Conventional Fall Protection (Residential Construction)

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1. Slide 1

   Section 4

   • CONVENTIONAL FALL PROTECTION
2. Slide 2

   Disclaimer

   • This material was produced under grant number SH-31198-SH7 from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor. It does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the U.S. Department of Labor, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
   • This presentation is intended to discuss Federal Regulations only - your individual State requirements may be more stringent as many states operate their own state OSHA and they may have adopted construction standards that are different from information presented in this training. If you live in a state with an OSHA approved state plan, you should contact your local administrator for further information on the standards applicable in your state.
   • These materials are meant for informational purposes only.
   • No representation is made as to the thoroughness of the presentation.
3. Slide 3

   Disclaimer , cont.

   • It is not the intent to provide compliance-based training in this presentation, the intent is more to address hazard awareness in the residential construction (i.e. home building) industry, and to recognize the overlapping hazards present in many construction workplaces.
   • Photos shown in this presentation may depict situations that are not in compliance with applicable OSHA/safety requirements.
   • No legal advice is offered or implied, and no attorney-client relationship is intended or established. If legal advice or other expert assistance is required the services of a competent professional person should be sought.
   • It is the responsibility of the employer and its employees to comply with all pertinent OSHA/safety rules and regulations in the jurisdiction in which they work.
4. Slide 4

   Copyright Information © 2018

   • This material is the copyrighted property of the Job-Site Safety Institute and the National Association of Home Builders. By federal regulation, OSHA reserves a license to use and disseminate such material for the purpose of promoting safety and health in the workplace. The Job-Site Safety Institute and the National Association of Home Builders hereby authorizes employers and workplace safety and health professionals to use this material, distributed by or through OSHA, in their workplaces or practices in accordance with the guidance contained in the material.
   • To this end, permission is granted to use such copyrighted material solely for non-commercial, instructional, personal, or scholarly purposes. The material may be used and incorporated into other workplace safety and health programs on the condition that no fee may be charged for the subsequent use of the material. Use of the material for any other purpose, particularly commercial use, without the prior, express written permission of the copyright owner/s is prohibited. Furthermore, any modification to the material is prohibited without the prior, express written permission of the copyright owners.
5. Slide 5

   Learning Objectives: Section 4

   • Identify when fall protection is required.
   • Identify types of “conventional” fall protection systems.
   • Determine which protection system to use for a given fall hazard.
   • Identify key requirements and basic safety practices for each protection system.
6. Slide 6

   When is Fall Protection Required?

   • OSHA §1926 Subpart M
   • Where workers on a residential construction site are exposed to vertical drops of 6 feet or more, OSHA requires that employers provide fall protection in one of three ways before work begins:
   • 1) Conventional Fall Protection
   • 2) Other Work Methods (Section 2)
   • 3) Non-Conventional Fall Protection (Section 4)
7. Slide 7

   Requirements on Jobsites

   • Some OSHA State-Plan states may have different trigger
   • heights of when conventional fall protection is required on residential jobsites.
   • These states include, but may not be limited to:
   • California
   • Kentucky
   • North Carolina
   • Arizona
   • Washington
   • Oregon
   • Approved OSHA State Plans
8. Slide 8

   What is Conventional Fall Protection?

   • Guardrails
   • 2) Safety Nets
   • 3) Personal Fall Arrest System (PFAS)
9. Slide 9

   Guardrail Systems

   • Barrier built to OSHA specifications; constructed to prevent workers from falling to lower levels
   • Protects against these hazards:
   • Window and Wall Openings
   • Unprotected Sides and Edges
   • Floor Holes
10. Slide 10

    Guardrail Systems Are Needed For:

    • Stairwell Openings
    • Open-sided Wall Openings
    • Second and Third Story Non-loading Bearing Walls When the Studs Are 24” OC
    • Low (Less Than 39”) Silled Windows
    • Second and Third Story Deck Floor Holes for Open Foyers or Cat Walks
    • Sliding Glass and French Door Openings Onto Decks and Porches
    • Skylight Openings Cut Into the Roof
11. Slide 11

    Height Requirements for Guardrails

    • Toprail
    • 42 in. ± 3 in. (1.1 m)
    • Midrail
    • 21 in. ± 3 in. (50 cm)
    • Toe Board
    • Minimum of 3 ½ in. (4 in. nominal) (10.2 cm)
12. Slide 12

    Requirements for Guardrails

    • Vertical Supports
    • Install no more than every 8 ft. (2.4 m)
    • Weight Requirement
    • Must support at least 200 lbs. (90.9 kg) of force outward and downward along top edge
13. Slide 13

    Properly installed guardrail system

    • Top-rail @ 42” ± 3”
    • Mid-rail @ 21” ± 3”
    • Toeboard min. 3-1/2”
14. Slide 14

    Guardrail Uses in Residential Construction

    • Wall Openings
    • Wall openings greater than 18” need to be protected.
15. Slide 15

    Guardrail Uses in Residential Construction

    • Wall Openings
    • Wall openings greater than 18” need to be protected.
16. Slide 16

    Guardrail Uses in Residential Construction

    • Wall Openings
    • Wall openings greater than 18” need to be protected.
17. Slide 17

    Guardrail Uses in Residential Construction

    • Wall Openings
    • Wall openings greater than 18” need to be protected.
18. Slide 18

    Guardrail During Drywall Installation

    • Prevent the need to remove guardrails during drywall installation:
    • Build guardrail uprights 6 to 12 in. (15.4 to 30.5 cm) away from where drywall will be placed
19. Slide 19

    Guardrail Uses in Residential Construction

    • Wall Openings even when Drywall is Installed.
20. Slide 20

    Guardrail Uses in Residential Construction

    • 24” on Center Studs need Guardrails
21. Slide 21

    Requirement for Window Openings

    • Window openings with a 6 ft. fall hazard (1.8 m) require the installation of a guardrail system, if the bottom sill height is less than 39 in. (1.1 m).
    • For all window openings, the sill height determines the need for a guardrail.
22. Slide 22

    Guardrail Uses in Residential Construction

    • Window Openings
    • Window openings with a fall hazard and low sill height.
    • Less than 39”
23. Slide 23

    Is a guardrail required?

24. Slide 24

    Guardrail Uses in Residential Construction

    • Window Openings
    • Window openings with a fall hazard and low sill height.
25. Slide 25

    Guardrail Uses in Residential Construction

    • Window Openings
    • Window openings with a fall hazard and low sill height.
26. Slide 26

    Guardrail Uses in Residential Construction

    • Window Openings
    • Window openings with a fall hazard and low sill height.
27. Slide 27

    Guardrail Uses in Residential Construction

    • Window Openings
    • Window openings with a fall hazard and low sill height.
28. Slide 28

    Guardrail Uses in Residential Construction

    • Floor Openings
    • Guardrails can be used to protect unguarded floor openings.
29. Slide 29

    Guardrail Uses in Residential Construction

    • Stair Openings
    • Guardrails can be used to protect unguarded stair openings.
30. Slide 30

    Guardrail Uses in Residential Construction

    • Stair Openings
    • Guardrails can be used to protect unguarded stair openings.
31. Slide 31

    Guardrail Uses in Residential Construction

    • Rear Door Openings
    • Guardrails can be used to protect unguarded doorways.
32. Slide 32

    Guardrail Uses in Residential Construction

    • Rear Door Openings
    • Guardrails can be used to protect unguarded doorways.
33. Slide 33

    Guardrail Uses in Residential Construction

    • Protect Elevated Workers
    • When workers are using stilts, increase the height of the top edge of the top rail to the amount equal to height of stilts.
34. Slide 34

    Guardrail Uses in Residential Construction

    • Completed decks
    • Lofts
    • Stair landings
    • Ramps or runways
    • Open-sided balconies and platforms
35. Slide 35

    Guardrail Uses in Residential Construction

    • Open-Sided Balcony and Platforms
36. Slide 36

    Guardrail Uses in Residential Construction

    • Open-Sided Balcony and Platforms
    • Greater Than 6’ Fall
37. Slide 37

    Safety Nets

    • System consisting of connectors and net installed below a working surface; designed to prevent a worker from contacting a lower level or structure in the event of a fall.
38. Slide 38

    Safety Nets

    • When used, safety must extend 8 feet beyond the edge of the work surface where employees are exposed and be installed as close under the work surface as practical but in no case more than 25 feet below.
    • Safety nets must be drop-tested at the jobsite after initial installation and before being used as a fall protection system, and at 6-month intervals if left in one place.
39. Slide 39

    Safety Nets

    • The drop-test consists of a 400 pound bag of sand, that is 28-
    • 32 inches in diameter, dropped into the net from the highest walking/working surface at which workers are exposed to fall hazards, but dropped from at least 42 inches above that level.
40. Slide 40

    Personal Fall Arrest Systems

    • Commonly called a (PFAS) it’s comprised of an anchorage point, connectors, and a body harness used together to keep a worker from free falling from an elevated surface.
41. Slide 41

    Proper PFAS for roofing

    • Shock Absorbing Lanyard
    • Full Body Harness
    • Rope Grab
    • Lifeline
    • Anchor
    • Point
42. Slide 42

    Personal Fall Arrest Systems

    • Lifelines can include rope-grab systems or self-retracting lanyards (SRL’s).
    • Rope-grab system
    • Self-retracting lanyard (SRL)
43. Slide 43

    Self-Retracting Lanyards / SRL’s

    • The availability and lower prices of SRL’s has led to a dramatic increase in their use in recent years.
    • SRL’s are available for a variety of uses, including leading edge work.
44. Slide 44

    PFAS – Prior to Use

    • Review the manufacturer's instructions for proper use, inspection, donning, limitations, accessories, and other information.
    • Inspect a PFAS prior to EACH USE.
    • Remember in the event of a fall, this protects your LIFE.
    • Don’t use a PFAS that is damaged, worn, or has experienced an arrested fall.
45. Slide 45

    PFAS Components

    • D-rings and snaphooks must be capable of withstanding 3,600 lbs. without failure.
    • Snaphooks must not be attached to:
    • Directly to webbing, rope or wire rope
    • To each other
    • To a D-ring with another snaphook or connector on it
    • To a horizontal lifeline
46. Slide 46

    Inspecting Components of PFAS

    • Inspecting a harness:
    • Inspecting the buckles
    • Inspecting the lanyard
    • Carefully checking the
    • webbing for distortions
    • Check the hardware (D-rings) connectors for defects
    • Inspect rope or lifeline for any rips, tears, or deformities
47. Slide 47

    Inspecting PFAS

    • Quick Tip –
    • Many types of harnesses and
    • SRL’s have inspection tags installed on them.
    • This makes it easy for you to keep track of the inspections you have performed.
48. Slide 48

    Wearing a PFAS

    • Proper wear: locate the D-ring on the back of the harness in the center of the back between the shoulder blades.
49. Slide 49

    Wearing a PFAS

    • Proper wear: always adjust the harness to ensure it fits tight to prevent you from falling out of the harness in the event of a fall.
50. Slide 50

    Anchor Point Requirements

    • Anchor points must be capable of supporting 5,000 pounds or twice the intended load.
51. Slide 51

    Examples of Anchor Points

    • Anchor point is
    • installed on a series of braced roof trusses.
52. Slide 52

    Examples of Anchor Points

    • Anchor point is
    • installed through floor sheathing into floor trusses to support a worker using a leading edge self-retracting lifeline.
53. Slide 53

    Anchor Points

    • A horizontal lifeline
    • is attached to a vertical structural pole and can be used to tie off framers.
54. Slide 54

    Anchor Points, cont.

    • A horizontal lifeline
    • is attached to a vertical structural pole and can be used to tie off framers.
55. Slide 55

    Examples of Anchor Points

    • Sample Anchor Points:
56. Slide 56

    Calculating Fall Distances

    • Regulations require that a worker cannot free fall more than 6 feet.
    • How far a worker will fall depends on a variety of factors, which include but is not limited to:
    • Body size of worker
    • Fit of harness, to allow for stretch
    • Type of lanyard (rip-stitch or self-retracting)
    • Safety factors
57. Slide 57

    Calculating Fall Distances

58. Slide 58

    Swing Fall Hazard

    • A hazard created if a worker is not directly below the anchor point and experiences a fall; which caused the worker to swing back towards the anchor point.
    • In order to minimize the swing follow a fall:
    • Work directly below the anchor.
    • Do not extend your work zone more than 30 o from the anchor.
    • Manage the slack in the rope.
59. Slide 59

    Swing Fall Hazard

60. Slide 60

    Swing Fall Hazard

61. Slide 61

    Identify the Hazards

    • How many hazards
    • do you see in this photo?
62. Slide 62

    Identify the Hazards

    • How many hazards
    • do you see in this photo?
63. Slide 63

    Identify the Hazards

    • How many hazards
    • do you see in this photo?
64. Slide 64

    Limitations of using a PFAS

    • Limitations of conventional fall protection systems during the installation of exterior walls may include:
    • Lack of a suitable anchor point to withstand 5000 pounds or twice the intended load from a falling worker.
    • Installation of guardrail system could involve more risk, due to the duration of the fall exposure.
65. Slide 65

    Limitations of using a PFAS

    • Manufacturers of personal fall arrest system components may prohibit the anchor point to be placed at ground level, or below a workers ‘D’ ring on their harness.
    • Clearance distance below a worker, which is needed when using a personal fall arrest system, may not be sufficient to prevent the worker from contacting the next lower level, should a fall occur.
    • Manufacturers may have differing installation/usage requirements; always refer to the manufacturers’ instruction prior to use.
66. Slide 66

    Recap

    • In construction, the trigger height for when conventional fall protection (guardrails, PFAS, safety nets) is required is 6 feet.
    • Before being exposed to fall hazards, workers must be trained.
    • Understand the proper use and limitations of fall protection systems before beginning work.
    • Never take shortcuts, always ask for assistance from a supervisor or competent person if you are unsure about a fall hazard or protective system.