FALL PROTECTION

Transcription

1 FALL PROTECTION PART 1 GENERAL 1.01 General A. Cornell University seeks to prevent exposures to fall hazards whenever possible and protect personnel that may be exposed to fall hazards. Therefore, Cornell University has established fall protection design standards for known fall hazards; roofs, walking/working surfaces, floor openings, skylights, smoke and access hatches. B. Fall protection safety equipment and installations shall be designed to comply with American Nationals Standards Institute (ANSI) Z359 and all applicable local, state and federal laws, rules and regulations Applicability A. Considerations for fall protection shall be incorporated in the design phase for all projects including new facilities, renovations, alterations, or repairs that subject personnel to fall hazards Definitions A. The following definitions shall apply to this design standard 1. Active fall protection as defined by ANSI Z359.0 A fall protection system that requires authorized persons to wear or use fall protection equipment and that requires fall protection training. Active fall protection systems include any fall restraint, fall arrest, travel restriction used to protect authorized persons at height. 2. Anchorage as defined by ANSI Z Anchorage connector as defined by ANSI Z Competent Person - as defined by ANSI Z359.0 An individual designated by the employer to be responsible for the immediate supervision, implementation and monitoring of the employer s managed fall protection program who, through training and knowledge, is capable of identifying, evaluating and addressing existing and potential fall hazards, and who has the employer s authority to take prompt corrective action with regard to such hazards. 5. Engineering Controls - methods to reduce exposure to potential hazards either by isolating the hazard or by removing it from the work environment. 6. Fall Hazard - where personnel are working on elevated surfaces four (4) feet above a lower level or whenever there is a possibility of falling onto dangerous equipment or into a hazardous environment, or where there are impalement hazards. DATE: 3/2/17 DATE: 3/2/17 Page 1 of 7

2 7. Fall Restraint System as defined by ANSI Z359.0 The technique of securing an authorized person to an anchorage using a lanyard short enough to prevent the person s center of gravity from reaching the fall hazard. 8. Floor Opening - a gap or void measuring 12 inches or more in its least dimension, in any floor, platform, pavement, or yard, through which persons may fall; such as a hatch, stair, or ladder opening, pit, or manhole. 9. Guardrail System - shall be as defined by 29 CFR and ANSI Z Harness, full body - as defined by ANSI Z Hazard elimination - as defined by ANSI Z359.0 Changing the task, process, controls or other means so as to remove the need for an authorized person to be exposed to a fall hazard. 12. High routine maintenance frequency routine inspections, testing or maintenance that have the potential to occur as frequently as monthly 13. Horizontal Lifeline (HLL) - as defined by ANSI Z359.0 A component of a horizontal lifeline subsystem, consisting of a flexible line with connectors or other coupling means at both ends for securing it horizontally between two anchorages or anchorage connectors. 14. Lanyard - as defined by ANSI Z Leading Edge the unprotected side and edge of a floor, roof, or formwork for a floor or other walking/working surface. 16. Low routine maintenance frequency routine inspections, testing or maintenance that have the potential to occur less frequently than high maintenance frequency as defined herein 17. Parapet Wall a low wall along the edge of a roof or balcony 18. Passive fall protection as defined by ANSI Z359.0 Fall protection that does not require the wearing or use of personal fall protection equipment. Examples of passive fall protection systems include safety nets, guardrail systems, or other means that protect an authorized person from a fall hazard. 19. Personal fall arrest system (PFAS) - shall be as defined by ANSI Z359.0 and 29 CFR App C - An assembly of components and subsystems used to arrest a person in a free fall. A system used to arrest an employee in a fall from a working level. It consists of an anchorage, connectors, a body belt or body harness and may include a lanyard, deceleration device, lifeline, or suitable combinations of these. 20. Positioning Systems as defined by ANSI Z359.0 A full body harness system or a body belt incorporated into a full body harness or work positioning harness configured to allow an authorized person to be supported on an elevated vertical or inclined surface, such as a wall, and work with both hands free from body support. 21. Public Cornell community members such as faculty, staff, students and any other member of the general public that are not trained to recognize fall hazards or utilize active fall protection or arrest systems. Public usage of rooftops may include routine teaching, research or demonstrations. DATE: 3/2/17 DATE: 3/2/17 Page 2 of 7

3 1.04 References 22. Qualified Person - as defined by ANSI Z359.0 One with a recognized degree or professional certificate and extensive knowledge and experience in the subject field who is capable of design, analysis, evaluation and specifications in the subject work, project, or product. For Cornell purposes, a Qualified Person is someone who can provide documentation of appropriate education/certification and evidence of five or more similar projects / installations involving the successful planning, design, analysis, evaluation, selection and specification, of the most appropriate fall prevention/protection solutions. 23. Rated Load - the combined weight of the employee, tools, equipment, materials that the device is designed to support. 24. Roof - the exterior surface on the top of a building. 25. Unprotected sides/edges - any side or edge (except at entrances to points of access) of a walking/working surface, e.g., floor, roof, ramp, or runway where there is no wall or guardrail system at least 42 inches high. 26. Walking/working surface - as defined by A. Title 29 CFR Part App C: Personal Fall Arrest System B. Title 29 CFR Part 1910 Subpart D: Walking-Working Surfaces C. ANSI Z359 Fall Protection Code: 1. ANSI Z359.0: Definitions and Nomenclature Used for Fall Protection and Fall Arrest 2. ANSI Z359.1: Safety Requirements for Fall Arrest Systems, Subsystems and Components. 3. ANSI Z359.2: Minimum Requirements for a Comprehensive Managed Fall Protection Program 4. ANSI Z359.3: Safety Requirements for Positioning and Travel Restraint Systems. 5. ANSI Z359.4: Safety Requirements for Assisted Rescue and Self-Rescue Systems, Subsystems and Components. 6. ANSI Z359.6: Specifications and Design Requirements for Active Fall Protection Systems 7. ANSI Z359.7: Qualification and Verification Testing of Fall Protection Products 8. ANSI Z359.12: Connecting Components for Personal Fall Arrest Systems 9. ANSI Z359.13: Personal Energy Absorbers and Energy Absorbing Lanyards 10. ANSI Z359.14: Self-Retracting Devices for Personal Fall Arrest and Rescue Systems 1.05 Fall Protection System Selection A. A Qualified Person with experience in fall protection is required to plan, evaluate, design, and select the most appropriate fall prevention/protection solution. DATE: 3/2/17 DATE: 3/2/17 Page 3 of 7

4 B. Anchorages shall be designed and installed under the supervision of a Professional Engineer (PE) and in strict accordance with the manufacturer s instructions. The PE shall have experience in designing fall-protection systems. If there is a need to devise an anchor point from existing structural members such as beams, rafters, or columns, a PE shall be used to evaluate these anchorages. A structural engineer independent of the fall protection company shall evaluate the structural integrity of the building. C. The schematic design phase shall include consultation with EHS, Facilities Maintenance personnel and the Building Coordinator. The purpose of which will be to identify specific fall hazards associated with the building maintenance and/or equipment service activities required to be conducted throughout the life of the building. As a result of this discussion, the designer will be required to submit a basis of design to identify the fall protection strategy for the respective fall hazards. D. Hierarchy of Controls Cornell University s fall protection philosophy is to eliminate fall hazards where feasible and to follow the hierarchy of controls thereafter. In many cases a combination of controls should be implemented to reduce exposure to fall hazards. Below is a list arranging the most effective fall protection solutions to least effective. For more detail on each type of control, including potential design considerations and examples, please refer to the Fall Protection Hierarchy of Controls on the Cornell EHS Website. 1. Hazard Elimination 2. Hazard Reduction Strategy 3. Passive Fall Protection 4. Active Fall Protection E. System Specific Requirements 1. Roof Selection of a site-specific fall protection system shall be governed by the roof or walking/working surface slope, the intended usage of the roof or walking/working surface, and the protection strategy hierarchy described above. Intended Usage/Slope Routine planned usage by public High routine maintenance frequency Low routine maintenance frequency Flat or Low Slope (<4:12 or <18.4 ) OSHA-compliant guardrails or equivalent Design flexibility, see preferred strategy hierarchy (Section 1.5, D) Design flexibility, see preferred strategy hierarchy (Section 1.5, D) Steep Slope (>4:12 or >18.4 ) Application is not suitable OSHA-compliant engineered PFAS* OSHA-compliant engineered PFAS and/or other engineering controls to eliminate hazard DATE: 3/2/17 DATE: 3/2/17 Page 4 of 7

5 *At slope angles greater than 18.4 degrees, the work environment demands a fall arrest system because a worker can no longer be restrained from an edge. The slope itself becomes the fall hazard. 2. Horizontal Lifeline Anchorage: These systems shall be capable of supporting at least two (2) people at a time. 3. Equipment: i. Complaint guardrails shall be provided where appliances, equipment, fans or other components that require service are located within 10 feet of a roof edge or open side of a walking surface and such edge or open side is located more than 30 inches above the floor, roof or grade below. 4. Skylights i. All skylight screens shall be designed to meet or exceed the requirements of 29 CFR Glass Feature Protection Systems i. Low slope (<4:12 pitch) rooftop glass features such as glass roofs, atriums and skylights that could foreseeably be used as a walking/working surface shall be rated to accommodate structural loads required by building code. ii. If load rating cannot be achieved, provide sufficient protection to prevent personnel from accidentally falling through in accordance with 29 CFR (e.g., guardrails, skylight screens). 6. Fixed Ladders shall be designed to meet or exceed the requirements of 29 CFR and/or New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code (Latest Edition), whichever is more stringent. i. Fixed ladders shall be installed at locations requiring high routine maintenance frequency. ii. Extension ladders cannot be a substitute for installation of fixed ladders. 7. Access Hatches i. Roof hatch design shall consider guardrailing around the perimeter of the roof hatch to protect the opening when the cover is in the open position. ii. If guardrailing around the perimeter is not a feasible option, the access hatch shall be capable of being closed and opened from the roof surface. iii. Every roof hatch shall have a positive handhold for users to enter and exit the roof hatch in an upright and balanced position. iv. Must comply with the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code (Latest Edition) regarding roof hatch location and necessary fall protection methods. 8. Smoke Hatches i. Smoke hatch design shall comply with this design standard and consider appropriate fall protection methods. DATE: 3/2/17 DATE: 3/2/17 Page 5 of 7

6 ii. Consideration shall include guardrailing, burglar bars and / or fall protection screens to prevent falls through a Smoke Hatch Submittals A. Basis of Design identifying the Project s fall hazard exposures and respective prevention/protection strategy. B. Submittals shall be provided to Cornell s Project Manager in an acceptable format. C. Provide design submissions to CU Facilities Engineering for review and comment. D. Provide all required information for active fall protection systems as outlined in ANSI Z359.6, 3.3 Required Information. Required Information shall be submitted to the Owner in a single submittal. E. The qualified person/contract designer and the installation contractor shall ensure that documentation of anchorage certification and annual inspection requirements are provided to Cornell University prior to the system being put into use. F. User Instructions: Detailed user instructions for the fall arrest or restraint system must be provided electronically to Cornell. User instructions shall include at least the following: 1. Manufacturer s name, address, and telephone number 2. Manufacturer s user instructions for part and model number 3. Statement of manufacturer s intended use and purpose 4. Description of proper methods and limitations on use 5. Printed information or illustrations of fixed equipment markings 6. Description of detailed inspection/recertification procedures for fall arrest/restraint systems 7. Criteria for failing inspections and determining unusable equipment 8. Procedures for maintenance and repair requirements and a description of the qualifications required for persons performing these tasks. 9. Appropriate warnings regarding altering, misusing, and limitations of equipment G. System Information A laminated and electronic Active Fall Protection Information sign showing all fall protection system locations, anchor load ratings, number of authorized users that may attach to the system at one time, date of initial certification and prior-to-use inspection requirements. Laminated copies shall be posted at every roof access (doors, roof hatches, etc.). See Appendix A for the Active Fall Protection System Information Template Form. H. Submit manufacturer warranty information and documentation that the system was installed in accordance with manufacturer s instructions. DATE: 3/2/17 DATE: 3/2/17 Page 6 of 7

7 PART 2 PRODUCTS 2.01 Preferred Manufacturers A. Designs need to consider the continuity of the active fall protection systems selected throughout campus. All active fall protection systems shall be designed and installed similarly with compatible components to reduce variability in fall protection systems on campus. Systems shall be constructed of stainless steel, galvanized steel, or other materials with a corrosive resistant finish. B. In order to minimize the variability of active fall protection systems on campus, acceptable manufacturers shall be limited to the following: 1. Gravitec Systems 2. Guardian 3. ProBell 4. Tractel 5. Or other as approved by Cornell University EHS 2.02 Active Fall Protection System Recertification A. The recertification requirements shall be determined by the manufacturer or the PE who designed the fall protection system. Recertification shall not exceed a five-year frequency. B. The manufacturer s recommended inspection/testing/certification methods and frequency shall be determined during design to enable a non-destructive inspection and/or certification of the system and supporting structural elements to comply with applicable regulations and/or ANSI Z359. C. If the system is not anticipated to be used frequently enough to justify the costs incurred for recertification (every five years per ANSI Z359.6 section 4.6.5), another method of fall protection should be considered. PART 3 EXECUTION 3.01 Training A. Manufacturer and/or designer shall provide initial training on how to properly use, inspect and maintain active fall protection systems prior to final acceptance/turn over to Owner. DATE: 3/2/17 DATE: 3/2/17 Page 7 of 7