Facilities Management

Fall Protection Program

Section 1 - Carpenter

  1. Required
    1. Read General Safety Rules
    2. View Proper Lifting Powerpoint presentation
    3. View Proper Ladder Safety powerpoint presentation
    4. Work shoes / boots
  2. Recommended
    1. Standard First Aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
    2. Safety work shoes / boots
    3. Read Vehicle  Operations Safety Rules
    4. Aerial Operations Training

Where an employee works 6 feet or higher above a floor and there are unprotected sides or edges fall protection is needed. Examples of work situations requiring fall protection are roofs, excavations, holes, hoist area, ramps, runways and other walkways. There are several methods available to meet the standard. The following are an outline of compliance:

Guard Rails

  • Able to withstand a force of 200 lbs.
  • Are 42” +/-3” above walking/ working level
  • Have mid-rails or mesh
  • Has a top rail of ¼” diameter

Fall Arrests

  • Have connector that are corrosion resistant; all edges are smooth
  • Have D-rings and snap hooks tested to a minimum tensile load of 3,600 lbs. without cracking or breaking
  • Have D-rings and snap hooks with a minimum tensile strength of 5,000 lbs.
  • Snap hooks sized to be compatible with the member to which they are connected
  • Snap hooks shall not be engaged
    • Directly to webbing, rope or wire rope
    • To a D-ring to which another snap hook or other connector is attached
    • To a horizontal lifeline
  • Lanyards and vertical lifelines shall have a minimum breaking strength of 5,000 lbs.
  • Lifelines shall be protected against being cut or abraded
  • Self-retracting lifelines and lanyards which automatically limit free fall distance to 2 feet or less shall be capable of sustaining minimum tensile load of 3,000 lbs. per employee attached
  • Personal fall arrest shall be inspected prior to each use for wear, damage and other deterioration, and defective components shall be removed from service.
  • Anchorage is the means of attaching the lifeline to some structure holding the system securely. The lifeline is a rope, cable, or shaft held securely by the anchorage, and on which the fall arrester slides. The fall arrester moves freely up or down on the lifeline as long as there is not load on the arrester. As soon as there is a load on the arrester, the arrester locks onto the lifeline and prevents any downward motion.

Safety Monitor

  • Designate a competent person
  • Competent person must recognize fall hazards
  • Must warn employees of fall hazard or when an employee  is acting unsafely.
  • Must be on the same working surface and have visual contact and be within vocal communication.
  • Must not have any other responsibilities while on the job.

Warning system

  • Made of rope, wire, or chain
  • Place around all sides of roof work area
  • Place not less than 6’ from edge