leaning.
Qualified person means a person who
by possession of a recognized degree or
certificate of professional standing, or
who, by extensive knowledge, training,
and experience, has successfully demonstrated the ability to solve or resolve problems related to the subject
matter and work.
Restraint (tether) line means a line
from an anchorage, or between anchorages, to which the employee is secured
in such a way as to prevent the employee from walking or falling off an
elevated work surface. Note: A restraint line is not necessarily designed

§ 1915.152

to withstand forces resulting from a
fall.
Rope grab means a deceleration device which travels on a lifeline and
automatically, by friction, engages the
lifeline and locks so as to arrest the
fall of an employee. A rope grab usually employs the principle of inertial
locking, cam/level locking or both.
§ 1915.152

General requirements.

(a) Provision and use of equipment. The
employer shall provide and shall ensure
that each affected employee uses the
appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) for the eyes, face, head, extremities, torso, and respiratory system, including protective clothing,
protective shields, protective barriers,
personal fall protection equipment, and
life saving equipment, meeting the applicable provisions of this subpart,
wherever employees are exposed to
work activity hazards that require the
use of PPE.
(b) Hazard assessment and equipment.
The employer shall assess its work activity to determine whether there are
hazards present, or likely to be
present, which necessitate the employee’s use of PPE. If such hazards are
present, or likely to be present, the
employer shall:
(1) Select the type of PPE that will
protect the affected employee from the
hazards identified in the occupational
hazard assessment;
(2) Communicate selection decisions
to affected employees;
(3) Select PPE that properly fits each
affected employee; and
(4) Verify that the required occupational hazard assessment has been performed through a document that contains the following information: occupation, the date(s) of the hazard assessment, and the name of the person performing the hazard assessment.
NOTE 1 TO PARAGRAPH (b): A hazard assessment conducted according to the trade or occupation of affected employees will be considered to comply with paragraph (b) of this
section, if the assessment addresses any
PPE-related hazards to which employees are
exposed in the course of their work activities.
NOTE 2 TO PARAGRAPH (b): Non-mandatory
appendix A to this subpart contains examples of procedures that will comply with the

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§ 1915.152

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–09 Edition)

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requirement for an occupational hazard assessment.

ing personal protective equipment
(PPE), used to comply with this part,
shall be provided by the employer at no
cost to employees.
(2) The employer is not required to
pay for non-specialty safety-toe protective footwear (including steel-toe shoes
or steel-toe boots) and non-specialty
prescription safety eyewear, provided
that the employer permits such items
to be worn off the job-site.
(3) When the employer provides
metatarsal guards and allows the employee, at his or her request, to use
shoes or boots with built-in metatarsal
protection, the employer is not required to reimburse the employee for
the shoes or boots.
(4) The employer is not required to
pay for:
(i) Everyday clothing, such as longsleeve shirts, long pants, street shoes,
and normal work boots; or
(ii) Ordinary clothing, skin creams,
or other items, used solely for protection from weather, such as winter
coats, jackets, gloves, parkas, rubber
boots, hats, raincoats, ordinary sunglasses, and sunscreen.
(5) The employer must pay for replacement PPE, except when the employee has lost or intentionally damaged the PPE.
(6) Where an employee provides appropriate protective equipment he or
she owns, the employer may allow the
employee to use it and is not required
to reimburse the employee for that
equipment. The employer shall not require an employee to provide or pay for
his or her own PPE, unless the PPE is
excepted by paragraphs (f)(2) through
(f)(5) of this section.
(7) This paragraph (f) shall become
effective on February 13, 2008. Employers must implement the PPE payment
requirements no later than May 15,
2008.

(c) Defective and damaged equipment.
Defective or damaged PPE shall not be
used.
(d) Reissued equipment. The employer
shall ensure that all unsanitary PPE,
including that which has been used by
employees, be cleaned and disinfected
before it is reissued.
(e) Training. (1) The employer shall
provide training to each employee who
is required, by this section, to use PPE
(exception: training in the use of personal fall arrest systems and positioning device systems training is covered in §§ 1915.159 and 1915.160). Each
employee shall be trained to understand at least the following:
(i) When PPE is necessary;
(ii) What PPE is necessary;
(iii) How to properly don, doff, adjust, and wear PPE;
(iv) The limitations of the PPE; and,
(v) The proper care, maintenance,
useful life and disposal of the PPE.
(2) The employer shall ensure that
each affected employee demonstrates
the ability to use PPE properly before
being allowed to perform work requiring the use of PPE.
(3) The employer shall retrain any
employee who does not understand or
display the skills required by paragraph (e)(2) of this section. Circumstances where retraining is required include, but are not limited to,
situations where:
(i) Changes in occupation or work
render previous training obsolete; or
(ii) Changes in the types of PPE to be
used render previous training obsolete;
or
(iii) Inadequacies in an affected employee’s knowledge or use of assigned
PPE indicate that the employee has
not retained the requisite understanding or skill.
(4) The employer shall verify that
each affected employee has received
the required training through a document that contains the following information: name of each employee
trained, the date(s) of training, and
type of training the employee received.
(f) Payment for protective equipment. (1) Except as provided by paragraphs (f)(2) through (f)(6) of this section, the protective equipment, includ-

NOTE TO § 1915.152(f): When the provisions of
another OSHA standard specify whether or
not the employer must pay for specific
equipment, the payment provisions of that
standard shall prevail.
[61 FR 26352, May 24, 1996; 61 FR 29957, June
13, 1996, as amended at 67 FR 44543, July 3,
2002; 72 FR 64428, Nov. 15, 2007]

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Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor

§ 1915.153

ations that involve eye hazards wears
eye protection that incorporates the
prescription in its design, unless the
employee is protected by eye protection that can be worn over prescription
lenses without disturbing the proper
position of either the PPE or the prescription lenses.
(4) The employer shall ensure that
each affected employee uses equipment
with filter lenses that have a shade
number that provides appropriate protection from injurious light radiation.
Table I–1 is a listing of appropriate
shade numbers for various operations.
If filter lenses are used in goggles worn
under a helmet which has a lens, the
shade number of the lens in the helmet
may be reduced so that the shade numbers of the two lenses will equal the
value as shown in Table I–1, § 1915.153.

§ 1915.153 Eye and face protection.
(a) General requirements. (1) The employer shall ensure that each affected
employee uses appropriate eye or face
protection where there are exposures
to eye or face hazards caused by flying
particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acid or caustic liquids, chemical
gases or vapors, or potentially injurious light radiation.
(2) The employer shall ensure that
each affected employee uses eye or face
protection that provides side protection when there is a hazard from flying
objects. Detachable side protectors
(e.g., a clip-on or slide-on side shield)
meeting the pertinent requirements of
this section are acceptable.
(3) The employer shall ensure that
each affected employee who wears prescription lenses while engaged in oper-

TABLE I–1—FILTER LENSES FOR PROTECTION AGAINST RADIANT ENERGY
Operations

Electrode size 1⁄32 in.

Arc current

Minimum
protective
shade

Shielded metal arc welding ...............

Less than 3 ......................................
3–5 ...................................................
5–8 ...................................................
More than 8 .....................................
..........................................................
..........................................................

Less than .........................................
60 .....................................................
60–160 .............................................
160–250 ...........................................
250–550 ...........................................
Less than .........................................

7
8
10
11
....................
7

..........................................................
..........................................................
..........................................................
..........................................................
..........................................................
..........................................................
..........................................................
..........................................................
(Light) ...............................................
(Heavy) ............................................

60 .....................................................
60–160 .............................................
160–250 ...........................................
250–500 ...........................................
Less than .........................................
50 .....................................................
50–150 .............................................
150–500 ...........................................
Less than .........................................
500 ...................................................
500–1000 .........................................
Less than .........................................
20 .....................................................
20¥ .................................................
100 ...................................................
100¥ ...............................................
400 ...................................................
400¥ ...............................................
800 ...................................................
Less than 300 ..................................
300–400 ...........................................
400–800 ...........................................
..........................................................
..........................................................
..........................................................

10
10
10
....................
8
8
10
....................
10
11
....................
6
8
10
11
....................
....................
....................
....................
8
9
10
3
2
14

Gas metal arc welding and flux
cored arc welding.

Gas Tungsten arc welding ................

Air carbon ..........................................
Arc cutting .........................................
Plasma arc welding ...........................

Plasma arc cutting ............................

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Torch brazing ....................................
Torch soldering .................................
Carbon Arc welding ..........................

..........................................................
..........................................................
..........................................................
..........................................................
..........................................................
..........................................................
..........................................................
..........................................................
(light)** .............................................
(medium)** .......................................
(heavy)** ..........................................
..........................................................
..........................................................
..........................................................

** These values apply where the actual arc is clearly seen. Lighter filters may be used when the arc is hidden by the
workpiece.

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§ 1915.154

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–09 Edition)
FILTER LENSES FOR PROTECTION AGAINST RADIANT ENERGY

Operations
Gas welding:
Light ...........................................
Medium ......................................
Heavy .........................................
Oxygen cutting
Light ...........................................
Medium ......................................
Heavy .........................................

Minimum*
protective
shade

Plate thickness—inches

Plate thickness—mm

Under 1⁄8 ..........................................
1⁄8 to 1⁄2 ............................................
Over 1⁄2 ............................................

Under 3.2 .........................................
3.2 to 12.7 .......................................
Over 12.7 .........................................

4
5
6

Under 1 ............................................
1 to 6 ...............................................
Over 6 ..............................................

Under 25 ..........................................
25 to 150 .........................................
Over 150 ..........................................

3
4
5

* As a rule of thumb, start with a shade that is too dark to see the weld zone. Then go to a lighter shade which gives sufficient
view of the weld zone without going below the minimum. In oxyfuel gas welding or cutting where the torch produces a high yellow light, it is desirable to use a filter lens that absorbs the yellow or sodium line in the visible light of the (spectrum) operation.

(b) Criteria for protective eye and face
devices. (1) Protective eye and face devices purchased after May 20, 1982,
shall comply with the American National Standards Institute, ANSI Z87.1–
1989, ‘‘Practice for Occupational and
Educational Eye and Face Protection,’’
which is incorporated by reference as
specified in § 1915.5, or shall be demonstrated by the employer to be equally effective.
(2) Eye and face protective devices
purchased before May 20, 1982, shall
comply with ‘‘American National
Standard Practice for Occupational
and Educational Eye and Face Protection, Z87.1 –1979,’’ which is incorporated
by reference as specified in § 1915.5, or
shall be demonstrated by the employer
to be equally effective.

ers-Requirements,’’ which is incorporated by reference, as specified in
§ 1915.5, or shall be demonstrated by the
employer to be equally effective.
(2) Protective helmets purchased before August 22, 1996, shall comply with
the ‘‘American National Standard
Safety Requirements for Industrial
Head Protection, Z89.1–1969,’’ which is
incorporated by reference as specified
in 1915.5, or shall be demonstrated by
the employer to be equally effective.
§ 1915.156

§ 1915.154 Respiratory protection.
Respiratory protection for shipyard
employment is covered by 29 CFR
1910.134.

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Foot protection.

(a) Use. The employer shall ensure
that each affected employee wears protective footwear when working in areas
where there is a danger of foot injuries
due to falling or rolling objects or objects piercing the sole.
(b) Criteria for protective footwear. (1)
Protective footwear purchased after
August 22, 1996, shall comply with
ANSI Z41–1991, ‘‘American National
Standard for Personal Protection-Protective Footwear,’’ which is incorporated by reference, as specified in
§ 1915.5, or shall be demonstrated by the
employer to be equally as effective.
(2) Protective footwear purchased before August 22, 1996, shall comply with
the ‘‘American National Standard for
Personal Protection- Protective Footwear Z41–1983,’’ which is incorporated
by reference, as specified in § 1915.5, or
shall be demonstrated by the employer
to be equally effective.

§ 1915.155 Head protection.
(a) Use. (1) The employer shall ensure
that each affected employee wears a
protective helmet when working in
areas where there is a potential for injury to the head from falling objects.
(2) The employer shall ensure that
each affected employee wears a protective helmet designed to reduce electrical shock hazards where there is potential for electric shock or burns due
to contact with exposed electrical conductors which could contact the head.
(b) Criteria for protective helmets. (1)
Protective helmets purchased after August 22, 1996, shall comply with ANSI
Z89.l–1986, ‘‘Personnel Protection—Protective Headwear for Industrial Work-

§ 1915.157

Hand and body protection.

(a) Use. The employer shall ensure
that each affected employee uses appropriate hand protection and other

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Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor

each staging alongside of a floating
vessel on which work is being performed.
(4) At least 90 feet (27.43m) of line
shall be attached to each ring life
buoy.
(5) There shall be at least one portable or permanent ladder in the vicinity of each floating vessel on which
work is being performed. The ladder
shall be of sufficient length to assist
employees to reach safety in the event
they fall into the water.

protective clothing where there is exposure to hazards such as skin absorption of harmful substances, severe cuts
or lacerations, severe abrasions, punctures, chemical burns, thermal burns,
harmful temperature extremes, and
sharp objects.
(b) Hot work operations. The employer
shall ensure that no employee wears
clothing impregnated or covered in full
or in part with flammable or combustible materials (such as grease or oil)
while engaged in hot work operations
or working near an ignition source.
(c) Electrical protective devices. The
employer shall ensure that each affected employee wears protective electrical insulating gloves and sleeves or
other electrical protective equipment,
if that employee is exposed to electrical shock hazards while working on
electrical equipment.

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§ 1915.159

[61 FR 26352, May 24, 1996, as amended at 67
FR 44543, July 3, 2002]

§ 1915.159 Personal fall arrest systems
(PFAS).
The criteria of this section apply to
PFAS and their use. Effective January
1, 1998, body belts and non-locking
snaphooks are not acceptable as part of
a personal fall arrest system.
(a) Criteria for connectors and anchorages. (1) Connectors shall be made of
drop forged, pressed, or formed steel or
shall be made of materials with equivalent strength.
(2) Connectors shall have a corrosionresistant finish, and all surfaces and
edges shall be smooth to prevent damage to the interfacing parts of the system.
(3) D-rings and snaphooks shall be capable of sustaining a minimum tensile
load of 5,000 pounds (22.24 Kn).
(4) D-rings and snaphooks shall be
proof-tested to a minimum tensile load
of 3,600 pounds (16 Kn) without cracking, breaking, or being permanently deformed.
(5) Snaphooks shall be sized to be
compatible with the member to which
they are connected to prevent unintentional disengagement of the snaphook
caused by depression of the snaphook
keeper by the connected member, or
shall be of a locking type that is designed and used to prevent disengagement of the snap-hook by contact of
the snaphook keeper by the connected
member.
(6) Snaphooks, unless of a locking
type designed and used to prevent disengagement from the following connections, shall not be engaged:
(i) Directly to webbing, rope or wire
rope;
(ii) To each other;

§ 1915.158 Lifesaving equipment.
(a) Personal flotation devices. (1) PFDs
(life preservers, life jackets, or work
vests) worn by each affected employee
must be United States Coast Guard
(USCG) approved pursuant to 46 CFR
part 160 (Type I, II, III, or V PFD) and
marked for use as a work vest, for commercial use, or for use on vessels.
USCG approval is pursuant to 46 CFR
part 160, Coast Guard Lifesaving Equipment Specifications.
(2) Prior to each use, personal floatation devices shall be inspected for dry
rot, chemical damage, or other defects
which may affect their strength and
buoyancy. Defective personal floatation devices shall not be used.
(b) Ring life buoys and ladders. (1)
When work is being performed on a
floating vessel 200 feet (61 m) or more
in length, at least three 30-inch (0.76 m)
U.S. Coast Guard approved ring life
buoys with lines attached shall be located in readily visible and accessible
places. Ring life buoys shall be located
one forward, one aft, and one at the access to the gangway.
(2) On floating vessels under 200 feet
(61 m) in length, at least one 30-inch
(0.76 m) U.S. Coast Guard approved ring
life buoy with line attached shall be located at the gangway.
(3) At least one 30-inch (0.76 m) U. S.
Coast Guard approved ring life buoy
with a line attached shall be located on

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§ 1915.159

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–09 Edition)

(iii) To a D-ring to which another
snaphook or other connector is attached;
(iv) To a horizontal lifeline; or
(v) To any object that is incompatibly shaped or dimensioned in relation to the snaphook such that unintentional disengagement could occur
by the connected object being able to
depress the snaphook keeper and release itself.
(7) On suspended scaffolds or similar
work platforms with horizontal lifelines that may become vertical lifelines, the devices used for connection
to the horizontal lifeline shall be capable of locking in any direction on the
lifeline.
(8) Anchorages used for attachment
of personal fall arrest equipment shall
be independent of any anchorage being
used to support or suspend platforms.
(9) Anchorages shall be capable of
supporting at least 5,000 pounds (22.24
Kn) per employee attached, or shall be
designed, installed, and used as follows:
(i) As part of a complete personal fall
arrest system which maintains a safety
factor of at least two; and
(ii) Under the direction and supervision of a qualified person.
(b) Criteria for lifelines, lanyards, and
personal fall arrest systems. (1) When
vertical lifelines are used, each employee shall be provided with a separate lifeline.
(2) Vertical lifelines and lanyards
shall have a minimum tensile strength
of 5,000 pounds (22.24 Kn).
(3) Self-retracting lifelines and lanyards that automatically limit free fall
distances to 2 feet (0.61 m) or less shall
be capable of sustaining a minimum
tensile load of 3,000 pounds (13.34 Kn)
applied to a self-retracting lifeline or
lanyard with the lifeline or lanyard in
the fully extended position.
(4) Self-retracting lifelines and lanyards which do not limit free fall distance to 2 feet (0.61 m) or less, ripstitch
lanyards and tearing and deforming
lanyards shall be capable of sustaining
a minimum static tensile load of 5,000
pounds (22.24 Kn) applied to the device
when they are in the fully extended position.
(5) Horizontal lifelines shall be designed, installed, and used under the
supervision of a qualified person, and

shall only be used as part of a complete
personal fall arrest system that maintains a safety factor of at least two.
(6) Effective November 20, 1996, personal fall arrest systems shall:
(i) Limit the maximum arresting
force on a falling employee to 900
pounds (4 Kn) when used with a body
belt;
(ii) Limit the maximum arresting
force on a falling employee to 1,800
pounds (8 Kn) when used with a body
harness;
(iii) Bring a falling employee to a
complete stop and limit the maximum
deceleration distance an employee
travels to 3.5 feet (1.07 m), and
(iv) Have sufficient strength to withstand twice the potential impact energy of an employee free falling a distance of 6 feet (1.83 m), or the free fall
distance permitted by the system,
whichever is less;
NOTE TO PARAGRAPH (b)(6) OF THIS SECTION:
A personal fall arrest system which meets
the criteria and protocols contained in appendix B, is considered to comply with paragraph (b)(6). If the combined tool and body
weight is 310 pounds (140.62 kg) or more, systems that meet the criteria and protocols
contained in appendix B will be deemed to
comply with the provisions of paragraph
(b)(6) only if they are modified appropriately
to provide protection for the extra weight of
the employee and tools.

(7) Personal fall arrest systems shall
be rigged such that an employee can
neither free fall more than 6 feet (1.83
m) nor contact any lower level.
(c) Criteria for selection, use and care of
systems and system components. (1) Lanyards shall be attached to employees
using personal fall arrest systems, as
follows:
(i) The attachment point of a body
harness shall be located in the center
of the wearer’s back near the shoulder
level, or above the wearer’s head. If the
free fall distance is limited to less than
20 inches (50.8 cm), the attachment
point may be located in the chest position; and
(ii) The attachment point of a body
belt shall be located in the center of
the wearer’s back.
(2) Ropes and straps (webbing) used
in lanyards, lifelines and strength components of body belts and body harnesses shall be made from synthetic fibers or wire rope.

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Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
(3) Ropes, belts, harnesses, and lanyards shall be compatible with their
hardware.
(4) Lifelines and lanyards shall be
protected against cuts, abrasions,
burns from hot work operations and deterioration by acids, solvents, and
other chemicals.
(5) Personal fall arrest systems shall
be inspected prior to each use for mildew, wear, damage, and other deterioration. Defective components shall be
removed from service.
(6) Personal fall arrest systems and
components subjected to impact loading shall be immediately removed from
service and shall not be used again for
employee protection until inspected
and determined by a qualified person to
be undamaged and suitable for reuse.
(7) The employer shall provide for
prompt rescue of employees in the
event of a fall or shall ensure that employees are able to rescue themselves.
(8) Body belts shall be at least one
and five-eighths inches (4.13 cm) wide.
(9) Personal fall arrest systems and
components shall be used only for employee fall protection and not to hoist
materials.
(d) Training. Before using personal
fall arrest equipment, each affected
employee shall be trained to understand the application limits of the
equipment and proper hook-up, anchoring, and tie-off techniques. Affected
employees shall also be trained so that
they can demonstrate the proper use,
inspection, and storage of their equipment.

supporting at least twice the potential
impact load of an employee’s fall.
(4) Snaphooks, unless each is of a
locking type designed and used to prevent disengagement, shall not be connected to each other. As of January 1,
1998, only locking type snaphooks shall
be used in positioning device systems.
(b) Criteria for positioning device systems. (1) Restraint (tether) lines shall
have a minimum breaking strength of
3,000 pounds (13.34 Kn).
(2) The following system performance
criteria for positioning device systems
are effective November 20, 1996:
(i) A window cleaner’s positioning
system shall be capable of withstanding without failure a drop test
consisting of a 6 foot (1.83 m) drop of a
250-pound (113.4 kg) weight. The system
shall limit the initial arresting force to
not more than 2,000 pounds (8.9 Kn),
with a duration not to exceed 2 milliseconds. The system shall limit any
subsequent arresting forces imposed on
the falling employee to not more than
1,000 pounds (4.45 Kn);
(ii) All other positioning device systems shall be capable of withstanding
without failure a drop test consisting
of a 4 foot (1.22 m) drop of a 250-pound
(113.4 kg) weight.
NOTE TO PARAGRAPH (b)(2) OF THIS SECTION:
Positioning device systems which comply
with the provisions of section 2 of non-mandatory appendix B to this subpart shall be
deemed to meet the requirements of this
paragraph (b)(2).

(c) Criteria for the use and care of positioning device systems. (1) Positioning
device systems shall be inspected before each use for mildew, wear, damage, and other deterioration. Defective
components shall be removed from
service.
(2) A positioning device system or
component subjected to impact loading
shall be immediately removed from
service and shall not be used again for
employee protection, unless inspected
and determined by a qualified person to
be undamaged and suitable for reuse.
(d) Training. Before using a positioning device system, employees shall
be trained in the application limits,
proper hook-up, anchoring and tie-off
techniques, methods of use, inspection,

[61 FR 26352, May 24, 1996, as amended at 67
FR 44544, July 3, 2002]

CPrice-Sewell on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with CFR

§ 1915.160

§ 1915.160

Positioning device systems.

Positioning device systems and their
use shall conform to the following provisions:
(a) Criteria for connectors and anchorages. (1) Connectors shall have a corrosion-resistant finish, and all surfaces
and edges shall be smooth to prevent
damage to interfacing parts of this system.
(2) Connecting assemblies shall have
a minimum tensile strength of 5,000
pounds (22.24 Kn).
(3) Positioning device systems shall
be secured to an anchorage capable of

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Pt. 1915, Subpt. I, App. A

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–09 Edition)
(5) Sources of light radiation, for instance,
welding, brazing, cutting, heat treating, furnaces, and high intensity lights.
(6) Sources of falling objects or potential
for dropping objects.
(7) Sources of sharp objects which might
pierce or cut the hands.
(8) Sources of rolling or pinching objects
which could crush the feet.
(9) Layout of work place and location of
co-workers.
(10) Any electrical hazards.
(11) Review injury/accident data to help
identify problem areas.
Organize data. Following the walk-through
survey, it is necessary to organize the data
and other information obtained. That material provides the basis for hazard assessment
that enables the employer to select the appropriate PPE.
d. Analyze data. Having gathered and organized data regarding a particular occupation,
employers need to estimate the potential for
injuries. Each of the identified hazards (see
paragraph 3.a.) should be reviewed and classified as to its type, the level of risk, and the
seriousness of any potential injury. Where it
is foreseeable that an employee could be exposed to several hazards simultaneously, the
consequences of such exposure should be considered.
4. Selection guidelines. After completion of
the procedures in paragraph 3, the general
procedure for selection of protective equipment is to:
(a) become familiar with the potential hazards and the types of protective equipment
that are available, and what they can do; for
example, splash protection, and impact protection;
(b) compare the hazards associated with
the environment; for instance, impact velocities, masses, projectile shapes, radiation
intensities, with the capabilities of the
available protective equipment;
(c) select the protective equipment which
ensures a level of protection greater than the
minimum required to protect employees
from the hazards; and
(d) fit the user with the protective device
and give instructions on care and use of the
PPE. It is very important that users be made
aware of all warning labels and limitations
of their PPE.
5. Fitting the device. Careful consideration
must be given to comfort and fit. The employee will be most likely to wear the protective device if it fits comfortably. PPE
that does not fit properly may not provide
the necessary protection, and may create
other problems for wearers. Generally, protective devices are available in a variety of
sizes and choices. Therefore employers
should be careful to select the appropriate
sized PPE.
6. Devices with adjustable features. (a) Adjustments should be made on an individual

and storage of positioning device systems.
[61 FR 26352, May 24, 1996, as amended at 67
FR 44544, July 3, 2002]

APPENDIX A TO SUBPART I OF PART
1915—NON-MANDATORY GUIDELINES
FOR
HAZARD ASSESSMENT, PERSONAL
PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT
(PPE) SELECTION, AND PPE TRAINING PROGRAM
This appendix is intended to provide compliance assistance for hazard assessment, selection of personal protective equipment
(PPE) and PPE training. It neither adds to
or detracts from the employer’s responsibility to comply with the provisions of this
subpart.
1. Controlling hazards. Employers and employees should not rely exclusively on PPE
for protection from hazards. PPE should be
used, where appropriate, in conjunction with
engineering controls, guards, and safe work
practices and procedures.
2. Assessment and selection. Employers
need to consider certain general guidelines
for assessing the hazardous situations that
are likely to arise under foreseeable work activity conditions and to match employee
PPE to the identified hazards. The employer
should designate a safety officer or some
other qualified person to exercise common
sense and appropriate expertise to assess
work activity hazards and select PPE.
3. Assessment guidelines. In order to assess
the need for PPE the following steps should
be taken:
a. Survey. Conduct a walk-through survey
of the area in question to identify sources of
hazards.
Categories for Consideration:

CPrice-Sewell on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with CFR

(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)

Impact
Penetration
Compression (roll-over)
Chemical
Heat
Harmful dust
Light (optical) radiation
Drowning
Falling

b. Sources. During the walk-through survey
the safety officer should observe:
(1) Sources of motion; for example, machinery or processes where any movement of
tools, machine elements or particles could
exist, or movement of personnel that could
result in collision with stationary objects.
(2) Sources of high temperatures that could
result in burns, eye injury or ignition of protective equipment.
(3) Types of chemical exposures.
(4) Sources of harmful dust.

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Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
basis so the wearer will have a comfortable
fit that maintains the protective device in
the proper position. Particular care should
be taken in fitting devices for eye protection
against dust and chemical splash to ensure
that the seal is appropriate for the face.
(b) In addition, proper fitting of hard hats
is important to ensure that the hard hat will
not fall off during work operations. In some
cases a chin strap may be necessary to keep
the hard hat on an employee’s head. (Chin
straps should break at a reasonably low force
to prevent a strangulation hazard). Where
manufacturer’s instructions are available,
they should be followed carefully.
7. Reassessment of hazards. Compliance with
the hazard assessment requirements of
§ 1915.152(b) will involve the reassessment of
work
activities
where
changing
circumstances make it necessary. a. The employer should have a safety officer or other
qualified person reassess the hazards of the
work activity area as necessary. This reassessment should take into account changes

Pt. 1915, Subpt. I, App. A

in the workplace or work practices, such as
those associated with the installation of new
equipment, and the lessons learned from reviewing accident records, and a reevaluation
performed to determine the suitability of
PPE selected for use.
8. Selection chart guidelines for eye and face
protection. Examples of occupations for
which eye protection should be routinely
considered are carpenters, engineers, coppersmiths, instrument technicians, insulators,
electricians, machinists, mobile equipment
mechanics and repairers, plumbers and ship
fitters, sheet metal workers and tinsmiths,
grinding equipment operators, machine operators, welders, boiler workers, painters, laborers, grit blasters, ship fitters and burners.
This is not a complete list of occupations
that require the use of eye protection. The
following chart provides general guidance for
the proper selection of eye and face protection to protect against hazards associated
with the listed hazard ‘‘source’’ operations.

EYE AND FACE PROTECTION SELECTION CHART
Source
Impact:
Chipping, grinding machining, masonry work,
woodworking, sawing, drilling, chiseling,
powered fastening, riveting, and sanding.
Heat:
Furnace operations, pouring, casting, hot dipping, and welding.

Assessment of hazard

Protection

Flying fragments, objects, large chips, particles, sand, dirt, etc.

Spectacles with side protection, goggles, face
shields. See notes (1), (3), (5), (6), (10). For
severe exposure, use face shield.

Hot sparks .....................

Face shields, goggles, spectacles with side protection. For severe exposure use face shield.
See notes (1), (2), (3).
Face shields worn over goggles. See notes (1),
(2), (3).
Screen face shields, reflective face shields. See
notes (1), (2), (3).

Splash from molten metals.
High temperature exposure.
Chemicals:
Acid and chemicals handling, degreasing,
plating.

Splash ...........................
Irritating mists ................

Goggles, eyecup and cover types. For severe
exposure, use face shield. See notes (3), (11).
Special-purpose goggles.

Dust:
Woodworking, buffing, general dusty conditions.
Light and/or Radiation:
Welding: Electric arc ........................................

Nuisance dust ...............

Goggles, eyecup and cover types. See note (8).

Optical radiation ............

Welding: Gas ...................................................

Optical radiation ............

Welding helmets or welding shields. Typical
shades: 10–14. See notes (9), (12).
Welding goggles or welding face shield. Typical
shades: gas welding 4–8, cutting 3–6, brazing
3–4. See note (9).
Spectacles or welding face-shield. Typical
shades, 1.5–3. See notes (3), (9).
Spectacles with shaded or special-purpose
lenses, as suitable. See notes (9), (10).

Cutting, Torch brazing, Torch soldering ..........

Optical radiation ............

Glare ................................................................

Poor vision ....................

CPrice-Sewell on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with CFR

NOTES TO EYE AND FACE PROTECTION
SELECTION CHART

(b) Operations involving heat may also involve light radiation. As required by the
standard, protection from both hazards must
be provided.
(c) Face shields should only be worn over
primary eye protection (spectacles or goggles).
(d) As required by the standard, filter
lenses must meet the requirements for shade
designations in § 1915.153(a)(4). Tinted and

(a) Care should be taken to recognize the
possibility of multiple and simultaneous exposure to a variety of hazards. Adequate protection against the highest level of each of
the hazards should be provided. Protective
devices do not provide unlimited protection.

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Pt. 1915, Subpt. I, App. A

29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–09 Edition)

shaded lenses are not filter lenses unless
they are marked or identified as such.
(e) As required by the standard, persons
whose vision requires the use of prescription
(Rx) lenses must wear either protective devices fitted with prescription (Rx) lenses or
protective devices designed to be worn over
regular prescription (Rx) eye wear.
(f) Wearers of contact lenses must also
wear appropriate eye and face protection devices in a hazardous environment. It should
be recognized that dusty and/or chemical environments may represent an additional hazard to contact lens wearers.
(g) Caution should be exercised in the use
of metal frame protective devices in electrical hazard areas.
(h) Atmospheric conditions and the restricted ventilation of the protector can
cause lenses to fog. Frequent cleansing may
be necessary.
(i) Welding helmets or face shields should
be used only over primary eye protection
(spectacles or goggles).
(j) Non-side shield spectacles are available
for frontal protection only, but are not acceptable eye protection for the sources and
operations listed for ‘‘impact.’’
(k) Ventilation should be adequate, but
well protected from splash entry. Eye and
face protection should be designed and used
so that it provides both adequate ventilation
and protects the wearer from splash entry.
(l) Protection from light radiation is directly related to filter lens density. See note
(d). Select the darkest shade that allows
task performance.
9. Selection guidelines for head protection. (a)
Hard hats are designed to provide protection
from impact and penetration hazards caused
by falling objects. Head protection is also
available which provides protection from
electric shock and burn. When selecting head
protection, knowledge of potential electrical
hazards is important. Class A helmets, in addition to impact and penetration resistance,
provide electrical protection from low-voltage conductors. (They are proof tested to
2,200 volts.) Class B helmets, in addition to
impact and penetration resistance, provide
electrical protection from high-voltage conductors. (They are proof tested to 20,000
volts.) Class C helmets provide impact and
penetration resistance. (They are usually
made of aluminum, which conducts electricity and should not be used around electrical hazards.)
(b) Where falling object hazards are
present, head protection must be worn. Some
examples of exposure include: working below
other workers who are using tools and materials which could fall; working around or
under conveyor belts which are carrying
parts or materials; working below machinery
or processes which might cause material or
objects to fall; and working on exposed energized conductors.

(c) Examples of occupations for which head
protection should be considered are: carpenters, electricians, machinists, boilermakers, erectors, plumbers, coppersmiths,
ship fitters, welders, laborers and material
handlers.
10. Selection guidelines for foot protection. (a)
Safety shoes and boots must meet ANSI Z41–
1991 and provide impact and compression
protection to the foot. Where necessary,
safety shoes can be obtained which provide
puncture protection. In some work situations, metatarsal (top of foot) protection
should be provided, and in some other special
situations, electrical conductive or insulating safety shoes would be appropriate.
(b) Safety shoes or boots with impact protection would be required for carrying or
handling materials such as packages, objects, parts or heavy tools, which could be
dropped, and for other activities where objects might fall onto the feet. Safety shoes
or boots with compression protection would
be required for work activities involving
skid trucks (manual material handling
carts) around bulk rolls (such as paper rolls)
and around heavy pipes, all of which could
potentially roll over an employees’ feet.
Safety shoes or boots with puncture protection would be required where sharp objects
such as nails, wire, tacks, screws, large staples, scrap metal etc., could be stepped on by
employees, causing an injury.
(c) Some occupations (not a complete list)
for which foot protection should be routinely
considered are: shipping and receiving
clerks, stock clerks, carpenters, electricians,
machinists, boiler makers, plumbers, copper
smiths, pipe fitters, ship fitters, burners,
chippers and grinders, erectors, press operators, welders, laborers, and material handlers.
11. Selection guidelines for hand protection.
(a) Gloves are often relied upon to prevent
cuts, abrasions, burns, and skin contact with
chemicals that are capable of causing local
or systemic effects following dermal exposure. OSHA is unaware of any gloves that
provide protection against all potential hand
hazards, and commonly available glove materials provide only limited protection
against many chemicals. Therefore, it is important to select the most appropriate glove
for a particular application and to determine
how long it can be worn, and whether it can
be reused.
(b) It is also important to know the performance characteristics of gloves relative
to the specific hazard anticipated, e.g.,
chemical hazards, cut hazards, and flame
hazards. These performance characteristics
should be assessed by using standard test
procedures. Before purchasing gloves, the
employer should request documentation
from the manufacturer that the gloves meet
the appropriate test standard(s) for the hazard(s) anticipated.

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(c) other general factors to be considered
for glove selection are:
(A) As long as the performance characteristics are acceptable, in certain circumstances, it may be more cost effective to
regularly change cheaper gloves than to
reuse more expensive types; and,
(B) The work activities of the employee
should be studied to determine the degree of
dexterity required, the duration, frequency,
and degree of exposure to the hazard, and the
physical stresses that will be applied.
(d) With respect to selection of gloves for
protection against chemical hazards:
(A) The toxic properties of the chemical(s)
must be determined; in particular, the ability of the chemical to cause local effects on
the skin or to pass through the skin and
cause systemic effects or both;
(B) Generally, any ‘‘chemical resistant’’
glove can be used for dry powders;
(C) For mixtures and formulated products
(unless specific test data are available), a
glove should be selected on the basis of the
chemical component with the shortest
breakthrough time, since it is possible for
solvents to carry active ingredients through
polymeric materials; and,
(D) Employees must be able to remove the
gloves in such a manner as to prevent skin
contamination.
12. Cleaning and maintenance. (a) It is important that all PPE be kept clean and be
properly maintained. Cleaning is particularly important for eye and face protection
where dirty or fogged lenses could impair vision.
(b) For the purposes of compliance, PPE
should be inspected, cleaned, and maintained
at regular intervals so that the PPE provides
the requisite protection.
(c) It is important to ensure that contaminated PPE which cannot be decontaminated
is disposed of in a manner that protects employees from exposure to hazards.
13. Examples of work activities, trades and selection of basic PPE.

Pt. 1915, Subpt. I, App. A

Example 2: Yard Maintenance Worker. Based
on an assessment of the workplace hazards
to which shipyard maintenance workers are
exposed, the equipment listed below is the
basic PPE required for this occupation.
Where maintenance workers are exposed to
other hazards, such as asbestos, the insulation on a pipe is being repaired, maintenance
workers must be provided with the appropriate supplemental PPE (requirements for
asbestos PPE are set out in 1915.1001).
—Hard Hat
—Safety Glasses
—Work Gloves
—Safety Shoes
(Signed and Dated)
Example 3: Chipper and Grinder Worker.
Based on an assessment of the workplace
hazards to which shipyard chipper and grinder workers are exposed, the equipment listed
below is the basic PPE required for this occupation. Where workers are exposed to
other hazards, such as hazardous dust from
chipping or grinding operations, chipper and
grinder workers must be provided with the
appropriate supplemental PPE.
—Safety Glasses
—Transparent Face Shields
—Hearing Protection
—Foot Protection
—Gloves
(Signed and Dated)
Example 4: Painter. Based on an assessment
of the workplace hazards to which shipyard
painters are exposed, the equipment listed
below is the basic PPE required for this occupation. Where painters are exposed to
other hazards, such as a fall from an elevation where no guardrails are present,
painters must be provided with the appropriate supplemental PPE.
—Hard Hats
—Safety Glasses
—Disposable Clothing
—Gloves
—Respiratory Protection, including Airline
Respirators when working in Confined
Spaces
—Barrier Creams
(Signed and Dated)
Example 5: Tank Cleaner. Tank cleaning operations and the basic PPE required for them
depend largely upon the type of cargo
shipped in the tank. Therefore, the following
example is given for a tank in which gasoline
has been shipped. Based on an assessment of
the workplace hazards to which shipyard
tank cleaners are exposed, specifically benzene and flammability hazards, the equipment listed below is the basic PPE required
for this situation. Other tank cleaning operations will require variations in the PPE
listed below.
—Respiratory
Protection,
Airline
Respirators for working in confined spaces or
where personal exposure limits could be
exceeded.

Example 1: Welder. Based on an assessment
of the work activity area hazards to which
welders are exposed, the equipment listed
below is the basic PPE required for this occupation. This does not take into account a
job location in which additional PPE may be
required, such as where the welder works
from an elevated platform without guard
rails. In this situation the welder must also
wear the proper fall protection equipment,
such as a body harness.
—Hard hat
—Welding Shield (Face)
—Welding Gloves
—Safety Glasses
—Safety Shoes
—Welding Sleeves (welding in the overhead
position)
(Signed and dated)

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29 CFR Ch. XVII (7–1–09 Edition)

—Chemically resistant clothing
—Face Shields
—Chemically resistant boots
—Chemically resistant gloves
—Fall Protection
—Non sparking tools and equipment
—Explosion-proof Lighting
(Signed and Dated)

(4) For rope-grab-type deceleration systems, the length of the lifeline above the
center line 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 (0.31 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 (2.29 m) from a point that is
1.5 feet (45.72 cm) above the anchorage point,
to its hanging location (6 feet (1.83 m) below
the anchorage). The test weight should fall
without interference, obstruction, or hitting
the floor or the 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 four feet (1.22
m).
(7) Any weight which detaches from the
belt or harness should constitute failure for
the strength test.
(c) Force test general. The test consists of
dropping the respective test weight once. A
new, unused system should be used for each
test.
(1) For lanyard systems. (i) A test weight
of 220 pounds plus or minus three pounds
(99.79 kg plus or minus 1.36 kg) should be
used (see paragraph (a)(4) above).
(ii) Lanyard length should be 6 feet plus or
minus 2 inches (1.83 m plus or minus 5.08 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 handling location
(a total of 6 feet (1.83 m) free fall distance)
without interference, obstruction, or hitting
the floor or ground during the test.
(2) For all other systems. (i) A test weight
of 220 pounds plus or minus 3 pounds (99.79 kg
plus or minus 1.36 kg) should be used (see
paragraph (a)(4) above).
(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 center line of the lifeline and the attachment
point to the body belt or harness).

[47 FR 16986, Apr. 20, 1982, as amended at 67
FR 44544, July 3, 2002]

CPrice-Sewell on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with CFR

APPENDIX B TO SUBPART I OF PART
1915—GENERAL TESTING CONDITIONS
AND ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES FOR
PERSONAL FALL PROTECTION SYSTEMS (NON-MANDATORY)
1. Personal fall arrest systems—(a) General
test conditions. (1) Lifelines, lanyards, and deceleration devices should be attached to an
anchorage and connected to the body-belt or
body harness in the same manner as they
would be when used to protect employees,
except that lanyards should be tested only
when connected directly to the anchorage,
and not when connected to a lifeline.
(2) The anchorage should be rigid, and
should not have a deflection greater than .04
inches (1 cm) when a force of 2,250 pounds
(10.01 Kn) is applied.
(3) The frequency response of the load
measuring instrumentation should be 100 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 (96.5 cm plus
or minus 10.16 cm).
(5) The lanyard or lifeline used to create
the free fall distance should be the one supplied with the system, or in its absence, the
least elastic lanyard or lifeline available to
be used by the employee 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.
(b) Strength test. (1) During the testing of
all systems, a test weight of 300 pounds plus
or minus 5 pounds (136.08 kg plus or minus
2.27 kg) should be used. (See paragraph (a)(4)
above.)
(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 5.08 cm) as measured
from the fixed anchorage to the attachment
on the body belt or harness.

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CPrice-Sewell on DSKGBLS3C1PROD with CFR

Occupational Safety and Health Admin., Labor
(B) For deceleration device systems with
integral life lines 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.)
(3) Failure. A system fails the force test if
the recorded maximum arresting force exceeds 1,260 pounds (5.6 Kn) when using a body
belt, or exceeds 2,520 pounds (11.21 Kn) when
using a body harness.
(4) Distances. The maximum elongation
and deceleration distance should be recorded
during the force test.
(d) Deceleration device tests—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.
(1) 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 (30.48 cm), and the
mechanism should lock each time.
(ii) Unless the device is permanently
marked to indicate the type of lifelines
which must be used, several types (different
diameters and different materials) of lifelines should be used to test the device.
(2) Other-self-activating-type deceleration
devices. The locking mechanisms of other
self-activating-type deceleration devices designed for more than one arrest should lock
each of 1,000 times as they would in normal
service.
2. Positioning device systems—(a) Test Conditions. (1) The fixed anchorage should be rigid
and should not have a deflection greater
than .04 inches (1.02 mm) when a force of
2,250 pounds (10.01 Kn) is applied.
(2) For lineman’s body belts and pole
straps, the body belt should be secured to a
250 pound (113.4 kg) bag of sand at a point
which simulates the waist of an employee.
One end of the pole strap should be attached
to the rigid anchorage and the other end to
the body belt. The sand bag should be allowed to free fall a distance of 4 feet (1.22 m).
Failure of the pole strap and body belt
should be indicated by any breakage or slippage sufficient to permit the bag to fall free
to the ground.
(3) For window cleaner’s belts, the complete belt should withstand a drop test consisting of a 250 pound (113.4 kg) weight falling free for a distance of 6 feet (1.83 m). The
weight should be a rigid object with a girth
of 38 inches plus or minus four inches (96.52
cm plus or minus 10.16 cm.) The weight
should be placed in the waistband with the

§ 1915.162

belt buckle drawn firmly against the weight,
as when the belt is worn by a window cleaner. One belt terminal should be attached to a
rigid anchor and the other terminal should
hang free. The terminals should be adjusted
to their maximum span. The weight fastened
in the freely suspended belt should then be
lifted exactly 6 feet (1.83 m) above its ‘‘at
rest’’ position and released so as to permit a
free fall of 6 feet (1.83 m) vertically below the
point of attachment of the terminal anchor.
The belt system should be equipped with devices and instrumentation capable of measuring the duration and magnitude of the arrest forces. Any breakage or slippage which
permits the weight to fall free of the system
constitutes failure of the test. In addition,
the initial and subsequent arresting force
peaks should be measured and should not exceed 2,000 pounds (8.9 Kn) for more than 2
milliseconds for the initial impact, nor exceed 1,000 pounds (4.45 Kn) for the remainder
of the arrest time.
(4) All other positioning device systems
(except for restraint line systems) should
withstand a drop test consisting of a 250pound (113.4 kg) weight falling free for a distance of 4 feet (1.22 m). The weight should be
a rigid object with a girth of 38 inches plus
or minus 4 inches (96.52 cm plus or minus
10.16 cm). The body belt or harness should be
affixed to the test weight as it would be to
an employee. The system should be connected to the rigid anchor in the manner
that the system would be connected in normal use. The weight should be lifted exactly
4 feet (1.22 m) above its ‘‘at rest’’ position
and released so as to permit a vertical free
fall of 4 feet (1.22 m). Any breakage or slippage which permits the weight to fall free to
the ground should constitute failure of the
system.
[47 FR 16986, Apr. 20, 1982, as amended at 67
FR 44544, July 3, 2002]

Subpart J—Ship’s Machinery and
Piping Systems
§ 1915.161 Scope
subpart.

and

application

The standards contained in this subpart shall apply to ship repairing and
shipbuilding and shall not apply to
shipbreaking.
§ 1915.162

Ship’s boilers.

(a) Before work is performed in the
fire, steam, or water spaces of a boiler
where employees may be subject to injury from the direct escape of a high
temperature medium such as steam, or
water, oil, or other medium at a high

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