OSHA Fall Protection Compliance

OSHA Compliant Fall Protection Regulations

The U.S. Department of Labor through the Occupational Safety & Health Administration outlines all of the regulations designed to protect workers from falls. OSHA maintains a comprehensive website osha.gov. The site lists the requirements for workplace-regulated training in prevention of falls. The OSHA regulations also cover the requirement to provide proper personal fall-protection equipment for workers.

Below are many of the major points covered in the fall protection regulations. In addition, we provide links directly to the sections of the code outlining the required remediation steps.

As with all fall protection issues, you may find it appropriate to seek out professional advice on interpretation and compliance with these regulations. Diversified Fall Protection stands ready to help you design and maintain conformity with these specific OSHA requirements. In addition, we can advise you regarding NIOSH and individual state-mandated regulations to help keep your work force safe.

Contact us by using the quick form at right or you may email us or call 1-800-XXX-ZZZZ

OSHA Regulations

1910.23 http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS
&p_id=9715&p_text_version=FALSE - Guarding floor and wall openings and holes.
This standard and its subparts covers walking-working surfaces and the requirement to provide guardrail protection around holes and other floor openings. The floor openings may include ladder ways open chutes and hatches.

1926.500 http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS
&p_id=10756&p_text_version=FALSE - Fall Protection Requirements in Construction Workplaces

1926.500(a) http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owalink.query_links?src_doc_type=STANDARDS
&src_unique_file=1926_0500&src_anchor_name=1926.500(a) These regulations and subparts define requirements and criteria for fall protection in construction workplaces. Section 1926.500(a) identifies those workplaces, conditions, operations, and circumstances for which fall protection shall be provided with certain exceptions. One major exception - provisions of this subpart do not apply when employees are making an inspection, investigation, or assessment of workplace conditions prior to the actual start of construction work or after all construction work has been completed.

Note: There are special subparts to the regulation covering aspects of worker safety and fall protection when your employees are:

• + working on scaffolds
• + working on certain cranes and derricks
• + performing steel erection work
• + erecting tanks or communication and broadcast towers

1926.501 http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS
&p_id=10757&p_text_version=FALSE Duty to Provide Fall Protection

1926.501 sets forth requirements for employers to provide fall protection systems. Individual employers are required to determine if the walking/working surfaces on which its employees are to work have the strength and structural integrity to support employees safely.

Any of the fall protection required by this section must conform to strict performance criteria set forth in regulation 1926.502.

1926.502 http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS
&p_id=10758&p_text_version=FALSE - Fall Protection Systems Criteria and Practices.

1926.502 and its subparts requires employers to provide for all employees any and all fall protection systems required by this regulation. The regulation also requires that the employer installs all fall protection systems before any employee begins the work that necessitates the fall protection.

Specific subparts of the regulation cover the following types of fall equipment and fall protection tools:

* Permanent guard rail and portable guardrail systems - 1926.502(b) http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owalink.query_links?src_doc_type=STANDARDS
&src_unique_file=1926_0502&src_anchor_name=1926.502(b)

* Safety neting and safety net systems - 1926.502(c) http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owalink.query_links?src_doc_type=STANDARDS
&src_unique_file=1926_0502&src_anchor_name=1926.502(c)(4)

* Personal fall arrest systems - http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owalink.query_links?src_doc_type=STANDARDS
&src_unique_file=1926_0502&src_anchor_name=1926.502(d)

These regulations also define and give performance criteria for various parts of a PPE -Personal Protective Equipment as part of a fall arrest system including horizontal lifelines, lanyards and vertical lifelines.

1926.503 http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS
&p_id=10759&p_text_version=FALSE - Fall Protection Training Program

1926.503 spells out the requirement that employers must 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. The employer is required to assure that each employee has been trained, as necessary, by a competent person qualified in the following areas:

• + The nature of fall hazards in the work area
• + The correct procedures for erecting, maintaining, disassembling, and inspecting the fall protection systems to be used
• + The use and operation of guardrail systems, personal fall arrest systems, safety net systems, warning line systems, safety monitoring systems, controlled access zones, and any other other fall protection that employee will use

Single Source Turnkey Responsibility

You receive single source responsibility for the design, engineering, fabrication, installation, training and certification of permanent and temporary fall arrest and fall protection equipment.

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