OSHA’s Updated Walking-Working Surfaces and Fall Protection Standard
Why is the Walking-Working Surfaces and Fall Protection standard being updated?
OSHA has estimated that about 202,066 serious injuries and 345 fatalities occur every year among workers who are directly affected by the Walking-Working Surfaces and Fall Protection Standard. Statistics like these cannot be ignored which is why OSHA has decided to improve its standard by incorporating new technology, best practices and requiring training and inspections. Because of this, there will also be reduced costs as OSHA has now coordinated the general industry requirements to match OSHA’s construction industry standard and even many ANSI standards. In fact, OSHA estimates this improved standard will “prevent 29 fatalities and 5,842 lost-workday injuries every year.”
Download Our Free Walking-Working Standard eBook
What is a Walking-Working Surface?
According to OSHA, a walking-working surface is a “horizontal or vertical surface on or through which an employee walks, works, or gains access to a work area or workplace location.” The rule applies to all walking-working surfaces such as floors, stairs, roofs, ladders, ramps, scaffolds, elevated walkways, and use of fall protection systems.
What is a Personal Fall Protection System?
According to OSHA, a personal fall protection system and its components are used to provide protection from falling or safely arrest a fall if one occurs. Personal fall protection systems include personal fall arrest, positioning, and travel restraints.
What is updated in the Walking-Working Surfaces and Fall Protection standard?
-
- Similar to the construction industry, employers will now be able to choose from a variety of fall protection systems that work best for their specific environment. OSHA has stated the following fall protection systems are available options under the updated standard:
- Guardrail Systems
- Safety Net Systems
- Personal Fall Arrest Systems (such as a harness, anchorage, connector, lanyard, deceleration device and/or lifeline.
- Positioning System
- Travel Restraint System
- Ladder Safety System
- Scaffold requirements have been updated to match the construction scaffold standard.
- Ladder safety systems or personal fall arrest systems are required on fixed ladders.
- Prohibits “qualified climbers” in the outdoor advertising industry as there have been multiple injuries and a death due to the previous rule.
- Prohibits workers from using rope descent systems higher than 300 feet above grade unless there are no other feasible options. Anchorages must be certified as well.
- Improved requirements for personal fall protection performance and use.
- Requires employers to inspect and correct walking-working surfaces on a regular basis.
- Training on fall and equipment hazards is now required for employees who use personal fall protection.
- Similar to the construction industry, employers will now be able to choose from a variety of fall protection systems that work best for their specific environment. OSHA has stated the following fall protection systems are available options under the updated standard:
How does the Walking-Working Surfaces and Fall Protection standard affect me?
The Walking-Working Surfaces and Fall Protection Standard affects many types of industries such as building management services, utilities, warehousing, retail and outdoor advertising. Please note, construction and agriculture are not affected by this recent update.
The updated standard increases worker protection by:
- Eliminating hazards from climbing ladders without fall protection.
- Requiring ladder safety or personal fall protection on fixed ladders over 24 feet.
- Providing general industry performance criteria for personal fall protection equipment.
- Prohibiting body belts and requiring body harnesses instead.
- Requiring training on fall and equipment hazards for workers who use personal fall protection.
The updated standard also benefits the employers by:
- Allowing employers to choose from a variety of fall protection that best suites the workplace.
- Harmonizing the general and construction industry standards making it simpler for those who work in both industries.
- Providing more cost-efficient and effective means for protecting workers.
- Updating outdated specifications and clarifying rules making it easier to understand.
Download Our Free Walking-Working Standard eBook
When is the Walking-Working Surfaces and Fall Protection standard effective?
The updated standard was launched in January of 2017. Other requirements within the standard have yet to be launched and will be phased-in.
| Date Effective | Requirement |
|---|---|
| May 17, 2017 | Training workers on fall and equipment hazards |
| November 20, 2017 | Inspection and certification of permanent building anchorages |
| November 19, 2018 | Installation of fall protection (personal fall arrest systems, ladder safety systems, cages, wells) on existing fixed ladders (over 24 feet) that do not have any fall protection |
| November 19, 2018 | Installation of ladder safety or personal fall arrest systems on new fixed ladders (over 24 feet) and replacement ladders/ladder sections |
| November 18, 2036 | Installation of ladder safety systems or personal fall arrest systems on all fixed ladders (over 24 feet) |
Contact a HySafe Fall Protection Specialist Today!
Speak to a Fall Protection Specialist right now to learn how you can ensure your work site is OSHA compliant.
Source: www.osha.gov