Fall Protection Program

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Table of Contents

1.0 Purpose

The Fall Protection Program is designed to provide specific direction throughout the District to ensure our employees are afforded a safe workplace free from recognized hazards. This program identifies employee responsibilities to reduce risk of exposure to falls that may result in serious injury and/or loss of life. In addition, the program covers training and requirements for specific types of equipment. It also recognizes that, if feasible, we must engineer out exposure to fall hazards during all facility design, remodeling, and maintenance projects.

2.0 Applicability

The Fall Protection Program applies to all District employees exposed to a fall of more than 4 ft. Note: Contractors and vendors must submit their fall protection program for review by Safety prior to performing work on District property.

3.0 Responsibility and Communication

3.1 Management responsibilities:

  • Implement this program within their scope of responsibility.
  • Conduct workplace safety assessments to identify and mitigate fall hazards -- with engineering the hazard out as a priority.
  • Ensure that employees are trained on the use of fall protection equipment based on their exposure.
  • Ensure that fall protection equipment inspections are conducted and documented by a competent person per manufacturer recommendations.
  • Designate employees to be trained to the level of “competent person in fall protection” so that they can provide training for authorized users within their workgroup or send their employees to a training provider that can provide competent person fall protection training.
  • Authorize employees to utilize fall protection after training has been completed.

3.2 Foreman / Lead Worker Responsibilities:

  • Ensure that employees utilize fall protection systems to prevent employee exposure to falls.
  • Utilize stop work authority if an employee(s) is exposed to a fall.
  • Ensure that fall protection work plans are completed when fall protection is needed to prevent falls over 10 ft. Note: Fall protection work plans are not required when performing work under the scope of WAC 296-45.

3.3 Safety Department Responsibilities

  • Program administration to include audit, inspection, and implementation of the Fall Protection Program.
  • Ensure that the fall protection equipment and training is compliant with applicable WAC codes and nationally recognized safety standards.
  • Participate in risk assessments, program development and implementation.
  • Conduct safety assessments in partnership with workgroup management and employees to identify fall hazards and risk.

4.0 Fall Protection Requirements by Scenario

Mitigation techniques for the hazards noted below should be noted on the documented tailboard or Fall Protection Work Plan.

Note: This is not an all-inclusive list of every scenario where fall protection may be required. See WAC 269-880, WAC 296-32, and WAC 296-45 for additional information.

  • Walking Working Surfaces
    • Guardrails must be installed on walking/working surfaces with unprotected sides or edges when an employee is exposed to a fall of 4 ft or more.
    • When guardrails must be temporarily removed to perform a specific task, the area must be constantly attended by an employee until the guardrail is replaced. The only duty the employee must perform is to warn persons entering the area of the fall hazard.

    • The employee must be protected from the fall hazard by:

      1. A personal fall restraint system.
      2. A personal fall arrest system.
      3. A safety net system.
      4. A catch platform; or
      5. A warning line system.
  • Holes
    • Use a cover of standard strength and construction or a standard guardrail system to guard holes an employee can trip, step into, or step through
  • Impalement
    • Regardless of height, employees should be protected from falling into or onto impalement hazards, such as: reinforcing steel (rebar), exposed steel, or wood.
  • Open sided surfaces near equipment regardless of height
    • Use a standard guard rail system to guard all open-sided floors, unguarded skylights, walkways, platforms, or runways above or adjacent to dangerous equipment, such as machinery with unguarded rotating parts.
  • Excavation and Trenching
    • Fall protection is required at 10 ft unless the employee is actively engaged in excavation or trenching work.
    • A warning line or barrier must be placed to prevent unauthorized people from entering the work area for trenches and excavations.]
  • Utility Bucket Trucks and Aerial Lifts
    • Fall protection is always required. Note: See MFG instructions for specific instruction regarding working outside the platform.
  • Scissor Lifts
    • If the scissor lift is equipped with anchor points, fall protection is recommended regardless of guardrail height. See operator’s manual for specific instruction for when working outside of the platform or guardrails.
  • Scaffold
    • Fall protection is required at 10 ft while assembling and dissembling the scaffold. See WAS 296-880-0030 for detailed instruction.
  • Order pickers / PITs
    • Fall protection is required at 4 ft unless equipped with a guardrail system.
  • Fixed ladders
    • Fall protection is required on all fixed ladders that exceed 24 ft in height. Note: Cages must be replaced by 07/2040 with a ladder safety system.
    • It is recommended that all fixed ladders over 10 ft are equipped with a ladder safety system.

5.0 Inspection

  • All fall protection equipment must be inspected by the employee prior to each use.
  • All harnesses, lanyards and accessories must be inspected by a competent person on an annual basis or more often based on the manufacturer’s recommendations.
  • Annual inspections must be documented.
  • All equipment that did not pass inspection must be rendered unusable and disposed of accordingly.
  • All fixed fall restraint/arrest systems such as fixed ladder cable and horizontal cable systems must be maintained and inspected in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions by the equipment owner.

6.0 Training Requirements

  • All employees required to utilize fall protection must be trained prior to initial assignment. If an employee has been previously trained in fall protection, a demonstration of proficiency must take place prior to assignment. This typically takes place during testing for positions such as lineworker or substation wireman.
  • The level of training should include refresher training for employees based on their exposure and job description. See Appendix B Fall Protection Training Matrix.
  • Training must enable each employee to recognize the hazards of falling and the procedures to be followed to minimize those hazards.
  • Each employee with potential exposure to fall risk must be trained by a competent person to know at a minimum:
    • The nature of fall hazards in the work area.
    • When fall protection is required.
    • What fall protection is required.
    • The correct procedures for erecting, maintaining, assembling, disassembling, and inspecting the fall protection systems to be used.
    • The use, operation and limitation of fall protection systems used.
    • Proper care, maintenance, useful life, removal from service of fall protection.
    • Demonstrate the ability to use fall protection properly.
    • Employees should be retrained when the employer has reason to believe the understanding, motivation, and skills required to use fall protection has not been retained or there have been changes to the types of fall protection required.
      • Circumstances where retraining is required include:
        1. Changes in the workplace that make previous training out-of-date.
        2. Changes in the types of fall protection to be used make previous training out-of-date
        3. Work habits or demonstrated knowledge indicate that the employee has not retained the necessary understanding, skill, or motivation to use fall protection.
    • Documentation of training must be maintained in Employee Central and must include the name of the person who completed the training, instructor name, date of completion, and scope of training.

7.0 Fall Protection Work Plan

  • Fall Protection Work Plans are required when performing construction or maintenance activities, or when a person is exposed to a potential fall of 10 feet or more. Note: Fall Protection Work Plans are not required when performing work under the scope of WAC 296-45, but the hazard must be discussed during the tailboard. The Fall Protection Work Plan must:
    • Identify all the hazards.
    • Describe the method of fall protection utilized.
    • Describe the procedure for assembly, maintenance, inspection, and disassembly of the fall protection system utilized.
    • Describe the procedures for the handling, storage, and securement of tools and materials.
    • Describe overhead protection for workers below.
    • Describe method for prompt, safe removal of injured workers.
    • Describe self-rescue and assisted rescue.
    • Be available onsite for review / inspection and retained for 30 days after the completion of the project.

Appendices

Appendix A: Fall Protection Workplan

Link to: Fall Protection Work Plan

Definitions

Authorized user

A person who has received training by a competent person in fall protection on the fall protection systems issued and has demonstrated proficiency.

Competent person

A person who by training, knowledge and experience is authorized to conduct training for authorized users in fall protection systems, rescue, and inspection.

Qualified Person

A person with a recognized degree or professional certificate with extensive knowledge, training and experience who is capable of designing, analyzing, evaluating, and specifying fall protection and rescue systems in accordance with ANSI Z359.