Occupational Health and Safety Program Fall Protection For General Industry

1. Occupational Health and Safety ProgramFall Protection For General Industry

2. Course Description Provides descriptions of fall hazards in general industry and maintenance and the OSHA regulations to mitigate the hazards. Includes: general requirements, floor and wall openings and holes, ladders, scaffolding, aerial lifts, and other working surfaces.

3. Getting Credit and Certificate To get full credit and certificate for this class, the class facilitator should do the following: *Present the Power Point Presentation and have all students study any handouts. *Enter the appropriate information into the facility’s training records. *Send the following information by e-mail to the Cabinet’s Safety Coordinator for each student in the class: -name, -work address, -work title, -name of class, -date of class. Safety Coordinator-Richard T. Owen at Richard.Owen@ky.gov. The certificates will be returned to the class facilitator.

4. Introduction Slips, trips, and falls constitute the majority of general industry accidents. They cause 15% of all accidental deaths, and are second only to motor vehicles as a cause of fatalities.

5. Application of OSHA Regulations OSHA standards for walking and working surfaces apply to: *all permanent places of employment and *maintenance sites.

6. Housekeeping Some of the most frequently overlooked general requirements involve housekeeping.

7. Housekeeping All places of employment, passageways, storerooms, and service rooms shall be kept clean and orderly and in a sanitary condition. The floor of every workroom shall be maintained in a clean and, so far as possible, a dry condition.

8. Housekeeping Where wet processes are used, drainage shall be maintained and gratings, mats or raised platforms shall be provided.

9. Aisles and Passageways Aisles and passageways shall be kept clear and in good repair with no obstruction across or in aisles that could create a hazard. Permanent aisles and passageways shall be appropriately marked.

10. Aisles and Passageways Where mechanical equipment is used, aisles shall be sufficiently wide. Improper aisle widths coupled with poor housekeeping and employee traffic can cause injury to employees, damage the equipment and material, and can limit egress in emergencies.

11. Covers and Guardrails Covers and/or guardrails shall be provided to protect personnel from the hazards of open pits, tanks, vats, ditches, etc.

12. Floor/Roof Loading Load ratings on any floor or roof of a building or other structure shall not be exceeded by placing a load greater that that for which such floor or roof is approved.

13. Protection for Floor Openings Standard railings shall be provided on all exposed sides of a stairway opening, except at the stairway entrance.

14. Protection for Floor Openings Standard Railing-consists of a top rail, mid rail, and posts. Shall have a vertical height of 42 inches from the upper surface of top rail to floor, platform, runway or ramp level. Mid-rail height is 21 inches. Toeboard is also required.

15. Protection for Floor Openings Standard Toeboard-4 inches in vertical height, with not more than ¼-inch clearance above floor level.

16. Protection for Floor Openings Floor openings may be covered rather than guarded with rails. When the floor opening cover is removed, a temporary guardrail shall be in place, or an employee shall be stationed at the opening to warn personnel.

17. Protection of Open Sided Floors/Platforms/Runways Every open sided floor or platform 4 feet or more above adjacent floor or ground level shall be guarded by a standard railing on all open sides, except where there is an entrance to a ramp, stairway, or fixed ladder.

18. Protection of Open Sided Floors/Platforms/Runways The railing shall be provided with a toeboard whenever, beneath the open sides: • Persons can pass, • There is moving machinery, and/or • There is equipment with which falling materials could create a hazard.

19. Protection of Open Sided Floors/Platforms/Runways Every runway shall be guarded by a standard railing, or equivalent, on all sides 4 feet or more above floor or ground level. Where tools, machine parts, and/or materials are likely to be used on the runway, a toeboard is required on the exposed side.

20. Protection of Open Sided Floors/Platforms/Runways Regardless of height, open sided floors, walkways, platforms or runways above or adjacent to dangerous equipment or other hazards shall be guarded with a standard railing and toeboard.

21. Protection of Open Sided Floors/Platforms/Runways Use at least one of the following whenever employees are exposed to a fall of 6 feet or more above a lower level: Guardrail systems, Safety net systems, Fall arrest systems.

22. Protection of Open Sided Floors/Platforms/Runways Cover or guard floor holes as soon as they are created during new construction. For existing structures, survey the site before working and continually audit as work continues. Guard or cover any openings or holes immediately.

23. Protection of Open Sided Floors/Platforms/Runways Construct all floor hole covers so they will effectively support two times the weight of employees, equipment, and/or materials that may be imposed on the cover at any one time.

24. Protection of Open Sided Floors/Platforms/Runways In general, it is better to use fall prevention systems, such as guardrails, than fall protection systems, such as safety nets or fall arrest devices, because they provide more positive safety means.

25. Stairway Railings and Guards Every flight of stairs with four or more risers shall have standard stair railings or standard handrails as specified in OSHA Regulations.

26. Portable Ladders Chief hazard when using a ladder is falling. A poorly designed, maintained or improperly used ladder may collapse under the load placed upon it and cause an employee to fall.

27. Types of Portable Ladders Stepladder-self supporting portable ladder, non-adjustable in length. SingleLadder-non self supporting portable, non-adjustable in length, consisting of one section. ExtensionLadder-Non self supporting portable ladder adjustable in length.

28. OSHA Requirements for Ladders Portable stepladders longer than 20 feet shall not be used. Stepladders shall be equipped with a metal spreader or locking device of sufficient size and strength to securely hold the front and back sections in open position.

29. OSHA Requirements for Ladders Single ladders longer than 30 feet shall not be used. Extension ladders longer than 60 feet shall not be used. Ladders shall be maintained in good condition at all times.

30. OSHA Requirements for Ladders Ladders shall be inspected frequently and those which have developed defects shall be withdrawn from service for repair or destruction and tagged or marked as DANGEROUS-DO NOT USE.

31. OSHA Standards for Ladder Use Ladders shall be placed with a secure footing, or they shall be lashed, or held in position. Ladders used to gain access to a roof or other area shall extend at least 3 feet above the point of support.

32. OSHA Standards for Ladder Use The foot of a ladder shall, where possible, be used at such a pitch that the horizontal distance from the top support to the foot of the ladder is ¼ of the working length of the ladder.

33. OSHA Standards for Ladder Use *The worker shall always face the ladder when climbing up or down. *Short ladders shall not be spliced together to make long ladders. *Ladders shall never be used in the horizontal position as scaffolds or work platforms. *Top of a regular stepladder shall not be used as a step.

34. OSHA Standards for Ladder Use Use both hands when climbing or descending ladders. Metal ladders shall never be used near electrical equipment.

35. OSHA Requirements for Scaffolds Footing or anchorage for scaffolds shall be sound, rigid, and capable of carrying the maximum intended load without settling or displacement.

36. OSHA Requirements for Scaffolds Unstable objects, such as barrels, boxes, loose brick or concrete blocks shall not be used to support scaffolds or planks.

37. OSHA Requirements for Scaffolds Scaffolds and their components shall be capable of supporting at least FOUR TIMES the maximum intended load.

38. OSHA Requirements for Scaffolds Scaffolds and their components shall be maintained in a safe condition and shall not be altered or moved horizontally while they are in use or occupied.

39. OSHA Requirements for Scaffolds Damaged or weakened scaffolds shall be immediately repaired and shall not be used until repairs have been completed.

40. OSHA Requirements for Scaffolds A safe means must be provided to gain access to the working platform level through the use of a ladder, ramp, etc. Overhead protection must be provided for personnel on a scaffold exposed to overhead hazards.

41. OSHA Requirements for Scaffolds Guardrails, midrails, and toeboards must be installed on all open sides and ends of platforms more than 10 feet above the ground or floor. Wire mesh must be installed between the toeboard and the guardrail along the entire opening, where persons are required to work or pass under the scaffolds.

42. OSHA Requirements for Scaffolds Employees shall not work on scaffolds during storms or high winds or when covered with ice or snow.

43. Unguarded Protruding Steel Rebars Unguarded protruding steel reinforcing bars are hazardous. Workers can impale themselves by stumbling or falling onto the rebars.

44. Unguarded Protruding Steel Rebars • Guard all protruding ends of steel rebar with rebar caps or wooden troughs; • Bend rebar so exposed ends are no longer upright; • When employees are working at any height above exposed rebar, fall protection/prevention is the first line of defense against impalement.

45. Unguarded Protruding Steel Rebars Rebar Caps and Wooden Trough

46. Unguarded Protruding Steel Rebars Rebar should be bent over or protect with caps so that a worker would not be injured by fall on them.

47. Aerial Lifts Vehicle Mounted Elevating and Rotating Work Platforms

48. Aerial Lifts • Extensible boom platforms. • Aerial ladders. • Articulating boom platforms. • Vertical towers. • Boom lifts. • Combination of any of the above.

49. Scissors Lifts Scissors lifts do not fall within any of the categories, not addressed by the aerial lift provisions of the regulations. Fall under the requirements of mobile scaffolds.

50. Tie-Off Requirements for Aerial Lifts Employees must be tied-off when working from an aerial lift. A body belt is permitted only if it is part of a restraint system, otherwise, a body harness must be used and the equipment must meet the OSHA requirements of a fall arrest system.