Management Plan for Walking/Working Surfaces & Fall Protection (29 CFR 1910.22, 23, 66 App.C; 29 CFR 1926.502) ISD #535 Health & Safety Office Maintenance Service Building 10 SE 9½ Street Rochester, MN 55904 507-328-4507 1
Management Plan for Walking/Working Surfaces and Fall Protection (29 CFR 1910.22, 23, 66 App.C; 29 CFR 1926.502) Annual Review Form Table of Contents Section 1.0 Section 2.0 Section 3.0 Section 4.0 Section 5.0 Section 6.0 Section 7.0 Section 8.0 Section 9.0 Section 10.0 Section 11.0 Section 12.0 Section 13.0 Introduction Authority and References Responsibilities General Requirements for Walking/Working Surfaces Fall Protection Survey Guardrail Systems Personal Fall-Arrest Systems Training Requirements Inspections Rescue Procedures Accident Investigation Enforcement Program Evaluation Appendix A Appendix B Appendix C1 Appendix C2 Appendix C3 Appendix C4 Fall Hazard Assessment Form Training Verification Form Full-Body Harness Annual Inspection Checklist Lanyard Annual Inspection Checklist Snap Hooks / Carabiner Annual Inspection Checklist Self-Retracting Lanyard / Lifeline Annual Inspection Checklist 2
Document Modification Form All document modifications must be recorded on this form. Modification Date Modification Description Modifications By Purpose of Modification Approved By 12-10-2007 Annual Review Michael Stock Update M.S. 7-15-2008 Annual Review Michael Stock Update M.S. 10-21-2008 Changed Office Phone Number Michael Stock Update M.S. 12-10-2009 Annual Review Michael Stock Update M.S. 12-21-2010 Annual Review Michael Stock Update M.S. 4-27-2012 Annual Review Michael Stock Update M.S. 06-11-2013 Annual Review Michael Stock Update M.S. 3
1.0 Introduction Falls are the second leading cause of occupational fatalities and disabling injuries in the United States. Each year, over 500 workers die in fall-related accidents, and over 300,000 workers suffer a disabling injury from preventable falls. Some examples of work activities that could expose employees to fall hazards include roof repair or replacement, painting, and general maintenance work performed on elevated walking/working surfaces. Rochester Public Schools is dedicated to the protection of its employees from job related injuries. The purpose of this plan is to assist employees in recognition of workplace fall hazards and to document measures to address these hazards. Employers are able to select fall protection measures that are appropriate for the type of work performed. Fall protection can normally be provided through the use of guardrail systems and/or personal fall-arrest systems. 2.0 Authority and References OSHA standards: 29 CFR 1910.22 29 CFR 1910.23 29 CFR 1910.66 Appendix C 29 CFR 1926.502 (for construction work) 3.0 Responsibilities It is the responsibility of Rochester Public Schools to implement this Walking/Working Surfaces and Fall Protection program. Observational safety checks of work operations and enforcement of safety procedures is regularly enforced. The supervisor on-site is responsible for correcting any unsafe practices or conditions immediately. It is the district s responsibility to train all employees to understand and adhere to the procedures of this plan. It is the responsibility of the individual employee to communicate with management any unsafe or hazardous conditions that may cause injury. Each employee is required to follow these safety procedures unless they feel it would cause a greater hazard. If this is the case, employees must communicate their concerns before proceeding. 4.0 General Requirements for Walking/Working Surfaces Housekeeping: All passageways, storerooms, service rooms, and floors of workrooms are kept clean and orderly and free from protruding nails, splinters, holes, or loose boards. The floor of every workroom is maintained in a clean and, so far as possible, a dry condition. Aisles and Passageways: Permanent aisles and passageways are appropriately marked. Where mechanical handling equipment is used, sufficient safe clearances is allowed for aisles, at loading docks, through doorways and wherever turns or passage must be made. Aisles and passageways are kept clear and in good repair, with no obstruction across or in aisles that could create a hazard. Covers and Guardrails: Covers and/or guardrails are provided to protect personnel from the hazards of open pits, tanks, or other floor openings. Floor Loading: In each building used for business or storage purposes, the loads approved by the building official are marked in a conspicuous place. Rochester Public Schools does not allow a load to be placed on any floor or roof that exceeds that for which the floor or roof has been approved by the building official. 4
5.0 Fall Protection Survey An assessment for fall protection hazards on boilers was conducted in April 2007 by the Institute for Environmental Assessment and Structural Design Group. Employees will be notified and trained on the hazards present as soon as fall protection is put in place. When conducting the fall protection survey, the following areas that may require fall protection were considered: Unprotected sides or edges: Employees performing work on walking/working surfaces (horizontal and vertical surfaces) with an unprotected side or edge four feet or more above a lower level must be protected from falls by guardrail systems, safety nets, or personal fall-arrest systems. Leading Edges: Employees constructing or having exposure to a leading edge four feet or more above a lower level must be protected from falls by guardrail systems, safety nets or personal fall-arrest systems. A leading edge is the edge of a floor or roof or a walking/working surface that changes location as additional floor, roof, decking, or formwork sections are put into place. Walking/working surfaces not otherwise addressed: Employees working on walking/working surfaces four feet above lower levels that are not otherwise addressed above must be protected by the use of guardrails, safety nets, or fall-arrest systems. 6.0 Guardrail Systems Every floor opening, floor hole, or open-sided floor or platform four feet or greater within the district has a standard guardrail or a personal fall-arrest system in place. Guardrail systems located within the district comply with the following provisions: The height of the top rail is 42 inches above the walking/working level. When conditions warrant, the height of the top edge may exceed 45 inches provided the guardrail system meets all other design and construction criteria. Midrails, screen, mesh or intermediate vertical members are installed between the top edges of guardrails and walking/working surfaces when there are no walls or parapet walls at least 21 inches high. Guardrails are capable of withstanding a force of at least 200 pounds applied within 2 inches of the top edge in any outward or downward direction at any point along the top edge. Midrails, screen, mesh, or intermediate vertical members are capable of withstanding a force of at least 150 pounds applied in any downward or outward direction at any point along the midrail or other member. Guardrails have smooth surfaces that will prevent punctures, lacerations and snagging of clothing. The ends of top rails and midrails do not have overhang terminal posts unless an overhang would not create a projection hazard. Steel and plastic banding is not used on top rails or midrails. Top and midrails are at least 1/4 inch nominal diameter or thickness to prevent cuts and lacerations. When guardrails are used in hoisting areas, a chain, gate or removable guardrail section is placed across the access opening when hoisting operations are not taking place. When guardrails are used at holes, they are erected on all unprotected sides of edges. When guardrails are used to protect holds that are used to pass materials, not more than two sides are protected by removable guardrails. If wire rope is used for top rails, the rope is flagged at not more than 6-foot intervals with high visibility material. 5
7.0 Personal Fall-Arrest Systems Where guardrails are not feasible or economical, personal fall-arrest systems may be used. Fall-arrest systems used within the district comply with the following provisions: Connectors, D-Rings, and Hooks: All connectors are made from drop forged, pressed or formed steel, or made of equivalent materials and have a corrosion resistant finish. D-rings and snap hooks have a minimum tensile strength of 5,000 pounds. Only locking snap hooks are used. Anchorage: Personal fall-arrest equipment anchorage points are separate from platform anchorage points and are capable of supporting at least 5,000 pounds. Lifelines and Lanyards: Each employee is attached to a separate lifeline. All ropes and straps used in lanyards, lifelines or belts are made from synthetic fibers and have a minimum breaking point of 5,000 pounds. All self-retracting lifelines and lanyards which limit the free fall distance to 2 feet or less sustain a minimum tensile load of 3,000 pounds with the unit in the fully extended position. Any self-retracting lifeline or lanyard which does not limit free-fall distance to 2 feet or less is capable of sustaining a minimum tensile load of 5,000 pounds. Lifelines are protected from abrasions or cuts. Body belts are not acceptable as part of a personal fall-arrest system. General: All surfaces and edges are smooth to prevent damage to interfacing parts of the system. 8.0 Training Requirements Rochester Public Schools provides a training program that teaches employees who may be exposed to fall hazards how to recognize and minimize such hazards. Employees are trained in the following areas: Nature of fall hazards in the work area; Correct procedures for erecting, maintaining, disassembling, and inspecting personal fall protection systems; Use and operation of controlled access zones and guardrails, personal fall-arrest, safety net, warning line, and safety monitoring systems; Role of each employee in the safety monitoring system when the system is in use; Limitations on the use of mechanical equipment during the performance of roofing work on low-sloped roofs; Correct procedures for equipment and material handling, storage and the erection of overhead protection; Employee role in fall protection plan. Employees who complete fall protection training receive a written certification that identifies the employee trained and the date of the training and includes an official signature of the trainer (see Appendix B). Retraining is provided when necessary. 9.0 Inspections All equipment is visually inspected before each use. In addition, a quarterly inspection by a competent person is conducted using the checklists supplied in Appendix C and/or as required by manufacturer s guidelines. 10.0 Rescue Procedures In the event that a fall occurs on-site, local emergency services will be called immediately for rescue. If emergency services are required you must notify Mike Stock, Health & Safety Coordinator, immediately following communication with 911. 6
11.0 Accident Investigation If a fall occurs on district property or by a district employee or student, regardless of severity of injury, an investigation is conducted by Mike Stock, Health & Safety Coordinator, or a designated health and safety consultant. In addition, this plan shall be reviewed to determine if additional practices, procedures, or training need to be implemented to prevent similar types of falls or incidents from occurring. The following documentation is completed as part of the fall investigation and program review: Interviews with staff and witnesses Employee injury/accident report Supervisor injury/accident report Evaluation of equipment in use 12.0 Enforcement Constant awareness of and respect for fall hazards and compliance with all safety rules are considered conditions of employment at Rochester Public Schools. The district reserves the right to issue disciplinary warnings to employees or students, up to and including termination or expulsion, for failure to follow the guidelines of this program. 13.0 Program Evaluation This walking/working surfaces and fall protection program is evaluated on an annual basis to determine effectiveness. This program will need to be re-evaluated should the type of fall protection used changes. The following criteria are used to evaluate the program s performance: Accident reports Number of accidents Management/staff compliance with program components Periodic on-site audits Staff feedback and interviews Any changes made to the plan that affect standard or specific operating procedures shall be approved by the competent person for that work activity. Employees and students shall be notified of changes to the plan prior to the beginning of work. 7