ladder safety

[SEIEC]

is there any osha requirement for fall protection,for a person on a portable ladder.

 

[petersonra]

Re: ladder safety

Not that this directly answers your question but I went to visit a friend of mine last night who works as a service technician. He was servicing some equipment last week installed on a mezzanine and when he went to step back on the ladder it slipped out from under him.

He has a broken right femur and a crushed left heel. His doctors expect him to make a full recovery. In about 6 months.

[ May 03, 2005, 03:34 PM: Message edited by: petersonra ]

 

[612278]

Re: ladder safety

Hello-
All I know is that if you go over 6' (on a ladder or scaffold etc.)you MUST be harnessed off. I dont know the OSHA #.

 

[612278]

Re: ladder safety

Hello again-
Ok Ok I was wrong.
It's 24' See OSHA 1926.1053(A)(19).

 

[coppertreeelectric]

Re: ladder safety

OSHA: Portable ladders: fall protection is not required for employees climbing or working on portable ladders.
Neither the ladder standard (29 CFR 1926, subpart X) nor the fall protection standard (29 CFR 1926, subpart M) requires fall protection for workers while working on portable ladders.

The 24' standard is only for "Fixed Ladders" not "Portable Ladders."

 

[iwire]

Re: ladder safety

I agree with coppertreeelectric 100%.

I run into company 'safety officers' all the time that try to enforce the 6' tie off rule to those working on portable ladders.

We sometimes work jobs where by contract we must do that, it is ridiculous. Remember the point you tie off to has to be rated for 5000 lbs.

1926.502(d)(15)

Anchorages used for attachment of personal fall arrest equipment shall be independent of any anchorage being used to support or suspend platforms and capable of supporting at least 5,000 pounds (22.2 kN) per employee attached, or shall be designed, installed, and used as follows:

1926.502(d)(15)(i)

as part of a complete personal fall arrest system which maintains a safety factor of at least two; and

1926.502(d)(15)(ii)

under the supervision of a qualified person.

 

[iwire]

Re: ladder safety

If you click this link it will take you to one of many OSHA standard interpretations.

While there may be a better one available with some searching if you read this one completely you can see fall protection does not apply to portable ladders.

[ May 03, 2005, 05:55 PM: Message edited by: iwire ]

 

[SEIEC]

Re: ladder safety

Thank you for the response.This confirms what I have said and found in osha standards.I always like to double check myself never want to say the wrong thing to an attorney

 

[zog]

Re: ladder safety

"We sometimes work jobs where by contract we must do that, it is ridiculous. Remember the point you tie off to has to be rated for 5000 lbs."

iwire, I am aware of this ridiculous requirement and have always wondered, how do you know your tie off point is rated for 5000lbs?

 

[petersonra]

Re: ladder safety

Originally posted by zog:
"We sometimes work jobs where by contract we must do that, it is ridiculous. Remember the point you tie off to has to be rated for 5000 lbs."

iwire, I am aware of this ridiculous requirement and have always wondered, how do you know your tie off point is rated for 5000lbs?

I seem to recall the 5000 lb number is only for certain cases. For instance, you can tie off to a railing around a lift because it is engineered and certified for that purpose, or you can tie off to an overhead beam that is not but is rated to handle 5000 lbs.

 

[iwire]

Re: ladder safety

Originally posted by petersonra:
I seem to recall the 5000 lb number is only for certain cases.

The requirement is for all cases...unless part of a complete fall arrest system or under the supervision of a qualified person.

1926.502(d)(15)

Anchorages used for attachment of personal fall arrest equipment shall be independent of any anchorage being used to support or suspend platforms and capable of supporting at least 5,000 pounds (22.2 kN) per employee attached, or shall be designed, installed, and used as follows:

1926.502(d)(15)(i)

as part of a complete personal fall arrest system which maintains a safety factor of at least two; and

1926.502(d)(15)(ii)

under the supervision of a qualified person.

As to zog's question, I don't have an answer.

[ May 12, 2005, 01:07 PM: Message edited by: iwire ]

 

[tkb]

Re: ladder safety

Sometimes the attachment to an anchorage point puts the worker at more risk than just working on the ladder normally.

I think that the 6' tie off rule that some contractors try to enforce is ridiculous.

Don't get me wrong...depending on the situation it may make sense.