10. NOV 2016
• This standard, in the making since the 1990's, will
essentially change the way FALL PROTECTION in
general industry workplaces will be managed and the
BIGGEST change will come to FIXED LADDERS over
the next 2 years and 20 years.
• The new rule will FINALLY CLARIFY (beyond question)
that workers must be protected from fall hazards along
unprotected sides or edges that are at least 4 feet above a
lower level (NOT 6' like in the construction industry!).
10
11. Nov 2016
• The final rule divides work on low-
slope roofs into three (3) zones:
• 1) Work performed LESS THAN 6
feet from the roof edge;
• 2) Work performed 6 feet to less than
15 feet from the roof edge; and,
• 3) Work performed 15 feet or MORE
from the roof edge. Each zone has its
own set of requirements
11
12. Oct 2016
• IL Parking lot
• Customer breaks ankle
in pothole
• $75,000 settlement.
12
16. Feb 2016
16
A 26-year-old tower climber is expected to be in intensive care for another
ten days after he fell from a guyed tower in Rosenberg, Tex. when his
personal fall protection equipment failed after he slipped from a brace on a
climbing face as he was descending after a day’s work on an LTE project
for AT&T.
17. Fall Protection – The Problem
• Falls are a serious
safety concern in
the jobsite.
• Falls are a leading
cause of worker
deaths.
Scaffold in Dupage
County
17
18. Nov 2015
• New York
• Sean Dowdell was awarded $26
million
• 2012 accident in which the
construction worker fell from a
scaffold and lost a leg.
• He stepped on a piece of
plywood covering a hole.
• The plywood broke and
Dowdell fell.
• $6 million for past pain and
suffering,
• $11 million for medical
expenses,
• $3.5 million for lost earnings
$5.5 million for future pain and
suffering
18
19. Oct 2015
• Nebraska
• The sheriff’s officials say Jason
Oenbring of Tecumseh was
fixing hail damage on a metal
building.
• “[He] was working on the roof,
replacing the roof as part of his
job,” said Sheriff Terry
Wagner, “when he fell through
an unsupported portion of the
roof, falling about 21 feet to the
concrete floor below.”
19
27. Data
• 35% of all fatalities
occurred in workers
age 55 or older, with
1,691 deaths.
• This is the highest
number of fatalities
ever recorded for this
group of workers.
28. February 2015
• Canton MA
• The victim and another worker
were on the roof assessing snow
removal operations.
• They separated and one person
walked across a skylight that
had been covered by the snow.
• The light gave way and he fell
40 feet to his death.
28
29. August 2014
• A Georgia jury awarded $1.3
million to a young mother who
claimed a permanent and
painful back injury from a fall
in a Walmart store.
• $100,000 to her husband, Curtis
Rorro, for his loss of
consortium claim.
• What is your risk if someone
slips at your site?
29
30. March 2016
• A Middlesex County NJ jury
issued a $1.28 million verdict
after a woman slipped and fell.
• The 72-year-old plaintiff was
leaving the Tastee sandwich
shop in Sayreville when she
slipped at the top of the stairs
and fell to the ground.
• Her feet flew out from under
her, her head hit the step and
she broke her right ankle,
according to Nicholas
Leonardis, her attorney.
• After a four-day trial before
Superior Court Judge Andrea
Carter, the jury said that the sub
shop — operated by Burrellys
LLC — was 80 percent liable
for the accident.
• Louise Hockman, the plaintiff,
was 20 percent responsible.
Because of that, her net award
will be just shy of $1 million.
• Store closed down.
30
31. December 2014
• $62 Million
• Zeng Guang Lin, 26, plunged
20 feet off a NY roof while
working for Hutch Realty in
2008
• He wasn’t provided a safety
harness.
• The award is for pain and
suffering, $42 million for the
future and $20 million for the
past.
31A Queens house
32. June 2014
• Larry Webb of
Olathe fell 60 feet
Friday morning while
on a job in Gardner,
Kan. "He was a
wonderful son, he
was caring, very
helpful," she said.
"He'd give you the
shirt off his back."
32
34. Dec 2013
• MD
• A man working in the
garage level of a row
of town houses under
slipped on a small
patch of ice, fell and
struck his head and
died.
34
35. January 26, 1972
• Vesna Vulović fell
approximately 10,160 meters
(33,333 ft).
• She suffered a fractured skull,
three broken that left her
temporarily paralyzed from the
waist down, and two broken
legs
• An explosion on JAT Flight
367, while over Czech Republic
caused the plane to break apart.
35
37. February 2015
• Genie
• Allows a user to exit the
platform and work comfortably
around the outside of the
platform with a 6-ft lanyard. It
attaches to a 6- or 8-ft platform
on all Genie telescopic and
articulating boom lifts with lift
heights higher than 40 ft., with
the exception of the S-125HD
model.
41. Falls
• New OSHA standards
in 1995
• 1954 ANSI Standards
• Fatal injuries
involving falls
increased by 20 from
the preliminary count
to 700 cases.
41
42. Region 5 is seeing more non construction falls than
construction falls.
Ladders
27%
Roofs
21%
Same Surface
20%
Othe Elevaton
17%
Elevated Platform
15%
Top Fall Sources Region V 2010-2014
Ladders Roofs Same Surface Othe Elevaton Elevated Platform Nonmoving Vehicle
Skylights and
scaffolds not in
top five now.
44. What is Fall Protection?
• Fall protection protects
workers from fall
hazards. Fall protection
doesn’t mean bulky or
cumbersome
equipment. It doesn’t
interfere with work tasks
and it doesn’t get in the
way of coworkers –
when used properly
Unguarded open-sided
floor
44
45. Planning
• Sometimes it takes a
lot of work to do
things wrong.
• Elimination of fall
hazards using the
hierarchy of controls
should be performed
by all companies.
45
47. OSHA Fatalities
• 1000+ Roof Falls in 10 years
• 1000+ Ladder Falls in 10 years
• Event Date: 01/27/2009
• On January 27, 2009, Gerald Holland was walking across
an aircraft hanger to exit the building for lunch.
• Ice and sleet had been blowing through gaps in the hanger
doors, creating slippery conditions on the adjacent floor.
• Gerald slipped and fell, striking his head on the concrete
floor. He was hospitalized for severe head trauma and later
died.
47
48. Roof Fall into Acid
• May 7, 2012
• Martin Davis, 44
• Clifton, N.J.
• Fell through the roof
Plunged 40 feet into a
tank of nitric acid.
• He suffered burns
from head to foot
• Coworker jumped in
acid to rescue him.
Co-worker jumped in the
tank and pulled him out. He
was rinsed off in the
emergency shower.
48
49. January 2015
• West Palm Beach FL
• Divers found the
lifeless body of
Hermino Padilla Jr.
lodged inside a pipe
after he fell through a
metal grate into a
sewage tank
50. $64 Million• 2013 Largest Award in IL
• Dec 2007 incident
• Ronald Bayer, age 36, sued
Panduit on a negligence theory
claiming to have been severely
injured (paralysis) in a
workplace
• Plaintiff claimed that studs
placed in iron beams he was
walking on caused him to trip,
and proper harnessing
equipment to prevent the fall
had not been installed
• Nov 2012 - The jury, however,
ruled that Panduit was 80
percent responsible for the
accident, and Bayer was only
20 percent responsible. 50
51. 2013 Verdict
• $18.5 million to settle his State Supreme Court lawsuit.
• Anthony M. Grasso, 38, became paralyzed from the waist
down two years ago after breaking through a particle board
that covered a stairwell opening and falling 14 feet to the
ground floor.
• He was erecting walls for a building under construction on
North French Road in East Amherst.
51
52. Criminal 2013
• John Prisque, 63 sentenced 70
months for OSHA crimes.
• 400 safety violations since
1995, a period during which
4,600 workers were injured and
9 were killed; 3 of those deaths
were caused by deliberate
violations of federal safety
standards
• Erasmo Ponce was sentenced to
90 days and $450,000
restitution.
• Tree-service owner charged
with manslaughter of a child
after 14-year-old fell 50 feet to
his death while using a
chainsaw in a tree.
• Jonathan Harves Wilkes, 37, of
Palatka, FL turned himself in at
the Sheriff’s Office and faces a
maximum of 30 years in prison.
52
53. Costs of Accidents
• Work injury costs:
• Total cost in 2016.................................................... $241.5 billion
• Cost per death...........................................................$1,000,000
• Cost per medically consulted injury................................ $31,000
• The average cost for all worker comp claims combined in 2013-
2014 was $38,617
• The average cost for all worker comp claims falls or slips ($45,016)
• Time Lost Due to Work-Related Injuries:
• Total time lost in 2016............................................... 100,000,000
days
• Due to injuries in 2016.................................................. 65,000,000
days
• Due to injuries in prior years.......................................... 35,000,000
days
• Time lost in future years from 2016 injuries.......................
50,000,000 days
• * Above data taken from NSC Injury Facts 2017 Edition.
53
54. Worker Comp 2016
• Per Liberty Mutual Research Institute March 2016
• Worker comp at 16 year low.
• Falls on same level $10.6 billion 45.2% increase in 16 years
• Falls to lower level $5.5 billion 9.9% increase in 12 years
54
55. ASSE 2010
• Work Comp from PA Insurance
• ~4000 companies studied
• 200 Companies had 210 single losses over
$250,000
• 21% were same surface falls (ice, slipping)
• 17% were ergo from non routine lifting
55
56. OSHA In Chicagoland
• 3 offices – Des Plaines,
• Aurora, Calumet City
• 2200 inspections total
~750 FALL LEP
~100 TRENCH NEP
~120 AMPUTATE NEP
~120 Forklift LEP
~50 LEAD NEP
~40 SILICA NEP
~15 HEXCHROME
~15 COMDUST LEP
~15 GRAIN LEP
~15 FLAVORINGS NEP
~15 RECORDKEEPING NEP
56
57. A Company 2014
• A contractor was hired to
review all potential fall hazards
at the site.
• In response to this review, the
site has installed fall protection
on the roof to protect HVAC,
and other contract employees,
from falls.
• Guardrails were installed at
edges and designated walkways
to the HVAC units were
delineated.
• Guardrails were also installed
around skylights.
58.
59. BLS
• Several occupations recorded their
highest fatality total in years since
1992
• First-line supervisors of construction
trades
• Landscaping and groundskeeping
workers
• Roofers
• Tree trimmers and pruners,
• Driver/sales workers,
• Automotive service technicians and
mechanicsFarmworkers, farm, ranch,
and aquacultural animals
61. May 2017
• Industrial project locations
experienced the highest
number of fatalities with 813
deaths (35%)
• Commercial 5%
• AGC fatality study 2010-
2012
62. Fall Protection
• What is your
exposure?
• How do you manage
it?
• Is rescue in your plan?
62
63. What is Fall Protection?
• Fall protection protects
workers from fall hazards.
• Fall protection doesn’t
mean bulky or
cumbersome equipment.
• It doesn’t interfere with
work tasks and it doesn’t
get in the way of
coworkers – when used
properly
• Fall Protection needs to be
managed at your facility.
63
64. Safety Program
• Identify where falls
can occur to your
workers
• Develop written fall
protection procedures
including equipment
to be used
• Investigate accidents
and near misses
64
65. Training
Train workers:
- When to use fall arrest
- How to wear fall arrest
- Inspection and selection of
anchorages, lanyards, and
harnesses
- Document training, who,
when, content
65
70. Job Hazard Analysis
• National Tire Shop
• What potential hazard
would be caught with
a JHA?
70
71. Hierarchy of Fall Protection
• Elimination – such as
Cameras to monitor work
• Passive Fall Protection –
Guardrails, Covers
• Travel Fall Restraint
• Fall Arrest
• Administrative Control –
such as climber training
Cameras used to monitor
locations.
71
72. Passive Fall Protection
• Clamp on
guardrails used for
bridge
• Congress Bridge in Chicago Jan
2015
72
75. Work Positioning
• Positioning device
system means a body belt
or body harness system
rigged to allow an
employee to be supported
on an elevated vertical
surface, such as a wall,
and work with both hands
free while leaning.
• Work Positioning free fall
cannot exceed 24 inches
75
Positioning devices shall be
secured to an anchorage capable
of supporting at least twice the
potential impact load of an
employee's fall or 3,000 pounds
(13.3 kN), whichever is greater.
76. Travel Restraint
• 5000 lb anchorage
• Cannot free fall to
lower level
• ANSI Standard Z359
76
78. Lanyards
• Use energy absorbing
lanyards or retractable
lanyards.
• Check for ANSI
Z359.1 or OSHA
1926.502 marking
• Calculate free fall
distance
78
79. Harness
• Labeled meeting
ANZI Z359 or OSHA
1926.502
• Use D-ring in back
This lanyard is not an energy
absorbing lanyard.
This is a chest waist harness
for work positioning. Not
designed for fall arrest.
79
80. Harness
• Never wear your
tool belt over the
harness.
Manufacturers make belts
integral with the harness.
80
81. Anchorages
• A secure point of
attachment for
lifelines, lanyards or
deceleration devices
• 5000 lbs or 2:1 Safety
factor is calculated by
a qualified person.
• Anchorages may
weaken over time due
to weather or
environment 81
The energy absorber portion
of the lanyard must be
connected to the dorsal D-
Ring only. Photo shows
incorrect usage.
84. July 2015
• Oswego NY
• Three workers
on horizontal
lifeline.
• Issues?
• Photo Wally Reardon
84
85. Roof Safe Distance
• A warning line is used 15 feet
or more from the edge;
• The warning line meets or
exceeds the requirements in
§1926.502(f)(2);
• No work or work-related
activity is to take place in the
area between the warning line
and the edge;
• The employer effectively
implements a work rule
prohibiting the employees from
going past the warning line.
https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.s
how_document?p_table=INTERPRETATION
S&p_id=24682
85
86. Snow and Ice
• Many falls while
getting up on roofs.
• Issues?
86
88. Issues?
• Using a Beemer style
of fall protection.
• Free fall distance is
over 6 feet so
manufacturer must
approved design and
fall arrest system.
• Many connect out of
aerial lifts or use
horizontal lifelines.
89. Quick Quiz
• Anchorages must be _____ lbs.
• Fall arrest forces for harnessing shall not exceed
_____ lbs.
• What is the best in the hierarchy of fall protection?
_____________
• Covers must hold _____ times the anticipated
load.
• Free fall over ____ inches is not allowed in work
positioning.
89
91. OSHA Ladder Training
• 1926.1060(a)
• The employer shall ensure that each employee
has been trained by a competent person in the
following areas, as applicable:
• The nature of fall hazards in the work area;
• The correct procedures for erecting,
maintaining, and disassembling the fall
protection systems to be used;
• The proper construction, use, placement, and
care in handling of all stairways and ladders;
• The maximum intended load-carrying capacities
of ladders and
• The standards contained in this subpart.
91
93. Dec 2013
• OSHA - two willful, following
the death of a worker.
• On June 27, a worker was
electrocuted at a residential
jobsite in Boca Raton when his
employer directed him to
reposition a metal extension
ladder in close proximity to
overhead electrical power lines
that had not been de-energized,
grounded or guarded.
93
94. Sep 2013
• Harry Andrew has been paralyzed
from the neck down after falling
from a ladder.
Harry had been trimming the
hedge when he lost balance and
fell.
94
97. Deaths
• 100+ deaths involving ladders by OSHA in
2010
• Over 1000+ ladder related deaths since
2000.
• 164,000 emergency room-treated injuries in
the U.S. relating to ladders. (CPSC)
97
98. These Deaths Were Preventable
When using a ladder, these are
the FIVE largest risks
among many:
– Falls
– Shock from Powerline
– Securement of Ladder
– Working off Ladders
– Confined Spaces
• All of these are preventable
If proper access is not
provided, people get
creative. Never use a pallet
as a work platform!
98
100. It was a simple task
• What training would you give?
100
101. Ladder Safety - Prevention
• Climbing and descending:
– Check to see if ladder is
secure.
– Have both hands free to
hold on to the ladder, or at
least one hand.
– Face the ladder when
climbing or descending
– Keep the area around the
top and bottom of ladders
clear.
– Only one person on a
ladder!
101
102. Is a Ladder a Work Platform?
• Many accidents occur
while a person is
working from the
ladder.
• Is there an alternative?
102
103. Step Ladders
• Used on stable surface
• Not used as a ext. ladder
• Inspected for defects
• Never used on a
scaffold
103
104. Step Ladders
• Inspected for defects
• Ensure stability latches
are engaged
• What’s wrong here?
104
105. Step Ladders, cont.
• Stepladders are
designed for use in
an opened-and-
locked position.
105
106. Step Ladders, cont.
• Do NOT use a
stepladder that is
folded or in a
leaning position.
106
107. Extension Ladder
• 4:1 Pitch
• 3’ extension above
landing
• Not near electrical
• Secured from slipping
• One of the most
common ladder falls are
from these.
107
109. Extension Ladder
• Inspect for defects
• Training
• Ladder feet set correctly
• Consider eliminating
working from these and just
use for access.
• Worker must not lean their
belly button past side rails
or they will lose there
balance
Ladder is too short
109
110. Transitions
• Many falls are transition
from ladder to surface
such as floor or roof.
• Ladder not extending
over the edge 3 feet
110
115. Ladder Securement
• Portable ladders must
be secured against
movement while in
use.
• There are many
commercial products
that will help.
• 1926.1053(b)(1)
115
116. Fixed Ladder
• Stairs should be in place
if used everyday.
1910.24
• Use fall arrest while
climbing
• Keep lanyard short to 9
inches if possible.
• Inspect ladder for
looseness and proper
rails to roof
116
117. Fixed Ladder
• Roof ladders will need
fall arrest above 24 feet
in length.
• 2003 fatal climbing a 40
foot fixed ladder w/o
fall arrest in Morris, IL
117
118. Fixed Ladders
• A fixed ladders requires a
ladder safety device
• OSHA has fall triggers at 24
feet.
• Many companies provide fall
arrest at 6 feet.
• Cable or ladder bars are used.
118
119. Ladders on Machinery
• Can ladder be
dislodged?
• Is scaffold feasible?
• What other hazards?
119
120. Scaffold and Ladders
• OSHA has specific
rules for ladders and
scaffolds
• 1926.451 for scaffolds
• 1926.1030 for ladders
• Read manufacturer’s
rules!
120
121. Ladder Stands
• Inspect for stability
and no broken welds.
• Use as work platform
vs. a step ladder.
• Does the ladder stand
move when on it?
121
122. Confined Space
• Many ladder falls are due
to environment causing
the person to fall.
• Any underground
structure could have a lack
of oxygen.
• Test the air!!!
• Follow 1910.146 for
confined spaced.
• Plan for Rescue!
122
123. Powerlines
• Aluminum Conducts
Electricity
• Fiberglass is not
perfect.
• If you touch a live
circuit and a grounded
surface you will be
shocked. This is an unsafe condition
123
124. Insects
• Bees and wasps cause
workers to fall.
• Consider using stair
platform or aerial lift.
• Wear PPE
• Consider using a
professional
exterminator.
124
125. Ladder Trucks
• Follow manufacturer
inspection and look for
leaking fluids.
• Powerlines are source of
many electrocution
• Do not overload the
ladder.
• Make sure fall protection
is used or built in.
125
126. Cell Towers
• No Free Climbing.
• Wear fall arrest
designed for the access.
126
127. 1926.1051 (a)
• A stairway or ladder
shall be provided at all
personnel points of
access where there is a
break in elevation of 19
inches (48 cm) or more,
and no ramp, runway,
sloped embankment, or
personnel hoist is
provided.
128. Ladder Inspections
• Ladders must be inspected
before each use.
• Broken or weak ladders or
ladders that are not stable
must be marked or tagged
as defective and taken out
of service.
• Look for cracks and weak
points.
• Competent person must
periodically inspect
ladders.
128
142. Unstable surfaces
• Slip-resistant feet must
not be used as a
substitute for the care
in placing, lashing, or
holding a ladder upon
a slippery surface.
1926.1053 (b)(7)
142
155. Objectives
• Calculate Free Fall
Distance
• Understand Fall Arrest
Force
• Understand Swing
Hazard
• Understand fall forces
on horizontal lifelines
155
156. The Fall
• Illustration of the D-
Ring movement when
tied at feet.
• So what is the fall
arrest Force?
156
157. Fall Arrest Forces Canada
• There are several calculations but many will not
match lab tests 157
159. Fall Forces
• The force of your fall
arrest force is dependent
upon the fall factor, your
weight, and the type of
rope you use.
• Dynamic rope and energy
absorbers considerably
decrease the shock a user
feels because they have
the ability to stretch and
absorb more of the force.
159
160. Fall Arrest Force
• Mfrs drop weight
• Record dynamic
forces vs time (ms)
• Charts will vary
depending on stich
pattern, materials, etc.
160
162. Free Fall Distance
• Accidents have
occurred when going
up a window washing
platform and leaving
the fall arrest (rope
grab) at the lower
level. This creates a
large free fall where
the user can hit the
ground before fall
arrest occurs. 162
164. Exercise 1
• Anchorage 2 feet
above D-ring?
• What is the Free Fall
Distance? For illustration purposes, we
will use the following
equipment:
. Full Body Harness = 1’
slippage)
. 6’ Shock-Absorbing Lanyard
. Fixed, Rigid Anchorage
Connector (such as a D-Plate
bolted to a structural I-beam)
164
166. Exercise 3
• Beam that's 12 feet
from the ground
• Using a horizontal
cable anchorage
positioned at the
user’s feet.
• What is the free fall
distance?
166
167. Exercise 4
• Use estimates
• What is the Free Fall
Distance?
• What is the
alternative?
167
168. Rescue Plan
• Written
• What is the role of
Emergency Services?
• Medical Treatment of
the fallen
• Alpine Rescue
Method?
168
169. Rescue Issues
• Rescue harness
• Rescue lanyards
• Anchorages for rescue
• Descent control
• Rescue hoist
169
170. Keys in Pocket
• Keys or other
objects in pockets
could hurt you in the
fall
170
172. Suspension Trauma
• 1972 Austria
• 10 climbers who became
trapped in a suspended position
before rescue for durations
ranging from 30 minutes to
eight hours, two expired pre-
rescue, three died almost
immediately after rescue and
five died over the course of the
ensuing 11 days.
172
173. Suspension Trauma
• The lower limbs are in a
suspended vertical position,
increasing pressure on the
femoral vein and nerve and
exacerbating the gravitational
pull on lower extremity blood
flow.
• The femoral artery inside groin
down leg
173
178. October 2014
• OSHA's Houston North Area
Office initially conducted an oil
and gas inspection in November
2011 and cited the employer in
January 2012 for an obstruction
in the path of the emergency
escape line.
• Also known as the Geronimo
Line, it is a zip line that runs
from the top of the oil well to
the ground and allows workers
to quickly evacuate a well in
emergency situations.
178
179. New Terms
• Authorized Rescuer
• Person assigned by the
employer to perform
rescue from fall
hazards
• Competent Rescuer
• Individual designated
by the employer who
is capable of
implementation
supervision, and
monitoring the
employer’s fall
protection rescue
program.
179
181. December 2014
• Ann Arbor MI Fire
Department assisting
in cell tower rescue
181
182. Rescue 2013
• A worker at the UW-Madison Memorial Union, 800
Langdon St., slipped off a beam at about 11:30 a.m.,
but his safety harness prevented him from going all
the way to the ground.
• "His co-workers managed to lower him to safety
(with the harness) to an area below street level, so
firefighters had to use the basket lowered by the
Boldt Co. crane operator to bring him back up to
street level, so he could be put into an ambulance,"
Galvez said.
182
185. Who is ANSI?
• The American National
Standards Institute (ANSI)
coordinates the development
and use of standards in the
United States.
• Consensus of manufacturer,
insurance, associations, the
consumer, and the general
public.
• ANSI Standards do not
constitute governing law.
• Always reference the latest
editions.
185
186. ANSI Z359.1
• “American National Standard
Safety Requirements for
Personal Fall Arrest Systems,
Subsystems and Components”
was originally published in
1992 and later revised in 1999
• The purpose of this Standard
was to address the variety of
equipment being developed in
the rapidly growing field of Fall
Protection.
• Used as a basis of Subpart M in
OSHA
186
187. Application
• This standard applied
to fall arrest
equipment used in
General Industry and
non-construction
occupations.
• The Construction
Industry has its own
set of Standards
(ANSI A10.32-2004). 187
188. 2007
• Five (5) Standards were approved and effective November 24,
2007:
• ANSI Z359.0 – 2007 Definitions and Nomenclature Used for
Fall Protection and Fall Arrest
• ANSI Z359.1 – 2007 Safety Requirements for Personal Fall
Arrest Systems, Subsystems and Components
• ANSI Z359.2 – 2007 Minimum Requirements for a
Comprehensive Managed Fall Protection Program
• ANSI Z359.3 – 2007 Safety Requirements for Positioning and
Travel Restraint Systems
• ANSI Z359.4 – 2007 Safety Requirements for Assisted Rescue
and Self-Rescue Systems, Subsystems and Components
188
190. Key Changes in Z359.1
• Section 3.2.1.4
• Gate face strength
requirements have
changed from 220 lbs.
(1kN) (old Standard)
to 3,600 lbs. (16kN)
(new Standard).
190
191. Key Changes
• Side of gate strength
requirements have
changed from 350
lbs. (1.55kN) (old
Standard) to 3,600
lbs. (16kN) (new
Standard).
191
192. Key Changes
• Minor axis strength
of non-captive eye
snap hooks or
carabiners must be
3,600 lbs. (16kN).
192
194. One Cabiner Manufacturer
• No Connector is to be
used in a connection
where the gate keeper
may be loaded.
• Care must be taken to
avoid loading the
connector across the
gate, particularly over
edges or other
obstructions. 194
196. Key Changes
• Section 3.2.2.5a
• Allows the front D-ring
to be used in a fall arrest
system that:
• (a) Limits the maximum
free fall distance to two
(2) ft. (0.6m)
• (b) Limits the maximum
arrest force to 900 lbs.
(4.0kN).
196
197. Key Changes
• Addition of double-legged
lanyards to the Standard.
• They are defined as
lanyards with two (2)
integrally connected legs
and
• Shall have a minimum of
5,000 lbs. (22.2kN)
breaking strength when
statically tested in
accordance with 4.3.4.1.3.
197
198. Y Lanyard Warning
• Connect only the center
snap hook to the fall
arrest attachment
element
• Do not modify the
lanyard to create more
than a 6 ft. (1.8m) free
fall
• Do not allow the legs of
the lanyard to pass
under arms, between
legs or around the neck
Never choker a lanyard back
unto itself.
198
199. Y-Lanyards
• Do not attach the leg
of the lanyard which is
not in use to the
harness, except to
attachment points
specifically designated
by the manufacturer
for this purpose
199
200. Key Changes
• Snap hooks and connectors marked
• Year of manufacture
• Manufacturer’s identification
• Part number
• Load rating for the major axis of
the connector stamped or otherwise
permanently marked on the device
• Load rating for gate stamped or
otherwise permanently marked on
the gate mechanism
• Markings for connectors shall be
sufficient to provide traceability
• For connectors that are non-
integral, include the Standard
number “Z359.1 (07)” ANSI
200
201. May 2014
• Providence RI
• 8 hurt in fall
• The US Occupational Safety and
Health Administration said the
rigging used put excessive weight
on a carabiner, causing the metal
loop to fail, and the acrobats, who
were hanging by their hair, to fall
15 to 20 feet to t
• According to OSHA, circus staff
violated both industry practice and
the manufacturer’s instructions for
using the carabiner by attaching it
so it was pulled in three directions,
rather than two.
202. Managed Fall Protection Program
• ANSI Z359.2-2007
• Requires a formal
managed fall
protection program
where employees are
exposed to fall hazards
202
203. Managed Fall Protection Program
• Written fall protection
procedures whenever one or
more authorized persons are
routinely exposed to any fall
hazard.
• These procedures are written
based upon a fall hazard survey
required for every workplace
activity where authorized
persons are exposed to a fall
hazard.
• This survey is intended to
identify one or more methods to
eliminate or control each
identified fall hazard.
Are people required to work
above guardrails? 203
204. Managed Fall Protection Program
• Identify, evaluate and
eliminate (or control) fall
hazards through planning
• Ensure proper training of
personnel exposed to fall
hazards
• Ensure proper installation
and use of fall protection
and rescue systems
• Implement safe fall
protection and rescue
procedures
204
206. Inspection
• All fall protection
equipment and
anchorages must be
inspected:
• Beginning of each
eight-hour shift by a
competent person and
• Yearly (or more
frequently if required
by manufacturer)
206
207. Inspection
• July 2015
• Laceration from
casting defect.
• DBI Sala
• Photo:Angelette
Holtmann
207
208. Service Life Inspection
• One Company
• “Product Life: The functional
life of the lanyard is determined
by work conditions and
maintenance.
• As long as the lanyard passes
inspection criteria, it may
remain in service.”
• Inspect webbing; material must
be free of frayed, cut, or broken
fibers.
• Check for tears, abrasions,
mold, burns, or discoloration.
• Inspect stitching; Check for
pulled or cut stitches.
• Broken stitches may be an
indication that the harness has
been impact loaded and must be
removed from service.
208
209. Anchorages
• Noncertified
• A fall arrest anchorage
that a competent
person can judge to be
capable of supporting
the predetermined
anchorage forces
• Certified
• Qualified person
certifies the anchorage
to be capable of
supporting the
potential fall forces
that could be
encountered during the
fall
209
210. Anchorage Static Load
Requirements
• Noncertified
• Fall Arrest Systems
5,000 lbs. (22.2 kN)
• Work Positioning
Systems 3,000 lbs. (13.3
kN)
• Restraint & Travel
Systems 1,000 lbs. (4.5
kN)
• Rescue Systems 3,000
lbs. (13.3 kN)
• Certified
• 2 X maximum
arresting force
• 2 X foreseeable force
• 2 X foreseeable force
• 5 X applied load
210
211. Horizontal Lifelines
• Must sustain at least
two times the
maximum tension
developed in the
lifeline during fall
arrest in the direction
applied by lifeline
forces
• Use certified
anchorages 211
212. Retractable Lifelines
• ANSI Z359.14-2012
• Two classifications for self-
retracting devices according to
dynamic performance:
• Class A for maximum arrest
distances of 24 inches (610mm)
and
• Class A devices will arrest a fall
in less than two feet, which is
important when fall clearance is
limited. For Class A devices,
the average arrest force must
not exceed 1,350 pounds (6kN)
or a maximum peak force of
1,800 pounds (8kN).
212
213. Retractables
• Class B for maximum arrest
distances of 54 inches
(1,372mm).
• For Class B devices, the
average arrest force must not
exceed 900 pounds (4kN) or a
maximum peak of 1,800 pounds
(8kN). Average arrest forces are
calculated by averaging every
data point over 500 pounds
(2.22kN) during the arrest
period of the self-retracting
device on the force/time graph.
213
214. Retractables
• For the first time,
manufacturers are
required to perform
special testing to
evaluate the
performance of self-
retracting devices with
leading edge
capability
Additional marking
requirements for self-retracting
lanyards with leading edge
capability are also specified
and include: minimum
installation setback distance
and clearance required when
falling over the edge. 214
215. Retractables
• ANSI Z359.14 (2012) Self-
retracting lanyards with leading
edge capability (SRL-LEs).
• The test edge material is very
sharp metal with an edge radius of
.005 inches (.13mm) or less.
• An energy absorber is required
and must not be separable from
the SRD device or lifeline.
• Testing is expanded to include
“offset” testing that tests sliding
of the lifeline along the edge.
• Dynamic Strength Testing
requires repeating the
perpendicular and off-set tests
with a 282 lb. weight
• Specific testing includes a check
on retraction when used
horizontally to confirm no slack
can develop.
• Markings on the device and
use instructions have been
expanded to provide advice
to equipment users about
leading edge work. 215
218. Retractables
• ANSI Z359.14
• Inspection of these are
required by
manufacturer every 1-
5 years depending on
use.
218
219. Max Elongation
• Lanyards shall have
• Maximum arresting force
and
• Elongation (maximum rip
out length) clearly identified.
• Mfrs will specify the fall
arrest length of the SLR or
energy absorbing lanyard.
• Many lanyards do not rip out
near the full 42 inches.
• Some SRL’s do not pay out
a full 42”.
219
220. Deceleration Distance
• The ANSI Z359.13-2009
standard has developed new
design criteria for the
performance and testing
methods of EA lanyards.
• Specifically, the new ANSI
energy absorbers will
increase the user’s
deceleration distance from
42 inches (3.5 ft) to 48
inches (4.0 ft), which will
increase your overall
potential fall distance.
220
221. Travel Restraint
• 1000 lbs anchorage
• Cannot free fall to
lower level
• Travel restraint
systems are only
permitted on a
walking/working
surface with a slope of
between 0 and 18.4
degrees.
221
222. Work Positioning
• Positioning device system means a
body belt or body harness system
rigged to allow an employee to be
supported on an elevated vertical
surface, such as a wall, and work
with both hands free while leaning.
• Work Positioning free fall cannot
exceed 24 inches
• Max fall arrest force is 900 lbs.
• Lanyards and harnesses used.
Avoid belts.
• Equipment must have minimum
breaking strength of 5,000 lbs.
222
223. Descent Control
• Capacity of 310 lbs.
• Single-use devices must
have a minimum descent
energy rating of 30,000
ft./lb.
• Multiple-use devices must
have a minimum descent
energy rating of 300,000
ft./lb.
• Descent speeds meet
ANSI.
223
224. Horizontal Lifelines
• Fall arrest force is
determined by the
manufacturer
• If 1200 lb MAF energy
absorbing lanyards are to be
used by workers, they cannot
be used on Horizontal
Lifeline Fall Arrest systems
rated for only 900 lb MAF.
• Consult with manufacturer
for proper usage
requirements.
• What is the Free Fall
Distance?
224
225. Horizontal Lifeline
• Horizontal lifelines can help to
keep the workers attachment
point directly above the worker.
• Rigid horizontal lifelines, also
known as horizontal rigid track
systems, can reduce swing fall
hazards
• The impact of the swing fall can
be equal or greater to a vertical
free fall.
• A good rule of thumb is not to
be positioned more than 30
degrees beyond the center
point.
225
226. Swing Fall
• On September 6, 2011, a crew of two
employees was working from a 15
feet high scaffold inside an empty
sewage digester fell.
• Employee #1 struck the concrete floor
and Employee #2 was stopped a few
feet from the ground by his fall arrest
system.
• Employees' # 1and #2 was wearing
harnesses, shock absorbing lanyards,
and retractable lifelines.
• Employee #2 was walking on the
scaffold and his retractable locked up,
which caused him to stumble
• Employee # 2 arms caught the
retractable line of Employee #1 and
both men fell from the scaffold.
• Employee #1 broke his cervical
vertebrae and suffered partial
paralysis.
• Employee #2 sustained bruising
and shock.
• The Contributing factors were the
anchorage points of the retractable
lines, were not directly overhead
and the rigging set-up did not allow
the proper safety factor distance.
• The anchorage points were at least
7 feet away from their work
location and likely caused a swing
fall which could greatly increase
the stopping distance of the
retractable lines.
226
227. Horizontal Life lines
• When the angle of horizontal
lifeline sag is less than 30
degrees, the impact force
imparted to the lifeline by an
attached lanyard is greatly
amplified.
• For example, with a sag
angle of 15 degrees, the
force amplification is about
2:1 and
• At 5 degrees sag, it is about
6:1.
• These systems should be
engineered.
227
229. Low Anchorages
• Never orient an SRL
below the user’s D-
ring attachment point
unless approved by the
manufacturer
• Why?
229
230. Free Fall Distance
• Equipment (Cables or
slings) shall not be
used in a manner that
increases free fall over
which the device was
designed to
accommodate.
230
231. SRL Considerations
• Some SRL’s lock-up solid (with no
internal braking mechanism) and rely on
an energy absorbing (elongating) lanyard
built-in to the SRL’s lanyard strap to
absorb a short fall.
• If used improperly and the resulting fall is
more than a few inches or a few feet, these
energy absorbing (elongating) lanyard
SRL’s may pay out significantly less than
42”, and may not absorb all the energy of
a fall.
• The remaining energy would then be
absorbed by the fallen worker’s body,
potentially causing injury.
• Per ANSI Z359.2 – If the fall distance
exceeds six feet, a qualified person shall
make this determination.
231
232. Eyebolts
• Eyebolts with shoulder
can be used for vertical
lifts as well as angular lifts
up to 45°.
• However, angular lifts
significantly reduce the
work load.
• For angular lifts,
recommend using
hoist rings.
• Eyebolts without shoulder
are for vertical lifts only.
Sample strength of eyebolt
w shoulder from
manufacturer
1/2" 2,400 lbs
A= 1 3/16" B = 1 1/2"
1/2" 2,600 lbs
A = 1 3/16" B = 2 1/2"
232
233. Hoist Rings
• Designed with the
lifting ring centered
over the base, these
hoist rings provide the
full rated capacity
regardless of the lift
angle.
• They are an excellent
choice for vertical and
angular lifting
applications.
Sample Hoist Ring
strength
1/2"- 2,500 lb
A= 3/4"
B = 4 13/16"
C = 3 9/16"
D = 7/8"
E = 3/4"
233
239. April 2014
• A 48-year-old man
died after he fell
through the roof at a
Shaw Industries plant
in Dalton, Ga.,
Saturday morning,
• The roofing contractor
fell between 30 and 35
feet
239
240. April 2014
• A Nevada jury on Tuesday
awarded $1.3 million in
damages to comedian
George Wallace for a leg
injury he said he suffered
while performing at a Las
Vegas Strip resort in 2007
• Wallace testified that he's
permanently hobbled after
tangling his leg in wiring
onstage during a private
performance for HSBC
Card Services Inc.
240
242. Refinery
• October 7, 2008, an employee
was in a horizontal duct to
inspect the grinding work which
had been done to the shipping
stops on the louvers of the duct.
• He then apparently proceeded
to the area where the horizontal
duct met the chimney stack and
fell 40 feet into the stack.
• The employee's body was
discovered on the ground level
of the chimney stack with his
body harness and lanyards
intact and, apparently, unused Typical Chimney
stack
242
243. Forklift Platforms
• Platform slides off
• Improper rails
• Pushes worker into
fixes object
• Pallet unacceptable
• Scissors point on
many carriages
• Platform construction
243
244. Extensible Boom Aerial Lifts
• Wear fall arrest
• Must have smooth
surface to operate
• Many flip on unstable
ground or from hitting
holes, pallets
• Train operator
• 8 Hour PALS card
No fall arrest worn
244
247. July 2014
• Henderson NV Police and Fire
Department officials responded
at about 10:30 a.m. Saturday to
reports that a man had fallen
through a skylight at the Ocean
Spray facility
247
He was my dad, thank you everybody, I am McKenzie Lane Lentz, 16.
Harry's youngest daughter . I hold them 1OO% responsible . I miss him
with all my heart . I can never see his face again . He was my everything .
248. Roof Anchorages
• Two lives saved
through roofs
• One skylight
• Another through a bad
roof.
248
252. Slips and Trips
• Water should be
cleaned up as soon as
possible. Drain is in
poor location.
• ASSE 2011 – Same
surface falls account
for 20% of all
$250,000+ worker
comp claims.
252
253. Slips and Trips
• Placing absorbent
material is only a
temporary measure
253
255. Housekeeping
• Ice will cause slips
and forklift accidents.
Area should be
marked off to prevent
entry.
255
256. Scissor Lifts
• Workers must be
trained (8 hour PALS
card)
• Full guardrails needed
• Inspect area for holes
that could flip the lift
• Ensure proper lighting
• Know wind limitations
End chain is missing
256
261. Stairs
• Guardrails on side
with both top and mid-
rails
• Handrails
• Evenly spaced threads
• Foot clearance
• Required if climbing
daily Material stored on stairs is
unsafe
261
266. Scaffold Fall
• July 2011
• A man doing contract work fell
an estimated 48 feet to his death
at the refinery.
• The man fell from a metal
scaffold while doing welding on
an above-ground tank
• The Worker collapsed onto the
scaffold platform, rolled
through the unprotected space
between the mid rail and
platform, and fell
approximately forty feet to his
death
• “The top rail was 40 inches
from the scaffold platform, and
the mid rail was halfway
between the top rail and the
scaffold platform.“
• There also was approximately
two feet of unprotected space
between the mid rail and the
scaffold platform and “there
was no toe board, screen or net
installed to prevent objects from
falling,” the suit states
266
269. Zip Lines
• Anchorages must be
checked to ensure it
will hold a person
• 2003 death in Lisle
when positioning hook
came disconnected
from the anchorage
point causing a fall of
approximately 25 feet.
269
270. Zip Lines
• Third day worker
fell off when trying
to catch customer
on unguarded
platform.
• No fall arrest worn.
270
277. Pole Climbing
• Aerial Lifts are more
efficient.
• 1910.268 covers
telecom fall
protection.
• Companies make fall
arrest equipment for
poles.
277
278. Ladder Climbing Devices
• Keep lanyard under 2
feet.
• Rest platforms should
be provided.
• Make sure Front D-
ring is designed for
fall protection.
278
292. Wind
• High winds are defined in
1926.958
• High wind. A wind of such velocity
that one or more of the following
hazards would be present:
• (1) The wind could blow an
employee from an elevated
location,
• (2) The wind could cause an
employee or equipment handling
material to lose control of the
material, or
• (3) The wind would expose an
employee to other hazards not
controlled by the standard
involved.
• Note to the definition of “high
wind”:
• The Occupational Safety and
Health Administration normally
considers winds exceeding 64.4
kilometers per hour (40 miles
per hour), or 48.3 kilometers
per hour (30 miles per hour) if
the work involves material
handling, as meeting this
criteria, unless the employer
takes precautions to protect
employees from the hazardous
effects of the wind. 292
293. 2014 Question
• I have a young man on
our maintenance team
that has a prosthetic leg.
I am not sure how much
of his leg he lost. Part of
his job requires him to be
in fall protection
equipment: 4 point
harness and SRL.
• Is there any risk of him
falling out of his harness
with a prosthetic leg?"
293