Fall Protection Policy / Procedure

The following Fall Protection Policy / Procedure only covers certain fall protection areas. Any  contractor,  when  working  at  a  location  where  workers  are  not  protected  by permanent guardrails and where a fall of 7.5 m (25 ft) or greater may occur, must have a site specific fall protection plan for the tasks that affect their work before work begins.

A copy of each Fall Protection Plan / Program must be immediately available on site.

The OHS Regulation prescribes a hierarchy of choice that MUST be followed when selecting a method of fall protection. The selection of method(s) depends on what is practicable and is not a matter of what is convenient for the worker or employer. What is practicable will depend on the circumstances of each work location at the site and the fall hazard assessment conducted.

Fall Protection Hierarchy

1st Consideration – Guardrails or Equivalent

2nd Consideration – Another Fall Restraint System

3rd Consideration – Fall Arrest System

4th Consideration – Work Procedures acceptable to WorkSafeBC to minimize the risk of injury to a worker from a fall.

Responsibilities

Site Superintendent

• Ensure a Fall Protection Plan is developed on all projects under his / her supervision and that they meet the above policy criteria;

• Maintain copies of such plans on site.

Site Safety Coordinator

• Ensure training documentation is kept on file for all employees that receive fall protection training.

• Reports any unsafe acts or conditions relating to this policy to the Project Superintendent.

Contractor Supervisor / Foreman

• Ensure all workers under his / her authority receive Fall Protection training from a qualified individual.

• Ensure training documentation is kept on site and is made available to PCML upon request.

• Ensure that the proper safety equipment is available.

• Ensure that the required safety equipment is regularly inspected and maintained.

• Ensure workers under his / her authority sign and adhere to the Fall Protection Plan.

Workers

• Receive training in and adhere to the project Fall Protection Plan / Procedures.

• Report to the Supervisor / Foreman any non-compliance of the Fall Protection Plan / Procedures.

Danger Areas

Danger areas include elevator shafts, scaffolding, perimeter slab edge, ladders, powered mobile equipment, leading edge work, floor openings, roof tops and any other area where a fall from 3 m (10 ft) or greater, or when a fall from a lesser height involves a risk of injury greater than the risk of injury from the impact on a flat surface.

The danger area extends 2 m (6.5 ft) back from any unprotected edge plus the height of any elevated work platform such as stilts or a ladder. For example, a worker on 0.6 m (2 ft) stilts must have a third guardrail 0.6 m (2 ft) above the normal 1.0 m – 1.1 m (40 in – 44 in) guardrail. The preferred method of fall protection is guardrails. Whenever possible, danger areas including floor openings will be protected by proper guardrails.

Guardrails on Working Top Decks

It is PCML’s policy that the top working formed deck of all concrete low rise / high rise projects or commercial buildings require that orange safety fence be attached to the inside of the guardrails, or the inside of the guardrails have plywood attached to prevent the possibility of a person falling through the openings or material falling over the toe board.

Associated Hazards with Working on the Top Working Deck of a Concrete Building

When a deck is first built for a floor, the plywood is laid out, the bulkhead is built (usually
0.9 m (3 ft) or less from the guardrail), the mechanical, electrical and rebar is placed and when concrete is ready to be poured, all additional materials are stored between the bulkhead and guardrails.

This area between the guardrail and bulkhead is often used as a walkway especially during the concrete pour. The tripping hazards on this working deck are greater than any other floor. Additionally, the material being stored next to a 0.1 m (4 in) toe board may fall over the toe board to the ground below, thus the need for safety fence or plywood on guardrails.

Safety Fence; Highly Visible and Heavy Duty Material

The safety fence must be applied to the guardrail with:

• Rebar Wire: Doubled over rebar wire every 1.2 m (4 ft) is a good method.   Snow fence and wire reusable; or

• Black electrical cable ties (zap straps) 0.36 m (14 in) long:  Easy, quick application, less labour / material cost.

• Selection of Harness or Belt

A worker must wear a full body harness or other harness acceptable to WorkSafeBC when using a personal fall protection system for fall arrest. A worker must wear a safety belt, a full body harness or other harness acceptable to WorkSafeBC when using a personal fall protection system for fall restraint.

Equipment Standards

Equipment used for a fall protection system must:

• consist of compatible and suitable components;

• be sufficient to support the fall restraint or arrest forces;

• meet, and be used in accordance with, an applicable CSA or ANSI standard in effect when the equipment was manufactured, subject to any modification or upgrading considered necessary by WorkSafeBC.

Anchors

In a temporary fall restraint system an anchor for a vertical lifeline, or for a lanyard used without a lifeline, must have an ultimate load capacity in any direction in which a load may be applied of at least 3.5 kN (800 lbs), or four times the weight of the worker to be connected to the system; whichever is greater. Each vertical lifeline used for fall protection must be secured to an independent anchor point. All manufacturers’ installation instructions shall be followed.

In a fall arrest system or permanent fall restraint system an anchor for a vertical lifeline, or for a lanyard used without a lifeline, must have an ultimate load capacity in any direction required to resist a fall of at least 22 kN (5,000 lbs), or two times the maximum arrest force; whichever is greater.

Temporary Horizontal Lifelines

A temporary horizontal lifeline system may be used if the system is:

• Manufactured for commercial distribution and installed and used in accordance with the written instructions and drawings from the manufacturer or authorized agent, and the instructions and drawings are readily available in the workplace;

• Installed and used in accordance with written instructions and drawings certified by a professional engineer, and the instructions and drawings are readily available in the workplace; or

• Designed, installed and used in a manner acceptable to WorkSafeBC.

Certification by Engineer

The following types of equipment and systems, and their installation, must be certified by a professional engineer:

• Permanent anchors;

• Anchors with multiple attachment points;

• Permanent horizontal lifeline systems; and

• Support structures for safety nets.

Inspection and Maintenance

Equipment used in a fall protection system must be:

• inspected by a qualified person before use on each work shift;

• kept free from substances and conditions that could contribute to its deterioration; and

• maintained in good working order.

Removal from Service

After a fall protection system has arrested the fall of a worker, it must:

• be removed from service; and

• not be returned to service until it has been inspected and recertified as safe for use by the manufacturer or its authorized agent, or by a professional engineer.