(a) Approved
personal fall arrest, personal fall restraint or positioning systems shall be
worn by those employees whose work exposes them to falling in excess of 7
½ feet from the perimeter of a structure, unprotected sides and edges,
leading edges, through shaftways and openings, sloped roof surfaces steeper
than 7:12, or other sloped surfaces steeper than 40 degrees not otherwise
adequately protected under the provisions of these Orders.
NOTE:
(1)
Requirements relating to fall protection for employees working at elevated
locations on poles, towers and other structures are provided in Section
2940.6(b) and (c)
of the High Voltage Electrical Safety Orders.
(2) Requirements relating to fall protection
for employees working on poles, towers, or similar structures are provided in
Section
8615(g) of the
Telecommunications Safety Orders.
(3) Requirements relating to fall protection
for employees working in roofing operations are provided in Section
1730 of the Construction Safety
Orders.
(b) Personal fall
arrest systems and their use shall comply with the provisions set forth below.
Effective January 1, 1998, except as permitted in subsections (c) and (d), body
belts shall not be used as part of a personal fall arrest system.
(1) On suspended scaffolds or similar work
platforms with horizontal lifelines which may become vertical lifelines, the
devices used to connect to a horizontal lifeline shall be capable of locking in
both directions on the lifeline.
(2) Horizontal lifelines shall be designed,
installed, and used, under the supervision of a qualified person, as part of a
complete personal fall arrest system, which maintains a safety factor of at
least two.
(3) Lanyards and
vertical lifelines shall have a minimum breaking strength of 5,000
pounds.
(4) Except as provided in
Section
1670(b)(5), when
vertical lifelines are used, each employee shall be attached to a separate
lifeline.
(5) During the
construction of elevator shafts, two employees may be attached to the same
lifeline in the hoistway, provided both employees are working atop a false car
that is equipped with guardrails; the strength of the lifeline is 10,000 pounds
[5,000 pounds per employee attached]; and all other criteria specified in this
section for lifelines have been met.
(6) Lifelines shall be protected against
being cut or abraded.
(7)
Self-retracting lifelines and lanyards which automatically limit free fall
distance to 2 feet or less shall be capable of sustaining a minimum tensile
load of 3,000 pounds applied to the device with the lifeline or lanyard in the
fully extended position.
(8)
Self-retracting lifelines and lanyards which do not limit free fall distance to
2 feet or less, ripstitch lanyards, and tearing and deforming lanyards shall be
capable of sustaining a minimum tensile load of 5,000 pounds applied to the
device with the lifeline or lanyard in the fully extended position.
(9) Ropes and straps (webbing) used in
lanyards, lifelines, and strength components of body belts and body harnesses
shall be made from synthetic fibers except for when they are used in
conjunction with hot work where the lanyard may be exposed to damage from heat
or flame.
(10) Anchorages used for
attachment of personal fall arrest equipment shall be independent of any
anchorage being used to support or suspend platforms and capable of supporting
at least 5,000 pounds per employee attached, or shall be designed, installed,
and used as follows:
(A) as part of a
complete personal fall arrest system which maintains a safety factor of at
least two; and
(B) under the
supervision of a qualified person.
(11) Personal fall arrest systems, when
stopping a fall, shall:
(A) limit maximum
arresting force on an employee to 1,800 pounds when used with a body
harness;
(B) be rigged such that an
employee can neither free fall more than 6 feet, nor contact any lower level,
and, where practicable, the anchor end of the lanyard shall be secured at a
level not lower than the employee's waist;
(C) bring an employee to a complete stop and
limit maximum deceleration distance an employee travels to 3.5 feet;
and
(D) have sufficient strength to
withstand twice the potential impact energy of an employee free falling a
distance of 6 feet, or the free fall distance permitted by the system,
whichever is less.
(12)
The attachment point of the body belt shall be located in the center of the
wearer's back. The attachment point of the body harness shall be located in the
center of the wearer's back near shoulder level, or above the wearer's
head.
(13) Body belts, harnesses,
and components shall be used only for employee protection and not to hoist
materials. Body belts used in conjunction with fall restraint systems or
positioning devices shall limit the maximum arresting force on an employee to
900 pounds.
(14) The employer shall
provide for prompt rescue of employees in the event of a fall or shall assure
that employees are able to rescue themselves.
(15) Personal fall arrest systems shall be
inspected prior to each use for wear, damage, and other deterioration, and
defective components shall be removed from service.
(16) Body belts shall be at least one and
five-eighths (1 5/8 ) inches wide.
(17) Personal fall arrest systems shall not
be attached to hoists, except as specified in these Orders, nor shall they be
attached to guardrails.
(18) When a
personal fall arrest system is used at hoist areas, it shall be rigged to allow
the movement of the employee only as far as the edge of the working level or
working area.
(19) Each personal
fall arrest system shall be inspected not less than twice annually by a
competent person in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. The
date of each inspection shall be documented.
(c) Positioning device systems. Positioning
device systems and their use shall conform to the following provisions:
(1) Positioning devices shall be rigged such
that an employee cannot free fall more than 2 feet.
(2) Positioning device systems shall be
inspected prior to each use for wear, damage, and other deterioration, and
defective components shall be removed from service.
(3) The use of non-locking snaphooks shall be
prohibited after January 1, 1998.
(4) Anchorage points for positioning device
systems shall be capable of supporting two times the intended load or 3,000
pounds, whichever is greater.
(d) Personal fall restraint.
(1) Body belts or harnesses may be used for
personal fall restraint.
(2) Body
belts shall be at least one and five-eights (1- 5/8 ) inches wide.
(3) Anchorage points used for fall restraint
shall be capable of supporting 4 times the intended load.
(4) Restraint protection shall be rigged to
allow the movement of employees only as far as the sides of the working level
or working area.
(e)
Lanyards shall be secured to a substantial member of the structure or to
securely rigged lines.
(f) All fall
arresting, descent control, and rescue equipment shall be approved as defined
in Sections
1504 and
1505 and used in accordance with
the manufacturer's recommendations.
(g) If an employee's duties require
horizontal movement, rigging shall be provided so that the attached lanyard
will slide along with the employee. Such rigging shall be provided for all
suspended staging, outdoor advertising sign platforms, floats, and all other
catwalks, or walkways 7 ½ feet or more above the ground or level
beneath.
NOTE: For additional fall protection requirements during
steel erection operations, see Article 29.
(h) Any lanyard, safety belt, harness,
dropline, lifeline or other component subjected to in-service loading, as
distinguished from static load testing, shall be immediately removed from
service and shall not be used again for employee safeguarding.
NOTE: For the purpose of this subsection, "in-service
loading" shall mean loading equivalent to that received in a drop
test.
(i) Lifelines and
anchorages shall be capable of supporting a minimum dead weight of 5000 pounds.
EXCEPTION: Retractable lanyards, controlled descent and
rescue devices provided they are approved as defined in Sections
1504 and
1505.
(j) Lifelines subject to excessive fraying or
rock damage shall be protected and shall have a wire rope center. Seriously
worn or damaged rope shall be promptly removed from service.
(k) All safety belts, harnesses and lanyards
placed in service or purchased on or before February 1, 1997, shall be labeled
as meeting the requirements contained in ANSI A10.14-1975, Requirements for
Safety Belts, Harnesses, Lanyards, Lifelines and Drop Lines for Construction
and Industrial Use or be in compliance with the requirement stated in
Subsection (l).
(l) All personal fall arrest, personal fall
restraint and positioning device systems purchased or placed in service after
February 1, 1997, shall be labeled as meeting the requirements contained in
ANSI A10.14-1991 American National Standard for Construction and Demolition
Use, or ANSI Z359.1-1992 American National Standard Safety Requirements for
Personal Fall Arrest Systems, Subsystems and Components.
Notes
Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 8, §
1670
1. New
subsections (d)-(h) filed 5-21-75; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register
75, No. 21).
2. Amendment filed 11-14-75; effective thirtieth day
thereafter (Register 75, No. 46).
3. Amendment filed 6-2-87;
operative 7-2-87 (Register 87, No. 24).
4. Change without regulatory
effect amending subsection (c) filed 3-26-93; operative 4-26-93 pursuant to
section 100, title 1, California Code of
Regulations (Register 93, No. 13).
5. Amendment of section heading
and subsection (a), new subsections (b)-(d)(4), subsection relettering, and
amendment of newly designated subsections (j), (k) and (l), and new subsection
(m) filed 7-30-97; operative 8-29-97 (Register 97, No. 31).
6.
Change without regulatory effect amending subsections (i), (j) and (l) filed
1-6-98 pursuant to section
100, title 1, California Code of
Regulations (Register 98, No. 2).
7. Amendment filed 11-21-2000;
operative 12-21-2000 (Register 2000, No. 47).
8. Change without
regulatory effect renumbering former subsections (c)(4) and (c)(5) to
subsections (c)(3) and (c)(4) filed 1-17-2000 pursuant to section
100, title 1, California Code of
Regulations (Register 2001, No. 3).
9. Change without regulatory
effect renumbering former subsection (b)(20) to subsection (b)(19) filed
2-13-2001 pursuant to section
100, title 1, California Code of
Regulations (Register 2001, No. 7).
10. Amendment of subsection
(b)(11)(B) filed 6-15-2005; operative 7-15-2005 (Register 2005, No.
24).
Note: Authority cited: Section
142.3, Labor
Code. Reference: Section
142.3, Labor
Code.
1. New subsections
(d)-(h) filed 5-21-75; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 75, No.
21).
2. Amendment filed 11-14-75; effective thirtieth day thereafter
(Register 75, No. 46).
3. Amendment filed 6-2-87; operative 7-2-87
(Register 87, No. 24).
4. Change without regulatory effect amending
subsection (c) filed 3-26-93; operative 4-26-93 pursuant to section 100, title
1, California Code of Regulations (Register 93, No. 13).
5.
Amendment of section heading and subsection (a), new subsections (b)-(d)(4),
subsection relettering, and amendment of newly designated subsections (j), (k)
and (l), and new subsection (m) filed 7-30-97; operative 8-29-97 (Register 97,
No. 31).
6. Change without regulatory effect amending subsections
(i), (j) and (l) filed 1-6-98 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code
of Regulations (Register 98, No. 2).
7. Amendment filed 11-21-2000;
operative 12-21-2000 (Register 2000, No. 47).
8. Change without
regulatory effect renumbering former subsections (c)(4) and (c)(5) to
subsections (c)(3) and (c)(4) filed 1-17-2000 pursuant to section 100, title 1,
California Code of Regulations (Register 2001, No. 3).
9. Change
without regulatory effect renumbering former subsection (b)(20) to subsection
(b)(19) filed 2-13-2001 pursuant to section 100, title 1, California Code of
Regulations (Register 2001, No. 7).
10. Amendment of subsection
(b)(11)(B) filed 6-15-2005; operative 7-15-2005 (Register 2005, No. 24).