Building a

Why Use Fall Protection?

In 1995, 1,048 construction workers died on the
job, with 32%, or 335 of them, resulting from falls.
Each year, falls consistently account for the
greatest number of fatalities in the construction
industry, and are always a major concern in other
industries. Events surrounding these types of
accidents often involve a number of factors,
including unstable working surfaces, misuse of fall
protection equipment, and human error. Studies
have shown that the use of guardrails, fall arrest
systems, safety nets, covers, and travel restriction
systems can prevent many deaths and injuries from
falls.
Why Use Fall Protection?

Falls are the 2nd leading cause of death

in industry.
Navy statistics of falls demonstrate falls
actually do occur!
Required By Federal Law!
29 CFR 1910, 1915 or 1926
 CNO N45 Fall Statistics

FY 96 through FY 99
120
105 Civilian on
Shore

100

80 69
Military on
Shore
60

40 33
Military on
20 Ships

0
Loss Time Cases
 CNO N45 Fall Statistics

FY 96 through FY 99
35 33.5
Civilian on
Shore, 105
30 Cases TTL.

25

20 Military on
Shore, 33
Cases TTL.

15
11.1
10 7.3
Military on
Ships, 69
5 Cases TTL.

0
Average Height Of Employee Fall
Types Of Fall Protection:
Traditional: Non Traditional
Standard Guardrails Safety Harnesses
Ladder Cages Lanyards
Hand rails Carabiners
Scaffolding Self Retracting
Lifelines Lifelines
Tie-Off Adapters

Common to both methods: An Engaged Brain is required

 Program Elements

Hazard Analysis
Equipment
Policy
Training
Inspection
Rescue
Hazard Analysis
 What Equipment And
Conditions Do You Already
Have!

Qualify Equipment? Quantify Exposure

 Condition?  Tasks?

 Controls?  Hazard?

 Usability?  How controlled?

 Is the Hazard

Unique?
 Are The Fall Hazards Controlled
With Adequate Equipment For The
Tasks Performed?
Identify the Tasks
Those That Do The Work
Know the Tasks!

ASK Them!!!
WHERE SHOPS USE FALL PROTECTION
EQUIPMENT
When working 5 feet or more above a
level surface
Pulling shafts, screws(props),rudders,
fairplanes
On top of Conex boxes or portable
buildings w/o life lines
Working on Submarine Enclosure roofs
Rigging Hull sections
Working on Hull sections
WHERE SHOPS USE FALL PROTECTION
EQUIPMENT

Rigging machinery pier side, on

trailers and in railcars
Attaching rigging to staging above 5
feet
Staging work above 5 feet
Removing/installing masts, antennas,
waveguide, etc.
Working on hulls w/ missing deck
sections; no guard rails
WHERE SHOPS USE FALL PROTECTION
EQUIPMENT (CONT.)
Working from crane suspended box or
basket/cage, or JLG
Working in tanks
Working aboard vessels in tall
compartments (Includes multi-deck
shafts, high vertical ladders, deck edge
elevators, hangar deck overheads,
machinery space upper levels, etc.)
WHERE SHOPS USE FALL PROTECTION
EQUIPMENT (CONT.)
Rigging newly manufactured barge
sections
Installing tarps on roofs, tall
structures, equipment, etc.
Rigging sub roofs
Working on cranes (indoors and outdoors)
When should you use fall
protection? “Click on the correct answer button”
1. When working 5 feet or more
above a level surface.
2. Working on cranes
(indoors and outdoors).
3. On top of Conex boxes
or portable buildings

4. Working from crane

suspended box or basket/cage

5. All of the above

Determine What
Equipment is Currently
Available at Your Facility.
Quantity and Quality
of Equipment
1693 Safety Belts ( 1094 c/o)
329 Harnesses (111 c/o)
787 Shock absorbing lanyards (324 c/o)
1424 Lanyards w/o Shock Absorber (995 c/o)
No inspection criteria
No maintenance criteria
Majority of labels not legible
No major replacement in 15 years
Survey the Work Force
Use a Few Simple Questions Designed
to Identify:
 Exposure to fall hazards.
 Effectiveness of current equipment.

Survey can also collect data on the

stature of the work force.
Results of Hazard Analysis

Exposure to the Fall Hazards!

The Quality of the Hazard Control.
Suitability of Equipment.
The probability of occurrence and the
extent of regulatory compliance can be
estimated.
Use The Hazard Analysis To Determine
Extent of Remaining Program
Elements.
What information should your
Hazard Analysis provide?
The probability of occurrence and the extent
of regulatory compliance

Exposure to fall hazards.

Data on the stature of the work force

Inspection criteria, Maintenance criteria

None of the Above

All of the Above

Equipment Selection
The Equipment
Safety Harness
Lanyards
Heat
Resistance
Equipment
The Equipment

SRL’s
Rope Grabs
Horizontal Lifelines
Ladder Climbing
Devices
Beamers
Special Devices
Equipment Selection:
Evaluate each task individually.
Determine what equipment meets the need.
Become the expert; cause no one else is.
Look for equipment that matches multiple tasks.
Use all sources available to you.
 Vendors
 Federal Stock System
 Manufacturers
 Trade Shows
 The Workers You are Trying to Protect
 Body harnesses
 
    
         

OSHA Standard: 1926.502(d)(18)

Body harnesses are designed to minimize

stress forces on an employee's body in
the event of a fall, while providing
sufficient freedom of movement to allow

 
work to be performed.
Do not use body harnesses to hoist
materials.
                 
As of January 1, 1998, body belts are
not acceptable    as part of a personal
fall arrest system, because they
impose a danger of internal injuries
when stopping a fall.
 Attachment of the body harness
•OSHA Standard: 1926.502(d)(17)

The attachment of the body

harness must be located in the
center of the wearer's back,
near the shoulder level, or
above the head.
   Vertical Lifelines/Lanyards
        

Self-retracting vertical lifelines and

lanyards that automatically limit free
fall distance to 2 feet or less must be
capable of sustaining a minimum tensile
load of 3,000 pounds when in the fully
extended position. If they do not
automatically limit the free fall to 2 feet
or less, ripstitch lanyards, and tearing
and deforming lanyards, must be
capable of sustaining a minimum tensile
load of 5,000 pounds when in the fully
extended position.
 Webbing
OSHA Standard: 1926.
•
502(d)(14)

Webbing are the ropes and straps used in

lifelines, lanyards, and strength
components of body harnesses. The
webbing must be made from synthetic
fibers.
Anchorages
•OSHA Standard:1926.502(d)(15)

Anchorages used for attachment

of personal fall arrest
equipment must be independent
of any anchorage being used to
support or suspend platforms,
and capable of supporting at
least 5,000 pounds per
employee attached.
 Horizontal
Lifelines/Lanyards

 OSHA Standard: 1926.451(g)(3)(ii)

•OSHA Standard: 1926.451(g)(3)(iii)
•OSHA Standard: 1926.502(d)(7)
•OSHA Standard: 1926.502(d)(8)
Horizontal lifelines are to be designed, installed, and used
under the supervision of a qualified person, and as part of a
complete personal fall arrest system which maintains a safety
factor of at least two.
On suspended scaffolds or similar working platforms with
horizontal lifelines that may become vertical lifelines, the
devices used to connect to a horizontal lifeline must be
capable of locking in both directions on the lifeline.
 Connectors
•OSHA Standard: 1926.502(d)(1)
 
Connectors, including D-rings and
snaphooks, must be made from
drop-forged, pressed or formed
steel, or equivalent materials. They
must have a corrosion-resistant
finish, with smooth surfaces and
edges to prevent damage to
connecting parts of the system.
 D-Rings

D-Rings must have a

minimum tensile strength
of 5,000 pounds, and be
proof-tested to a
minimum tensile load of
3,600 pounds without
cracking, breaking, or
becoming permanently
deformed.
 Snaphooks

Snaphooks must have a minimum

tensile strength of 5,000 pounds, and
be proof-tested to a minimum tensile
load of 3,600 pounds without
cracking, breaking, or becoming
permanently deformed.  They must
also be locking-type, double-locking,
designed and used to prevent the
disengagement of the snaphook by
the contact of the snaphook keeper
with the connected member.
 Snaphooks
Unless it is designed for the following
connections, snaphooks must not be
engaged:
•Directly to webbing, rope, or wire.
•To each other.
•To a D-ring to which another snaphook or
other connector is attached.
•To a horizontal lifeline.
•To any object which is incompatibly shaped
in relation to the snaphook such that the
connected object could depress the
snaphook keeper and release itself.
 •OSHA Standard: 1926.502(d)(9)

Vertical lifelines or lanyards must have a minimum breaking

strength of 5,000 pounds, and be protected against being cut
or abraded. Each employee must be attached to a separate
vertical lifeline, except during the construction of elevator
shafts, where 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).
•All other lifeline criteria have been met.
Involve the Organizations
That Use It!
What Fall Protection Equipment do Shops
need to support the tasks identified?

Typical Answer (universal response):

Safety Belt and Lanyard, or
Fall Protection Is Not Possible !
Now You Know:
What the specific tasks are where
employees are exposed.
What equipment is suitable to abate the
Hazard.
 Which types are correct examples of Fall Arrest
system equipment ?

Body Harnesses, body belt, vertical lifeline,

lanyards, anchor points, lifelines, d-rings.

Body Harnesses, snap rings, vertical lifeline,

lanyards, anchor points, horizontal lifelines,
d-rings, webbing.

Body Harnesses, snap rings, vertical lifeline,

lanyards, anchor points, webbing, horizontal
lifelines, d-rings, body belt.
Self-retracting vertical lifelines which
automatically limit free fall distances have
what limits placed on them?
3 feet or less free fall, and 2000 pounds

2 feet or less free fall, and 5000 pounds

1 foot or less free fall, and 2000 pounds

4 feet or less free fall, and 5000 pounds

2 feet or less free fall, and 3000 pounds

None of the above

Which is the correct anchorage point to
use in the following situation?
Three workers are working on a roof, and have one anchor
point to use between them. The anchor point has been tested
to 1485 pounds support. The workers weigh 185, 192, and 155.

All three workers may tie off at the anchor point,

because of their 532 pound combined weight.

There is no need to tie off, because they are on a roof.

Only workers 1 and 3 may tie off because of their

combined weight.

Only 2 workers may tie off because you require at

least 5000 pounds per employee attached.
 D-Rings and Snap hooks must meet
which of the following requirements.
Made from drop-forged, pressed or formed steel, or
equivalent materials. They must have a corrosion-
resistant finish, with smooth surfaces and edges to
prevent damage to connecting parts of the system
and have a minimum tensile strength of 3,000
pounds, and be proof-tested to a minimum tensile
load of 2,600 pounds without cracking, breaking, or
becoming permanently deformed

Made from drop-forged, pressed or formed steel, or

equivalent materials. They must have a corrosion-
resistant finish, with smooth surfaces and edges to
prevent damage to connecting parts of the system
and have a minimum tensile strength of 5,000
pounds, and be proof-tested to a minimum tensile
load of 3,600 pounds without cracking, breaking, or
becoming permanently deformed
 Qualified Person
One with a recognized
degree or certificate and
with extensive knowledge
and experience, capable of
evaluating and developing
the design, analysis,
specifications, associated
with the components of a
Personal Fall Arrest
System.
 Competent Person
One capable of identifying hazards
associated with the use of Personal Fall
Arrest Systems and the authority to take
prompt corrective measure to eliminate
hazards.
Qualified / Competent Person

Read more about Qualified / Competent Person

by “clicking below…………….
Policy
 Building a Policy
Must include applicable
regulatory requirements.

Must be simple and

understandable.

AND
 Building a Policy
Must apply each of the tasks identified.

Must be universal within your activity.

Must be reasonable!
AND
Must be Possible!

With the equipment you

identify.
 A Policy

WHEN IS FALL PROTECTION REQUIRED?

Specific Situations:

 Aerial Work Platforms, (JLG’s, Scissor Lifts)

 Ladders with Ladder Climbing Devices
 Crane Suspended Personnel Platforms
 Policy (continued)
Rule #1: When working at heights greater
than five feet and not protected by a
standard guardrail.
 Work excluded from this rule:
 Working from a sloping ladder (step ladder or extension
ladder).
 Climbing a fixed ladder that does not have a ladder
climbing device.
  Personnel erecting or dismantling staging (when tie-off
points are not achievable).
Policy (continued)

Rule #2: There is no minimum job

duration allowed which excludes the fall
protection requirement.
 If a two-minute job requires 15 minutes to
establish fall protection, then spend the 15 minutes!
 Exclusion: 1st Person Up Rule: If a fall
protection anchorage point has not previously been
established, the first job of the first person exposed
to the fall hazard is to establish fall protection for
themselves, and all persons that follow.
 Policy (continued)

Rule #3: There is no minimum acceptable

distance from an unguarded edge*.
 Warning systems and Safety Monitors are not
allowed.
 A physical barrier, such as rope, chain, closed hatch,
or closed door, which prevents employees from
approaching an unguarded edge* is acceptable.
Barrier tape is not considered a physical barrier.

*Unguarded Edge: Edge with a fall hazard greater than 5 feet, not
guarded by a standard guardrail or a parapet at least 34 inches high.
Policy (continued)
Areas excluded from Rule #3: Piers, Quay walls, Flooded Dry
Docks - LIFE RINGS ARE STAGED and PFD requirements
apply. However, working at the edge of a pier, quay wall, or
flooded drydock five feet or more above a solid surface, (e.g.,
camel, barge, ice), requires fall protection.

Note: U-Bars placed at Submarine hatches, Shipboard accesses

to tanks, voids, and similar areas are acceptable by OSHA
interpretation (These are Ship’s equipment items).

Note: When working on flat roofs of permanent buildings that

have unguarded edges*, employees must have fall protection
equipment on site and utilize the equipment when near an
unguarded edge*. Pitched roofs (pitch greater than 4 inches)
with unguarded edges* require fall protection at all times.
What 3 rules should you base
your policy on?
When working at heights greater than five feet and not
protected by a standard guardrail; there is no minimum
job duration allowed which excludes the fall
protection requirement; there is no minimum
acceptable distance from an unguarded edge.

When working at heights greater than seven feet on any

platform, including ladders; any job 10 minutes or less
excludes the fall protection requirement; minimum
acceptable distance from an unguarded edge is 1 foot, if
you are farther than 1 foot from a edge, no fall protection
is required.
Training
Training
Required by OSHA

Required by ANSI Z359.1

Required by all reasonable Competent

Persons.

HOW MUCH TRAINING IS ENOUGH?

Typical Training Formats
2-8 hrs: Familiarization
8 hrs: Fall Protection for Managers/Engineers
8-16 hrs: Full User Certification.

5 Days: Competent Person Certification

8 - 10 Days: Qualified Person Certification
10 - 12 Days: Trainer Certification
User’s Course:
In-House Training:
 Can Be Very Equipment Specific
 Shorter Training Times
 Least Effective
 More training required if equipment changes

Commercial Courses:
 Usually, the Best Overall Training
 Typically Includes Extraneous Information
 Expensive
For the Competent Person,
Qualified Person,
and Train the Trainer.
Use External Training Sources
NAVOSHENVTRACEN Course A-493-0084 for Competent Person
Who Should Be Trained:
Each User,
Supervisors and Work Leaders
Suitable Number of Technical/Spec Writers
The Competent Person
 Additional personnel, as needed
Qualify at Least One Engineer as a “Qualified
Person”
 Or get access to one, you will need them!
 Training
Each User, Supervisors and Work Leaders, Suitable
Number of Technical/Spec Writers, The Competent
Person, at Least One Engineer.

Safety Manager, All Supervisors and Work Leaders,

safety inspectors, The Competent Person, at Least
One Engineer, Commanding Officer or executive
officer.

Safety advisor, All new personnel arriving onboard, All

planners and designers, the contracting authority.
Inspection
Pre-Use Inspection

Each User Needs to Be to Be

Trained to Perform
 Webbing
 Stitching
 Metal Components
 Overall Condition
 Detailed Inspection Documentation.
Periodic Inspection
Typically Interpreted as Annual
Performed by the Competent Person
 Or by instruction from the Competent
Person
 Detailed, documented, traceable
component by component.
Most manufacturer’s have guidelines.
Specialized equipment must be returned
to the manufacturer for this inspection.
Who must perform inspections
inspections?
Safety Manager

Subject matter expert

Competent Person

Fall protection program manager

Workcenter supervisor
Rescue
People That Use Fall Protection
Equipment Fall More Often
Than People That Don’t!

A Means of Rescuing an Individual,

suspended after a fall is

Absolutely Crucial!
Self Rescue

Users must be trained in what they can do

to rescue themselves
and

WHAT THEY, AND OTHER EMPLOYEES

MUST NOT DO!
Rescue Team

Highly Specialized
Beyond Knowledge of Competent and Qualified
Emergency Personnel Usually Considered the
Source

DO NOT ASSUME YOUR FIRE

DEPARTMENT IS TRAINED AND
CAPABLE OF THIS FUNCTION!
VERIFY!
A Few Things to Worry
About
Anchorage Points:
Will They Fail During a Fall?

Should they be:

Certified and Designated?

or Improvised?

How much is 5000 pounds?

Free Fall Distance
How Far Can You Fall and be Safe:
 4 Feet? (29 CFR 1910)
 5 Feet? (29 CFR 1915)
 6 Feet? (29 CFR 1910)
(29 CFR 1915)
(ANSI Z359.1)
 8 Feet? (29 CFR 1926)
Maximum Arresting Force (MAF)
By OSHA and ANSI: 1800 pounds.

Injury Threshold: 2700 pounds.*

 Based upon medical research in France and U.S.
Comparison:
 Opening a parachute
after free fall: 2250 pounds*
 30 MPH head on car crash
into a test barrier with a 3
point safety belt: 3000-6000 pounds*

*Fundamentals of Fall Protection; Andrew C. Sulowki; 1991

 Maximum Arresting Force (MAF)
Shock Asborbing Lanyard - DBI/SALA Model 3300P6
3500
Four Foot Freefall
3000 Six Foot Freefall
2500 Nine Foot Freefall

2000
MAF

1500

1000

500

0
224 252 280 308 336 364 392 420
Body Weight in Pounds
(Rigid Test Weight X 1.4)
Total Fall Distance
Free Fall Distance
+
Shock Absorber Length
+
Body Length
+
Stretch
Pendulum Effect
The velocity developed during a Vertical
Free Fall can be translated into a
horizontal velocity.

Hitting a vertical wall with 800 pounds

of force is same as hitting the floor with
800 pounds of force.
Rescue Time

After approximately 30 minutes of

suspension, physiological effects
become significant.

 Actual time depends upon age, health,physical

condition and sex of individual.
Safety Factors for the
Program Manager
Safety Factor to Injury
Injury Force: 2700 pounds
Regulated MAF: 1800 pounds
Actual Arresting Force: 800-900
pounds
Regulated Safety Factor: 1.5 : 1
Actual Safety Factor: 3 : 1
 Equipment and Individual dependent
Single Point Improvised
Anchorage
Capable of Supporting 5000 pounds
without failure.
 1800 Pounds Maximum Arresting Force
 800 - 900 Pounds typical Actual Arresting Force

Regulated Safety Factor - 2.7 :1

Actual Safety Factor - 5.5 : 1
 Equipment Specific
Engineered Single Point
Anchorage
Capable of supporting 3600 pounds
without failure
• Regulated MAF: 1800 pounds
 Actual Arresting Force: 800 - 900
Regulated Safety Factor: 2 : 1
Actual Safety Factor: 4:1
Engineered Personal Fall
Arrest Systems (PFAS)

Regulated Safety Factor of 2

Actual Safety Factor - Engineer

Dependent

Example: Horizontal Lifelines

Scaffolding
Scaffolding
An estimated 2.3 million construction workers, or
65% of the construction industry, work on
scaffolds frequently. Protecting these workers
from scaffold-related accidents would prevent
4,500 injuries and 50 deaths every year, at a
savings for American employers of $90 million in
workdays not lost. In a recent BLS study,
seventy-two percent of workers injured in
scaffold accidents attributed the accident either
to the planking or support giving way, or to the
employee slipping or being struck by a falling
object. All of these can be controlled by
compliance with OSHA standards.
Read more about Scaffolding
by “clicking” below…………….
Legal Stuff

Get To Know Your Activities Legal

Counsel
Some Hints and Tricks
Identify Those Individuals That Can Help:
 Procurement Personnel
 Specification Writers.
 Tool Room Supervisors
 Training Personnel
 Engineering
 Union

Let them be part of the effort and

decisions:
 They can work in their management structure more
effectively than you.
Don’t let the issue be about compliance
or money. Stay above those arguments.

 Keep the issue safety of the worker for

processes they perform.

Acquire a set of equipment you’ve

identified that is needed.
Collect representative samples of bad
stuff. Get or make a Roll-Out Lanyard
Develop a short show and tell talk about
the equipment.
Perform this talk at every opportunity to any
group greater than one that will stand in one
place long enough to hear it:
 All Levels of Management
 Stand-up Safety Meetings
 Union Meetings
 Anywhere and Everywhere
Encourage Workers and Supervisors to Call
You.
 Make the set of equipment available to anyone
that thinks they need it for a job or wants to try it.
 This ones hard, cause you have to be there.
Eventually (after lots and lots of work)

You will not be able to handle the

requests for help using the equipment
you have.

The result will be:

 Workers will be complaining they can’t get
the stuff they need to do their job.
 Supervisors will begin complaining jobs are
being delayed.
And Before You Know It:

It’s All Your Fault!

Managers get involved. Allocate
funding, ask the procurement
personnel to buy the identified
equipment Specifications are
written, Training is developed (or
external training identified).

The group of individuals that you

identified at the beginning all the
sudden become folks with the
answers in their organization.
At this point, ownership is taken by all
the right people.

 There will always be naysayers.

Once people believe that they CAN DO

IT-

THEY WILL DEMAND IT.

Then write your instruction
and
KEEP IT SIMPLE!
Continue to Evaluate Your Program!
You are guaranteed to find…

NEW AREAS OF CONCERN!

Keep Yourself Up
On……….
New or Specific Training Methods.
New Equipment.
Innovative Techniques.
Thank You and Good Bye
and Good Luck