Essentially, OSHA requires fall protection when working on surfaces elevated by more than four to six feet. The new ANSI/ASSE Z359 Fall Protection Code requires much more than that. The following information includes a general overview of the types of fall protection systems commonly specified for facilities, along with basic guidelines as to which may be the most appropriate in different situations. It will also touch on recent updates to the general industry standard on fall protection equipment, and on the new standard developed to establish fall protection programs at facilities.

Fall Protection Systems

There are two basic classes of fall protection systems found in facilities: permanent and temporary. Selection will depend on the application for which it will be used, frequency of use and space considerations.

Permanent systems, which take the form of horizontal lifeline systems or vertical climbing systems, can be used indoors or outdoors. The horizontal system, which is customized and installed by a certified installer, may be fixed to a rooftop or to the ceiling within a facility.

The rooftop application is growing in popularity, especially among newer, elaborate facilities. The system is usually installed around the perimeter of the roof to provide fall protection for one or more users at any location on the roof.

The user can attach his or her harness to a lanyard or other connector, which would in turn be attached to the trolley device that runs along the lifeline.

These horizontal systems are highly convenient, in that they don’t need to be set up each time a worker needs to access the roof, and they don’t limit the worker’s mobility. Some systems feature hands-free bypass of intermediate support brackets without the need to disconnect from the line and reattach at another point.

Permanent systems are ideal for roofing, heating and ventilation system maintenance, as well as other tasks, such as window cleaning, which require access to the roof.

Note that all workers accessing a roof need to be protected with a form of fall protection. OSHA does not typically consider distance from the edge of the roof a valid excuse for lack of fall protection.

At the very least, guard rails or other systems must be installed to prevent falls. Indoor permanent systems include rigid I-beam and trolley systems and flexible cable systems. Many of these overhead systems provide fall protection for one or more people and allow hands-free bypass of intermediate brackets. A permanent indoor system can provide fall protection for workers accessing elevated platforms or the top of large machinery or equipment, for example. Larger industrial facilities, as well as those that require frequent access to an area at height, would benefit from this configuration.

Facilities with fewer fall hazards or those that need only occasional access to an elevated work surface might find a temporary system a more economical selection. The freedom to set up, dismantle and move the system to another work area is a major benefit of these systems. Temporary systems include “first man up” pole systems, vertical lifelines and freestanding systems, among others.

“First man up” style pole systems provide 100 percent fall protection. The system allows the user to set up an overhead anchorage point and attach a connector while standing on the ground. The user can then safely climb a ladder  or piece of equipment. Once the operation is complete, the temporary anchor can be removed with the pole for set-up in a different location.

Vertical lifeline systems provide protection for workers climbing tall ladders or other structures. The flexible line runs the length of the climb allowing the worker to easily attach and detach at his or her convenience. Should a worker slip, the braking device will stop the fall in progress.

Freestanding systems come in a number of forms, from ladder access systems to horizontal rail systems to portable tanker access ladder systems.

Although slightly different, each of these systems provides an overhead anchorage point for fall protection on elevated work surfaces and can be used indoors or outdoors. Freestanding systems can be conveniently pushed or towed in place next to the surface to be accessed. The size of these mobile systems requires a larger amount of space in which to maneuver them, making them ideal for facilities with open floor plans.

Many facilities also make use of mobile work platforms such as scissor lifts, bucket trucks and aerial lifts. Each style of lift device has different requirements, as do the various manufacturers of this equipment.

Manufacturers may not require the user to tie-off on scissor lifts because a guardrail serves as the primary fall protection component and there is usually no danger of ejection. If a company does wish to use supplemental fall protection on a scissor lift, harnesses and lanyards or self retracting lifelines are typically used.

In bucket trucks or aerial lifts, fall protection systems must be used. Fall restraint or fall arrest systems are available options. The hazard associated with aerial lifts comes from the possibility of being thrown from the bucket or platform.

Standards Development

In 2007, ANSI/ASSE passed an update to Z359, the general industry consensus standard covering requirements for personal fall arrest equipment. The standard was expanded from a single section, addressing only fall arrest equipment, to a more encompassing standard that addresses managed fall protection programs, work positioning and work restraint systems, and rescue equipment.

Although the standard describes itself as “voluntary,” it is critical for the facility manager to understand and implement the new requirements. From a legal exposure standpoint and in terms of following best practices, compliance with the ANSI standard is extremely important for any fall protection program.

The new and revised equipment portions of the code are all important and have received a lot of attention, but the section that really has the industry buzzing is the new standard on creating a fall protection program. ANSI Z359.2, “Minimum Requirements for a Comprehensive Managed Fall Protection Program,” calls for a fall protection program whenever one or more employees are routinely exposed to fall hazards.

In the facility manager’s case, a fall protection program is required if one or more employees are regularly exposed to a fall hazard. If an outside vendor or contractor is brought in to perform work that will expose its employees to fall hazards, however, the responsibilities are not so clear. The contractor that employs the workers should have a fall protection program in place, but this may not absolve the facility owner from legal exposure. If a fall occurs at a facility, exposure may depend on the state in which the fall event takes place as  well as the contractual arrangement between the facility owner and the vendor or contractor.

That said, the facility manager should err on the side of caution by insisting that every contractor has an adequate fall protection program. He or she should also know who the fall protection or safety point person is within the vendor’s organization, and have an understanding of any local regulations that may apply to fall protection equipment or programs. If in doubt, facility managers should consult legal counsel.

At a minimum, fall protection programs should contain the following elements:

• Statement of policy;

• Results of a fall hazard survey report, including all identified fall hazards at the facility, control methods for each hazard and rescue methods if active fall arrest systems are used;

• Delegation of ongoing responsibilities in the areas of inspection, record keeping, maintenance, equipment replacement, incident reporting, enforcement, accident investigation, training and changes to the plan.

The program should be modified whenever an existing fall hazard changes or a new hazard arises. A copy of the program must be kept at each site where an active fall protection system is used.

This represents just a portion of the reqirements laid out in ANSI Z359.2.