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Fire Protection and Prevention >>

Fall Protection

T8 CCR includes fall protection standards in various sections of the GISOs, CSOs, TSOs, and ESOs. These standards reflect the levels of the fall hazards associated with each activity.

A. The factors affecting the level of hazard include the following:

1. Fall height
   
2. Level of hazard awareness and skill of the employee
   
3. Physical work environment (e.g., conditions affecting the stability of the employee on the work surface)
   
4. Duration of exposure to the fall hazard.

   Note: Because factors 2, 3, and 4 listed above vary with different trades and activities, the regulatory requirements for fall protection reflect those differences. Below find definitions and selected fall protection requirements:

B. A personal fall protection (PFP) system prevents a worker from falling or—if the worker is falling—stops the fall. PFP systems include guardrails, safety nets, personal fall restraint systems, personal fall arrest systems, and positioning device systems.

1. Guardrails are required to guard the open sides of all work surfaces that are 7 1/2 ft. or higher or workers who must be otherwise protected. The railing must be made from select lumber (Doug fir#1 or better 1500 Psi or equivalent) and must consist of a top rail 42 in. to 45 in. high, 2” x 4” (min.); a 1” x 6” midrail halfway between the top rail and the floor; and support posts at least 2” x 4” at 8 ft. o.c.
   
2. A personal fall restraint (PFR) system is used to prevent an employee from falling. It consists of anchorages, connectors, and a body belt or harness. It may include lanyards, lifelines, and rope grabs designed for that purpose.
   
3. A personal fall arrest (PFA) system is used to stop an employee during a fall from a working level and to keep him or her from hitting a lower level or structure. The system consists of an anchorage, connectors, and a body harness. It may include a lanyard, a lifeline, a deceleration device, or suitable combinations of these. A PFA system must meet the following requirements:
   
   1. It must limit the maximum arresting force on an employee to 1,800 lbs.
      
   2. It must not allow an employee to free-fall for more than 4 ft. or to come into contact with a lower level.
      

   April 2007 Update Fall Protection Section 1670, Personal Fall Arrest Systems, Personal Fall Restraint Systems and Positioning Devices: Paragraph (b)(11)(B) now allows personal fall arrest systems to be rigged so that an employee cannot free fall more than 6 feet. http://www.dir.ca.gov/Title8/1670.html

   3. Anchorage points must be able to support 5,000 lbs. per employee attached or:
      
      1. Must be designed, installed, and used as part of a complete PFA system with a safety factor of two; and
         
      2. Under the supervision of a qualified person.
         
   4. The PFA system lifeline must meet the following requirements: 1670(b)
      
      1. It must be able to support 5,000 lbs.
         
      2. Each employee must be attached to a separate lifeline. 1670(b)(4)

         Exception: During the construction of elevator shafts, two employees may be attached to a lifeline that is able to support 10,000 lbs.

      3. The lower end of the vertical lifeline must extend to within 4 ft. from the ground. 1504
         
      4. A horizontal lifeline system must be designed, installed, and used under the supervision of a qualified person and maintained with a safety factor of at least two. 1670(b)(2)

         Note: The use of a body belt or safety belt as a part of a PFA system is prohibited. 1670(b)

4. Safety belts and body belts are to be used only as positioning devices or in PFR systems. A PFP system may be required while an employee uses a safety belt, as specified in certain safety orders. Safety belts must limit the maximum arresting force on an employee to 900 lbs. and the free-fall distance to 2 ft. 1670(c)
   
   
5. Safety nets may be used in place of all other fall protection systems if the nets are installed properly. 1671
   

C. A PFP system must be used if guardrailing or safety nets are not installed for the following fall distances and work activities:

1. A fall distance of more than 6 ft., when placing or tying rebar in walls, columns, piers, etc. 1712(e)

   Exception: A PFP system is not required during point-to-point horizontal or vertical travel on rebar up to 24 feet above the surface below if there are no impailment hazards. 1712(e)

2. A fall distance of 7 1/2 ft. or greater during the following:
   
   1. Work from the perimeter of a structure, through shaft-ways and openings. 1670(a)
      
   2. Work anywhere on roofs with slopes greater than 7:12. 1670(a)
      
   3. Work from thrust-outs or similar locations when the worker’s footing is less than 3 1/2 in. wide. 1669(a)
      
   4. Work on suspended staging, floats, catwalks, walkways, or advertising sign platforms. 1670(a)
      
   5. Work from slopes steeper than 40 degrees. 1670(a)
      
3. A fall distance of 15 ft. or greater during the following:
   
   1. Work from buildings, bridges, structures on construction members, such as trusses, beams, purlins, or plates that are of at least 4” nominal width. 1669(a)
      
   2. Ironwork other than connecting. 1710(g)(2)
      
   3. Work on structural wood framing systems and during framing activities on wood or light gauge steel frame residential/light commercial construction. 1716.1(c)(1), 1716.2(e)

      Exception: For residential/light commercial frame construction, workers are considered protected when working on braced joists, rafters or roof trusses spaced on 24 inch (or less) centers when they work more than 6 feet from unprotected sides or edges.

4. An eave height of 20 ft. or greater, during all roofing operations (see exceptions in 2a above and 6a and 6b below). 1730(b)
   
5. A fall distance of 30 ft. or greater, when ironworkers are connecting structural beams. 1710(g)(1)
   
6. Any height during work:
   
   1. On roofs having a pitch of 4:12 or greater, while workers use pneumatic nailers. 1704(d)
      
   2. On roofs, while an operator uses a felt-laying machine or other equipment that requires the operator to walk back-wards (see prohibitions noted in 1730[d]) 1730(d)
      
   3. From boatswain’s chairs. 1662(c)
      
   4. From float scaffolds. 1663(a)(5)
      
   5. From needle-beam scaffolds. 1664(a)(12)
      
   6. From suspended scaffolds. 1660(g)
      

D. A fall protection plan (FPP) must be implemented when a fall protection (FP) system is required but cannot be used because the system creates a greater hazard or is impractical. 1671.1

The fall protection plan must: 1671.1(a)(1)

1. Be prepared by a qualified person (QP) who is identified in the plan.
   
2. Be developed for a specific site or developed for essentially identical operations.
   
3. Be updated by the QP.
   
4. Document why a conventional FP system cannot be used.
   
5. Identify the competent person to implement and supervise the FPP.
   
6. Identify the controlled access zone for each location where a conventional FP system cannot be used.
   
7. Identify employees allowed in the CAZ.
   
8. Be implemented and supervised by the competent person.

   Note: An up-to-date copy of the fall protection plan must be at the job site.

E. The controlled access zone must be established and maintained as follows: 1671.2

1. A control line or its equivalent must control access to the CAZ and must:
   
   1. Consist of ropes, wires, tapes, or equivalent materials and be supported by stanchions.
      
   2. Be flagged or marked at not more than 6 ft. o.c.
      
   3. Be rigged not fewer than 39 in. and not more than 45 in. from the working surface.
      
   4. Have a breaking strength of 200 lbs. (min.). See 1671.2 for greater detail.
      
2. Signs must be posted to keep out unauthorized persons.
   
3. A safety monitoring system is required & must include a designated safety monitor who is able to:
   
   1. Monitor the safety of other employees.
      
   2. Recognize fall hazards.
      
   3. Warn an employee when it appears that the employee is unaware of a fall hazard or is acting in an unsafe manner.
      
   4. Stay in sight of and in communication with the employee being monitored.
      
   5. Have no other responsibilities. 1671.2

      Note: A. Only an employee covered by a fall protection plan shall be allowed in a CAZ.