Fall Protection

  Fall hazards account for a high percentage of the injuries and deaths for scaffold users. When you are on a scaffold platform more than 10 feet above a lower level you must be protected from falling by some type of fall protection. The type of fall protection required depends on the type of scaffold you are using. The choices you may have on your construction site include:

- Personal fall arrest system — boatswains’ chair, catenary scaffold, float scaffold, needle beam scaffold, or ladder jack scaffold.

- Personal fall arrest and guardrail system — single-point or two-point adjustable suspension scaffold, and selfcontained adjustable scaffold when the platform is supported by ropes.

- Personal fall arrest, guardrail, or grabline — chicken ladder.

- Guardrail system — Self-contained adjustable scaffold when the platform is supported by the frame, and walkways within scaffolds.
 

- Personal fall arrest or guardrail system — overhand bricklaying from a supported scaffold, and all other scaffolds not specified above.

Each personal fall arrest and guardrail system must meet certain requirements. You need to be familiar with and understand the requirements of each. Only then can you detect problems in the equipment or system as they arise.

Personal fall arrest systems
All personal fall arrest systems used on scaffolds must meet the requirements of Section 1926.502(d). This is the fall protection rule. Paragraph (d) specifies the requirements of the fall protection equipment such as connectors, deerings, snaphooks, and webbing and lanyards. It also discusses horizontal and vertical lifelines.

Another important aspect is what happens to the equipment when it is used to arrest a fall. The maximum arresting force on an employee cannot be more than 900 pounds when used with a body belt, and 1,800 pounds when used with a body harness. These forces are important and are set to minimize the impact on a falling employee.

Guardrails
Guardrails have certain requirements. Only if those requirements are met can the system be considered safe. I’m sure all of us have been in positions where the guardrails looked less than safe and would not want to even accidentally lean on them.

The requirements for guardrails are found in 1926.451(g)(4). Appendix A of the scaffold rule gives you direction in how to build guardrails including ideas for materials. For instance, Appendix A says toprails shall be equivalent in strength to 2 inch by 4 inch lumber; or 1 1/4 inch x 1/8 inch structural angle iron; or 1 inch x 0.70 inch wall steel tubing; or 1.990 inch wall aluminum tubing. If you are required to build, use and/or inspect guardrails, Appendix A can be a valuable resource.

This information is provided by Assurance Agency  https://www.assuranceagency.com