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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHUR130-012 Working at HeightsCity o� PICKERING CITY PROCEDURE Procedure Title: Working at Heights Procedure Number: HUR 130-012 Reference: Occupational Health & Safety Act Date Originated: January 30, 2009 Date Revised: Approval: Chief Administrate Officer Point of Contact: Coordinator, Health & Safety Procedure Objective The objective of this Procedure is to ensure that all employees, agents and contractors of the City of Pickering and every person using facilities of the City work safely when working at heights where that person is at risk of injury in the event of a fall. All persons must also comply with the Occupational Health & Safety Act and regulations. Index 01 Definitions 02 Procedures 01 Definitions 01.01 Anchorage - A secure point of attachment for lifelines, lanyards or shock absorbers, and which is independent of the means of supporting or suspending the person. 01.02 Competent Person/Worker - A person who is capable of identifying hazardous or dangerous conditions in the personal fall arrest system or any component thereof, as well as in their application and use with related equipment. 01.03 Fall Arrest System - A full body harness with attachment points and a lanyard, designed to prevent a worker from falling from a work surface and from a height that could result in injury to the worker, into or onto a hazardous area, substance or object, or through an opening. 01.04 Fall Restricting System - A system designed to limit a worker's free fall distance or pole slipping distance so as to prevent injury or harm to the worker. 01.05 Fixed Support - A permanent anchor system that is installed according to the Building Code. 01.06 Free Fall - The act of falling before the personal fall arrest system begins to apply force to arrest the fall. 01.07 Free Fall Distance - The vertical displacement of the fall arrest attachment point on the person's harness between onset of the fall and just before the system begins to apply force to arrest the fall. This distance excludes deceleration distance, lifeline and lanyard elongation, but includes any shock absorber slide distance or self - retracting lifeline/lanyard extension before the operate and fall arrest forces occur. 01.08 Guardrail System A system of wood or wire designed for the purpose of preventing a worker from falling from a work surface and from a height that could result in injury to the worker, into or onto a hazardous area, substance or object, or through an opening. 01.09 Lanyard - A flexible line of rope, wire rope, or strap used to secure a harness to a deceleration device, lifeline, or anchorage. 01.10 Lifeline - A flexible line for connection to an anchorage at one end to hang vertically (vertical lifeline), or for connection to anchorages on both ends to stretch horizontally (horizontal lifeline), and which serves as a means for connecting other components of a personal fall arrest system to the anchorage. 01.11 Safety Net - A net designed, tested and installed in accordance with ANSI Standard 10.11-1989, Personnel and Debris Nets for Construction and Demolition Operations for the purpose of preventing injury to a worker who is at risk of falling from a height that could result in injury to the worker, into or onto a hazardous area, substance or object, or through an opening. 01.12 Shock Absorber - A mechanism, such as a rope grab, ripstich lanyard, specially woven lanyard, tearing or deforming lanyard, or automatic self retracting-lifeline/lanyard, which serves to dissipate a Procedure Title: Working at Heights Page 2 of 14 Procedure Number: HUR 130-012 substantial amount of energy during a fall arrest, or otherwise limits the energy imposed on a person during fall arrest. 01.13 Temporary Fixed Support - An anchor system that is capable of supporting static forces that meet the requirements of section 02.13. 01.14 Travel Restraint System - A full body harness with adequate attachment points or a safety belt. 02 Procedures 02.01 Protection from Falling When a worker is at risk of falling due to the hazards of his or her occupation, the Occupational Health &Safety Act requires that certain measures be put into place to prevent the worker from falling and to protect the worker from injury. When the risk of falling could result in any of the following, the special measures that are described in this paragraph must be put in place: a) falling more than three (3) metres; b) falling more than 1.2 metres if the work area is used as a path for a wheelbarrow or similar equipment; c) falling into operating machinery; d) falling into water or another liquid; e) falling into or onto a hazardous substance or object; or f) falling through an opening on a work surface. If it is not reasonably possible to install a Guardrail System as described in this procedure, then a worker must be protected by at least one of the methods of fall protection that are described in sections 02.09 to 02.10. The components of any one of these systems used as an alternative to a Guardrail System must be designed by a professional engineer in accordance with good engineering practice, and must meet the requirements of the applicable standards of the National Standards of Canada. Procedure Title: Working at Heights Page 3 of 14 Procedure Number: HUR 130-012 02.02 Training and Training Records No employee of the City may use a fall protection system until he or she has been trained in its use and given oral and written instructions by a Competent Person. The person who provides this training and instruction must prepare a written training and instruction record for each worker, and must sign the record. The record must include the name of the worker and dates on which training and instruction took place. The records must be available to an inspector of the Ministry of Labour. As a result, a copy of the applicable training record should be maintained in the City's central records as well as at the worksite where the worker is required to use a fall protection system. 02.03 Guardrail Systems Unless it is not reasonably possible to install a Guardrail System, a worker should be protected by a Guardrail System that meets the requirements set out below: If a worker has access to the perimeter or an open side of a floor, the surface of a bridge, a roof while formwork is in place, or a scaffold platform or other work platform, runway or ramp, and is exposed to a fall of 2.4 metres or more then a Guardrail System must be used. As an alternative to a Guardrail System, a protective covering may be used to prevent a worker from falling through an opening on a work surface. The covering must completely cover the opening, be securely fastened, be clearly marked as a covering of an opening, be made of material sufficient tosupport all loads to which it might be subjected, and be capable of supporting a load of at least 2.4 kilonewtons per square metre. 02.04 Top Rail, Intermediate Rail and Toe Board a) the guardrail must have a top rail, an intermediate rail and a toe board; b) the intermediate rail may be replaced by material that can withstand a point load of 450 newtons applied in a lateral or vertical downward direction; Procedure Title: Working at Heights Page 4 of 14 Procedure Number: HUR 130-012 c) the top of the Guardrail System must be located at least 0.9 metres but not more than 1.1 metres above the surface on which the system is installed; d) the toe board must extend from the surface to which the Guardrail System is attached to a height of at least 10 centimetres (4 inches) or, if the toe board is made of wood, at least 8.9 centimetres(3.5 inches); and e) if the Guardrail System is located at the perimeter of a work surface, the distance between the' edge of the surface and the Guardrail System must not be greater than 30 centimetres. 02.05 Resistance to Loads A Guardrail System must be capable of resisting a load at any point along the system, when the load is applied separately, as follows: a) a point load of 675 newtons applied in a lateral direction to the top rail; b) a point load of 450 newtons applied in a vertical downward direction to the top rail; c) a point load of 450 newtons applied in a lateral or vertical downward direction to the intermediate rail, or midway between the top rail and the toe board; d) a point load of 225 newtons applied in a lateral direction to the toe board; or e) if the distance between any two adjacent posts of the Guardrail System is greater than 2.4 metres, the system must be capable of resisting the loads described or an amount increased in proportion to the greater distance between the posts. 02.06 Wood Systems If a Guardrail System is made of wood, it must meet the following standards: a) the wood must be spruce, pine or fir timber of construction grade quality or better; b) the wood must be free of sharp objects such as splinters and protruding nails; Procedure Title: Working at Heights Page 5 of 14 Procedure Number: HUR 130-012 c) the system must have posts that are at least 3.8 centimetres (1.5 inches) by 8.9 centimetres (3.5 inches), and the posts must be securely fastened to the surface and spaced at intervals of not more than 2.4 metres; and d) the top rail and the intermediate rail must each be at least 3.8 centimetres by 8.9 centimetres. 02.07 Wire Rope Systems If a Guardrail System is made of wire rope, it must meet the following standards: a) the top rail and intermediate rail must be made of wire rope that is at least one centimetre in diameter, and the rope must be kept taut by a turnbuckle; b) the outward deflection of the top rail and intermediate rail resulting from the loads described in section 02.04 must not extend beyond the edge of the work surface; c) the system must have vertical separators at intervals of not more than 2.4 metres and horizontal supports at intervals of not more than 9 metres; and d) the intermediate rail must be located midway between the top rail and the toe board. 02.08 Travel Restraint Systems The full body harness or safety belt of a Travel Restraint System must be attached by a lifeline or lanyard to a Fixed Support. The Travel Restraint System must be inspected by a Competent Worker before each use. If a component of the Travel Restraint System is found to be defective on inspection, the defective component must immediately be taken out of service. 02.09 Fall. Restricting Systems A Fall Restricting System that is not designed for use in wood pole climbing must consist of an assembly of components that is; a) attached to an independent Fixed Support as described in section 02.13; and Procedure Title: Working at Heights Page 6 of 14 Procedure Number: HUR 130-012 b) designed and arranged in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions and so that a worker's free fall distance does not exceed 0.6 metres. A Fall Restricting System that is designed for use in wood pole climbing; a) must be designed and arranged in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions; and b) must not allow pole slippage more than the distances set out in the applicable National Standards of Canada standard. A Fall Restricting System must be inspected by a Competent Worker before each use. If a component of the Fall Restricting System is found to be defective on inspection, the component must be taken out of service immediately. If a worker who is using the Fall Restricting System falls or slips more than the distance described above, as the case may be, the system must be taken out of service immediately and must not be used again by a worker unless all components of the system have been certified by the manufacturer as being safe for reuse. 02.10 Fall Arrest Systems A Fall Arrest System is a full body harness with adequate attachment points and a lanyard equipped with a shock absorber or similar device. The Fall Arrest System must not include a shock absorber, however, if wearing or using one could cause a worker to hit the ground or an object or level below the work. The Fall Arrest System must be attached by a lifeline or by the lanyard to an independent Fixed Support that meets the standards described in section 02.13. -The Fall Arrest System must be arranged so that a worker cannot hit the ground or an object or level below the work. The Fall Arrest System must not subject a worker who falls to a peak fall arrest force greater than 8 kilonewtons. The Fall Arrest System must be inspected by a Competent Worker before each use. If a component of the Fall Arrest System is found to be defective on inspection, the defective component must immediately be taken out of service. Procedure Title: Working at Heights Page 7 of 14 Procedure Number: HUR 130-012 If a worker who is using the Fall Arrest System falls, the system must be immediately removed from service and must not be used again by a worker unless all components of the system have been certified by the manufacturer as being safe for re -use. 02.11 Safety Nets Whenever a Safety Net is to be used, it must be installed by a Competent Person. A professional engineer or a Competent Person under the engineer's supervision must inspect and test the installation of the safety net before it is put in service. The engineer must document the inspection and testing of the safety net. A copy of the document must be kept at the project while the safety net is in service. 02.12 Rescuing a Worker from a Fall Arrest System or Safety Net Before every use of a Fall Arrest System or a Safety Net by a worker, the employer worker must prepare a written procedure for the rescue of the worker after a fall has been arrested. A copy of this procedure must be kept on site. 02.13 Fixed and Temporary Fixed Supports Except where a Fall Restricting System is designed for use in wood pole climbing, a permanent anchor system must be used as the Fixed Support in a Fall Arrest System, Fall Restricting System or Travel Restraint System if the following conditions are met: a) the anchor system has been installed according to the Building Code; and b) it is safe and practical to use the anchor system as the Fixed Support. If the above conditions are not met, a Temporary Fined Support must be used that meets all of the following conditions: a) if a shock absorber is also used in the Fall Arrest System, the support must be capable of supporting a static force of at least 6 kilonewtons without exceeding the allowable unit stress for each material used. Otherwise, a support used in a Fall Arrest System must be capable of supporting a static force of at least 8 Procedure Title: Working at Heights Page 8 of 14 Procedure Number: HUR 130-012 kilonewtons without exceeding the allowable unit stress for each material used; b) a support used in a Fall Restricting System must be capable of supporting a static force of at least 6 kilonewtons without exceeding the allowable unit stress for each material used. This condition does not apply, however, to a support that is used in accordance with the manufacturer's written instructions and is adequate to protect a worker; and c) a support used in a Travel Restraint System must be capable of supporting a static force of at least 2 kilonewtons without exceeding the allowable unit stress for each material used. The support capacity of a Temporary Fixed Support used in a fall protection system may be determined by dynamic testing in accordance with good engineering practice to ensure that the Temporary Fixed Support has adequate capacity to arrest a worker's fall. A Fixed Support must not have any sharp edges that could cut, chafe or abrade the connection between it and another component of the system. 02.14 Lanyards and Lifelines Lanyards and Lifelines that are part of a Travel Restraint System or a Fall Arrest System must meet the following requirements: a) it must not be used in such a way that the lifeline or lanyard is likely to be cut, chafed or abraded; b) it must not be subjected to extreme temperature, flames, abrasive or corrosive materials or any other hazard that might damage it; and c) the free end must be kept clear of equipment and machinery. 02.15 Lanyards Only one person at a time may use a Lanyard. The connecting ends of a Lanyard must be wrapped around a protective thimble and securely fastened with a swaged fitting or eye splice supplied by the manufacturer of the Lanyard. Procedure Title: Working at Heights Page 9 of 14 Procedure Number: HUR 130-012 02.16 Lifelines A horizontal or vertical lifeline must be kept free from splices or knots, except knots used to connect it to a Fixed Support. Only one person at a time may use a vertical lifeline. A vertical lifeline must; a) extend to the ground; or b) have a positive stop that prevents the rope grab or other similar device from running off the end of the lifeline. Horizontal Lifeline System A Horizontal Lifeline System must be designed by a professional engineer, installed, erected and maintained in accordance with the professional engineer's design, and before each use, must be inspected by a professional engineer or a Competent Person designated by a supervisor. The design must; a) show the arrangement of the system including the anchorage or Fixed Support system; b) indicate the components to be used; c) indicate how many worker may be safely attached to it, and show the design loads for the system; and d) include instructions for the installation or erection of it. The constructor must keep the design at the project while the system is in use. 02.17 Ladders A ladder must be maintained to ensure that no worker is put in danger when using the ladder. It must be inspected before each use to ensure that there are no defective or loose rungs. When used, the ladder must be placed on firm footing. Unless the ladder is securely fastened, the ladder must be positioned so that the distance between the base of the ladder and a point directly below the top of the ladder is not less than one quarter of the length Procedure Title: Working at Heights Page 10 of 14 Procedure Number: HUR 130-012 of the ladder and not more than one third of the length of the ladder. No ladder should ever be lashed to another ladder to increase its length. When a step -ladder is being used, its legs must be fully -spread and its spreader must be locked. No person should stand on the top of or the pail shelf of a step -ladder. An access ladder that is fixed in position must be vertical. It must have rest platforms that are not more than nine metres apart. It must be offset at each platform. If the ladder is more than three metres above the ground, floor or landing, then it must also have a safety cage that starts at a point not lower than 2.2 metres above the ground, floor or landing and that continued to at least 90 centimetres (three feet) above the top landing. It must have side rails that extend at least 90 centimetres above the landing, and must have rungs that are at least 15 centimetres (6 inches) from the wall and that are equally spaced. The above paragraph does not apply to ladders for towers, water tanks, chimneys and similar structures that are equipped with fall protection equipment. 02.18 Scaffolds and Work Platforms A scaffold system must be used whenever a worker cannot perform on a fixed or permanent work surface. This procedure does not address suspended scaffolds or platforms, but in every case where a suspended scaffolds or platforms are to be used, the requirements of the Occupational Health & Safety Act and its regulations must be met. Every scaffold must meet the following requirements: a) uprights must be braced diagonally in the horizontal and vertical planes to prevent lateral movement; b) horizontal components must be secured to prevent lateral movement, and must not have splices between points of support; c) all footings, sills and supports must be sound, rigid and capable of supporting at least two times the maximum load that the scaffold might be subjected to; Procedure Title: Working at Heights Page 11 of 14 Procedure Number: HUR 130-012 d) all fittings and gear must be installed in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions; e) connecting devices between frames must engage on both tension and compression; f) all hooks must be fitted with safety catches; and g) it must be secured at vertical intervals that do not exceed three times the lowest lateral dimension of the scaffold. Only a Competent Person may supervise the erection, alteration and dismantling of a scaffold. 02.19 Scaffolds on Castors or Wheels Any scaffold that is mounted on castors or wheels must be equipped with a braking device on each castor or wheel. The brakes must be applied whenever a person is on the scaffold. It must be equipped with guy wires or outriggers to prevent the scaffold from overturning if the height of the scaffold platform is more than three times the lower lateral dimension of the scaffold. If the scaffold platform is more than 2.4 metres above the base, the scaffold should not be moved when a person is on it unless the person is wearing a full body harness as part of a Fall Arrest System that is attached to a Fixed Support, and the scaffold is being moved on a firm level surface. 02.20 When scaffold to be designed or inspected by a professional engineer: If a scaffold is more than 15 metres in height, or if constructed out of a tube and clamp system and more than 10 metres inheight, then it must be designed by a professional engineer. The design drawings must include instructions for the erection of the scaffold and the maximum loads for use. Prior to use, the scaffold must be inspected by either a professional engineer or a Competent Person designated by a project supervisor. That person must prepare a written report indicating whether the scaffold has been erected in accordance with the design drawings. The design drawings and the written report must be kept on site at all times while the scaffold is erected. Procedure Title: Working at Heights Page 12 of 14 Procedure Number: HUR 130-012 02.21 Minimum Structural Components for Platform Every scaffold platform and other work platform must be designed, constructed and maintained to support or resist all loads and forces to which it is likely to be subjected, and not less than 2.4 kilonewtons per square metre. Each component of a scaffold platform or work platform must be capable of supporting a load of at least 2.2 kilonewtons. A scaffold platform or work platform should never be loaded in excess of the load that it has been designed and constructed to bear. The design and construction of a scaffold or other work platform must meet the following minimum standards: a) it must be at least 46 centimetres (1.5 feet) wide; b) if it is 2.4 metres or higher above a floor,. roof or other surface, the planks must be laid tightly side by side; c) a guardrail must be installed that is consistent with that described in section 02.03; d) it must have a means of access; e) it must not have any unguarded openings; and f) each component must be secured against slipping from its supports. If the platform is made of lumber planks, then the wood must be number one grade spruce with no defects that might affect their load bearing capacity and the planks; a) must have a clearly legible grade identification stamp; b) must be at least 4.8 centimeters thick by 24.8 centimetres wide; c) must be arranged so that they do not span more than 2.1 metres; d) must overhand their supports by at least 15 centimetres (6 inches) and not more than 30 centimetres (12 inches); and Procedure Title: Working at Heights Page 13 of 14 Procedure Number: HUR 130-012 e) must be secured against slipping. 02.22 Elevating Work Platforms An elevating work platform must only be used in accordance with the following standards: a) it must not be loaded in excess of its rated working load, or loaded or used in any way that affect its stability or endanger a person; b) it may only be used on a firm level surface; c) it must only be used in accordance with the written instructions of the manufacturer; and d) it must not be moved unless all persons on it are protected against falling by a safety belt attached to the platform. The operator's manual for the elevating work platform must be kept with it whenever it is in use. The owner of the elevating work platform (whether it is owned by the City of Pickering or by a contractor working at a site controlled by or owned by the City) must maintain it so that the original safety features function properly. A permanent record of all inspections, tests, repairs, modifications and maintenance performed on it must be kept. This record must be up-to-date and must include the signature and name of any person who performed any inspection, test, repair, modification or maintenance on it. A maintenance and inspection record tag must be attached to the elevating work platform and kept near the operator's station. It must include the date of the last maintenance and inspection, the signature and name of the person who performed the maintenance and inspection, and an indication that the maintenance was carried out in accordance with the recommendations of the manufacturer. A worker who operates an elevating work platform must, before using it for the first time, be given oral and written instruction on the operation and be trained to operate that class of elevating work platform. This instruction must include the manufacturer's instruction, instruction in the load limitations, instruction in and a hands-on demonstration of the proper use of all controls, and instruction in the limitations on the kinds of surfaces on which it is designed to be used. Procedure Title: Working at Heights Page 14 of 14 Procedure Number: HUR 130-012