ADDENDUM: HIGHLIGHTS FROM SUBPART M:
OSHA’S FALL PROTECTION RULE
OSHA’S FALL PROTECTION RULE
1) Responsibility for Jobsite Safety: General contractor will be held responsible for ensuring overall jobsite safety.
a) OSHA will cite the general contractor as well as the sub-contractor when a sub-contractor is found to be non-compliant.
2) Maximum Fall Hazard: Any fall hazard of more than 6 ft. requires one of three
conventional methods of fall protection. You must use either, a Personal Fall Arrest System, a Guardrail system, or a catch platform/safety netting type of system.
3) Maximum Fall Arrest Force: A Personal Fall Arrest System must limit maximum arresting force on a worker to 1,800 lbs. with a body harness.
4) Horizontal Lifeline System: A horizontal lifeline system must 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 (twice the dynamic loading force of a potential fall). A Qualified person is defined by OSHA as a person with a recognized degree or professional certificate, extensive knowledge and experience in controlling fall hazards.
5) Employee Training: Employers must provide training for all workers exposed to fall hazards. The training must be provide by a competent person should ensure that workers can:
a) Recognize fall hazards in their work area.
b) Use appropriate procedures to minimize their exposure to fall hazards.
A Competent Person is someone who can identify appropriate applications for a given fall protection system or method as well as the hazardous conditions that may affect the applications. He must be able to teach workers who use a personal fall arrest system, the following skills:
a) How to wear the equipment
b) The proper hook-up and attachment methods for the equipment.
c) Appropriate anchoring and tie-off techniques for their work.
d) How to estimate free fall distances
e) Inspection and storage procedures for the equipment
f) Self-rescue procedures and techniques
6) Rescue Procedures: Employers must establish procedures to ensure that workers who do fall, or are injured as the result of a fall, receive immediate attention. Emergency response procedures should be fully documented through the fall protection process before workers install or use any arrest/restraint system.
To obtain a copy of Subpart M, contact U.S. Dept. of Labor, OSHA, Division of Construction Compliance,
(202) 219-8124.
Nearest U.S. August 9, 1994 .
