Making Fall Protection work at your site · PDF fileTemporary Covers over holes ... Increasing cable diameter •Redundancy: Two means of protection ... Stay in cab Fall of bundle

J. Nigel Ellis J. Nigel Ellis Ph.D., CSP, P.E., CPEPh.D., CSP, P.E., CPE

www.FallSafe.comwww.FallSafe.comwww.FallSafety.comwww.FallSafety.com

1.800.372.77751.800.372.7775

ASSE PDC 6 29 09

San Antonio TX

Making Fall Protection Making Fall Protection work at your sitework at your site

Most Fatal FallsMost Fatal Falls

Portable LaddersPortable Ladders Roofs Roofs ScaffoldsScaffolds Temporary GuardrailsTemporary Guardrails

60% +Explaining the rules and new standards better to employees – yours and your contractors might help

Portable Ladder UsagePortable Ladder Usage

16 ft

3.5 ft

Slope 4 in 12

412

4

1

812

OSHA/ANSI A14 compliant, CoGworks around ladder

Higher roof pitch makes it harder to stand unless going over the ladder

20° 42°

Slope 8 in 12

Legal set-up in stds

Common Practice Trades-6-24”

4

1

Dialogue with more detail?

Roof Hole at Construction siteRoof Hole at Construction site Washington DC Washington DC 10 story building roof10 story building roof WaterProoferWaterProofer TorchdownTorchdown

workwork “No Fire!” instruction“No Fire!” instruction Fell through roof hatch Fell through roof hatch

opening: 25 ft fall opening: 25 ft fall

SideFront

Under

Temporary Covers over holesTemporary Covers over holes

Roof or floor openings for HVAC, plumbing, chutes etc.

Round or square floor hole

Marking clarity: DANGER! Hole Cover

Covers are usually trip hazards*

d

One piece Plywood up to 4 ft dimension. If >4ft then 2x4”s and nailed plywood up to ?”

d min 2” OSHA 1926.500

d >3”, <12” Leg breaker

d >12” body fall through

Walk-in Danger: Demo a loose liftable cover

Cover thickness ¾” min. plywood

Static & Dynamic Force F (human and/or vehicle impact)

Proposed impact test:

Skylight: 267 lbs 95%ile

w/conical lead wt bag 30” fall height proposed

“Bobcat” must be crawler

F

#1

#2

Concrete

Joist

And Noise / dust barrier?

*

GuardrailGuardrail Second floor guardrail Second floor guardrail

collapsedcollapsed Kneeling worker had Kneeling worker had

used rail to stand upused rail to stand up Top Rail fell to groundTop Rail fell to ground And he also fell…….And he also fell…….

Door Wall Opening

Friction fit JobFriction fit Job--Built Guardrails Built Guardrails ––yes or no*?yes or no*?

9 ft

Double-headed nails at first2nd floor

WedgeOriginal

Toenailed

Final

Socket with 4 bolts

?*Who measures 200 lbs outward/downward?

Toe?U

U

Jack? (ISA)

Safety Boot?

Alt.

U

Inspection details?

Screws?

Fatal Scaffold Cases:Fatal Scaffold Cases:

Exit by climbing Exit by climbing overover railingrailing No fall protectionNo fall protection

descending corner ladderdescending corner ladder Meets OSHA/ANSI Meets OSHA/ANSI

requirementsrequirements South Texas South Texas -- swing gateswing gate North Texas North Texas -- no swing gateno swing gate

Ladder fell w/worker

#1 #2

Why no progress?

Stock answers may not be the Stock answers may not be the whole answer:whole answer:

Can you spot failure modes? FMEACan you spot failure modes? FMEA How will people behave w/a setHow will people behave w/a set--up?up? Effect of Cones? Caution Tape? Effect of Cones? Caution Tape? Portable ladders? Common UsagePortable ladders? Common Usage Ask: Can you Ask: Can you eliminateeliminate as first choice?as first choice? Can you dialogue (train) better?Can you dialogue (train) better? Can you make time to observe the work?Can you make time to observe the work? Will you inspect and stop the work?Will you inspect and stop the work?

Case HistoryCase History Inspector of mobile Inspector of mobile

crane at nuclear plantcrane at nuclear plant Use of front ladderUse of front ladder

Injured in fall to ground

12” high handle

Flexible Step

Case HistoryCase HistoryIronworker fatalityIronworker fatality ““Cheater” cable Cheater” cable

for steel erection for steel erection connecting to connecting to beamsbeams 10 ft Cheater

Conclusion: Cheater not attached

New lanyard

Lanyard allegedly took fall

Fall Hazard Identification and Fall Hazard Identification and Engineering the Hazards OutEngineering the Hazards Out

Substitution:useSubstitution:use aerial lifts not aerial lifts not cooningcooning Sequence change to reduce the hazardSequence change to reduce the hazard Work from Ground with hiWork from Ground with hi--reach toolsreach tools Lower the work area e.g. area lightsLower the work area e.g. area lights Tight controls at the Project Manager Tight controls at the Project Manager

levellevel

Elimination is key

ArtificialArtificialIntelligenceIntelligence

BiologicalBiological

RadiantEnergRadiantEnergyy

ChemicalChemical

ElectricalElectrical

Structural/Structural/MechanicalMechanical

NaturalNatural

AdminAdminSafety Safety SolSol’’nn

List List HazardHazard

Safety Safety SolSol’’nn

List List HazardHazard

Safety Safety SolSol’’nn

List List HazardHazardSafetSafety y

SolSol’’nnList List HazardHazard

ReliaReliabilitybility

RedundancyRedundancySafety Safety FactorFactor

GuardGuardEliminateEliminateRecognizedRecognizedHazard /Hazard /SolutionsSolutions

David MacCollum: Construction Safety Engineering Principles, 2007

A Tool to recognize all Worksite Hazards

Hazard Matrix Recognition ToolsHazard Matrix Recognition Tools Left columnLeft column: : All known spec. hazards by category All known spec. hazards by category

egeg Structural/Mechanical: Collapse; Artificial Structural/Mechanical: Collapse; Artificial Intelligence is computer software reliability and wiringIntelligence is computer software reliability and wiring

Horizontal RowHorizontal Row: : Means of control of hazardMeans of control of hazard::

•• EliminateEliminate: By work sequence or re: By work sequence or re--design out design out exposureexposure

•• GuardGuard: Prevent with barrier or travel limit: Prevent with barrier or travel limit•• Safety FactorSafety Factor: Increasing cable diameter : Increasing cable diameter •• RedundancyRedundancy: Two means of protection : Two means of protection •• ReliabilityReliability: Cycles to failure; conditions: Plan: Cycles to failure; conditions: Plan

NaturalNatural Hazard Example:Hazard Example:

GravityGravity: Specific known/observed : Specific known/observed hazard is falling from a trailer while hazard is falling from a trailer while tarpingtarping. Reduce incidence by . Reduce incidence by installing lifeline system comprising installing lifeline system comprising horizontal system per OSHA, Z359, horizontal system per OSHA, Z359, CSA and ENCSA and EN

Water: Water: Wind:Wind: Lightening:Lightening:

Case History: Case History: Fall from Trailer at Pipe ShipperFall from Trailer at Pipe Shipper

Truck Trailer Truck Trailer flatbed driver fall flatbed driver fall while while tarpingtarping

Who has control? Who has control? ShipperShipper re BOLre BOL

Shipper has Shipper has ControlControl

Note: Receivers have no duty – Fed Court LA 5/09

Shipper Shipper TarpingTarping Hazard MatrixHazard Matrix

Computer Computer SystemsSystems

BiologicalBiological

RadiantEneRadiantEnergyrgy

ChemicalChemical

ElectricalElectrical

Rules Rules videovideo

SevSev. . Sizes Sizes avail.avail.

HarnesHarness smalls small

New New slingsling

WorneWorneslingsling

Stay Stay in in cabcab

Fall of Fall of bundlebundle

JemJem--Latch Latch tooltool

Sling Sling releasereleaseStructural/Structural/

MechanicalMechanical

Plan Plan HFHF

NetNetEdgeEdgeBlock Block gapgap

TripTripBarrier Barrier railing, railing, PFASPFAS

FallFallSpreaderSpreaderto lift tarpto lift tarp

TarpingTarping

GravityGravity

SafetySafetyHazardHazardSafetySafetyHazardHazardSafetySafetyHazardHazardSafetySafetyHazardHazard

ReliReliabilabilityity

RedundancyRedundancySafety Safety FactorFactor

GuardGuardEliminateEliminateRecognizedRecognizedHazard Hazard SolutionsSolutions

Gravity Hazard MatrixGravity Hazard Matrix AccessAccess to trailer flatbed: reto trailer flatbed: re--design suitable design suitable

ladder/steps ladder/steps egeg www.andersonladder.comwww.andersonladder.com Flatbed to loadFlatbed to load: : eliminateeliminate stepping using stepping using

spreader bar system spreader bar system www.carbis.comwww.carbis.com Flatbed to loadFlatbed to load: : guardguard with horizontal rail with horizontal rail

system system (SPANCO)(SPANCO)

Safety FactorSafety Factor increased: increased: blocks 10” triangle blocks 10” triangle shapesshapes

RedundancyRedundancy: : Balance Balance andand Fall Arrest at ground Fall Arrest at ground levellevel

ReliabilityReliability: : Slipperiness of area reduced esp. wetSlipperiness of area reduced esp. wet

TarpingTarping Fall ProtectionFall Protection

Inside buildingInside building Overhead rail shownOverhead rail shown Out of WeatherOut of Weather Shipper of PipeShipper of Pipe

Driver fell from topDriver fell from top Foot caughtFoot caught No fall protectionNo fall protection

Overhead rail and harness system

Proposed Solution:

Shipper’s responsibility in Shipper’s responsibility in TarpingTarpingProcess for Driver’s SafetyProcess for Driver’s Safety

Shipper mandates tarp; holds BOL

Two Bay System

Outdoors

Case History Case History UntarpingUntarping at Receiverat Receiver

Truck Trailer flatbed Truck Trailer flatbed driver fall while driver fall while untarpinguntarping at at construction siteconstruction site

Who has control?Who has control? #1 #1 Pull each tarp offPull each tarp off #2 Receiver fork lift #2 Receiver fork lift

cage if tarp stickscage if tarp sticks OnOn--board fall board fall

protection protection –– in trialsin trials

On-board Fall Protection

Pre-tarping

Tarping/Untarpingmode

Window Cleaner Window Cleaner Foreman FatalityForeman Fatality Federal Government Federal Government

Facility Facility –– new!new! Window cleaners Window cleaners

trained for descent trained for descent device usedevice use

Always to use Always to use independent lifelineindependent lifeline

Ends up with both lines Ends up with both lines attached to sole anchorattached to sole anchor

Slider pulls out of trackSlider pulls out of track OSHA citation droppedOSHA citation dropped

Track System, one anchor

Independent inspection not just warranty

1

2

3

4

Before, During and After the FallBefore, During and After the Fall BeforeBefore the Fallthe Fall: Authorized Worker Application training; : Authorized Worker Application training;

PrePre--plan per Z359 anchors including for rescues; plan per Z359 anchors including for rescues; Independent inspection of new systems. Watch ….Independent inspection of new systems. Watch ….

DuringDuring the Fallthe Fall: proper means of fall protection; : proper means of fall protection; two two methods if feasible; methods if feasible; includeinclude contractorscontractors

AfterAfter the Fallthe Fall: Proper investigation into cause; we must : Proper investigation into cause; we must improve; we must learn; we must prevent; overcome thimprove; we must learn; we must prevent; overcome thesilence that follows incidentssilence that follows incidents

We in this audience are the Safety Professionals We in this audience are the Safety Professionals whose function is to Find Hazards & Controls, whose function is to Find Hazards & Controls, Communicate those Controls, and Follow UpCommunicate those Controls, and Follow Up

ANSI Z359.2 Managed Fall ANSI Z359.2 Managed Fall Protection ProgramProtection Program

Written Policies, Surveys and Job DutiesWritten Policies, Surveys and Job Duties Fall Protection Procedures and TrainingFall Protection Procedures and Training Recognizing, Eliminating and Controlling Recognizing, Eliminating and Controlling

Fall HazardsFall Hazards Rescue Procedures and TrainingRescue Procedures and Training Incident Investigation rigorIncident Investigation rigor Evaluating Program Effectiveness Evaluating Program Effectiveness (Pr. Adm.)(Pr. Adm.)

Questions?

J. Nigel Ellis: [email protected]

Your Fall Protection Program

can work at your site!