Page 20 - OHS, October 2024

P P E : F A L L P R O T E C T I O N
Removed. Type SRL-LE. Now a type of SRL—defi ning Leading
Edge – is covered in the new Classes of SRDs.
■ Classes. Classes are now used to describe products for over-
head only products (Class 1) and leading edge rated products
(Class 2). Th ese classes explain how much free fall the unit can
handle and if the unit has been tested for a fall event over an edge.
New. Classes are separated as Class 1 and Class 2.
Removed. Classes A and B have been removed.
■ Performance requirements. Th ere are no longer multiple
performance requirements depending on Class. SRDs must now
comply with specifi c limits for Maximum Arrest Force, Average
Arrest Force, and Maximum Arrest Distance.8
Th e deadline for manufacturers to comply with the latest
Z359.14 edition went into eff ect on August 1, 2023.9
Leading Edge vs. Non-Leading Edge Applications
OSHA defi nes a leading edge as “the edge of a fl oor, roof, or form-
work for a fl oor or other walking or working surface (such as the
deck) which changes location as additional fl oor, roof, decking, or
formwork sections are placed, formed, or constructed.”10
Due to the nature of the work, installing a guardrail around the
edge of a surface under construction may not be feasible. However,
workers are required by OSHA to wear fall protection when ap-
proaching the unprotected “leading edge.”10
Leading edge work adds additional considerations that users
should be aware of when selecting fall protection:
If a worker falls over the leading edge, the sharp edge can sever
a lifeline on impact or from the worker swinging back and forth.
Th e anchorage for leading edge applications is usually (though
not always) below D-ring level, oft en at foot level, because there is
not always an overhead, approved attachment point, such as a wall
or ceiling joist, and the lower anchor point does not interfere with
a worker’s arm movement.
Aerial and Scissor Lift Applications
Due to their mobility and fl exibility, aerial lift s are sometimes pre-
ferred over ladders and scaff olding on many jobsites. Aerial lift s
may be powered or manually operated, and they are still consid-
ered to be aerial lift s whether or not they can rotate around a pri-
mary vertical axis.
Both the OSHA General Industry regulation and the OSHA
Construction regulation specifi cally require fall protection when
working in aerial lift s.
■ General Industry 1910.67(c)(2)(v): “A personal fall arrest
or travel restraint system that meets the requirements in subpart I
of this part shall be worn and attached to the boom or basket when
working from an aerial lift .”11
■ Construction 1926.502(d): “A body belt shall be worn and
a lanyard attached to the boom or basket when working from an
aerial lift .”12
Solutions for aerial lift s may include restraint lanyards, energy
absorbing lanyards, and leading edge personal fall limiters.
A scissor lift operates much like an aerial lift —it is motorized
and contains a basket from which workers can perform their jobs.
However, the platform only goes up and down and cannot be artic-
ulated from side to side on a turntable. Per OSHA, this diff erence
is signifi cant enough that a scissor lift is not considered an aerial
lift but, instead, a form of scaff olding. Since a scissor lift platform
is designed with guard rails around the perimeter of the platform,
OSHA generally allows work inside the basket without the added
protection of a Personal Fall Arrest System (PFAS).13
Despite this, many employers treat scissor lift s like aerial lift s,
and choose to have their employees wear a PFAS when operating
a scissor lift .
Choosing and Using Fall Protection PPE
Conducting a comprehensive hazard assessment can be an impor-
tant step in choosing fall protection. Determining the unique risks
and concerns associated with your specifi c jobsite and application,
and understanding the relevant OSHA requirements and ANSI
standards, can help identify which fall harnesses, SRDs, and ad-
ditional safety equipment and training may be right for your or-
ganization.
■ Harnesses. An employer may consider factors including
wearer comfort and mobility, as well as how easily the harness can
be adjusted for a proper fi t. A wider variety of size options may also
be an important consideration, especially in light of OSHA’s recent
rule proposal that would explicitly require that PPE fi t workers
properly.14
■ SRDs. An employer may consider devices with features such
as color-coded housing or iconography, in addition to the Class
shown on the product label, to help a user to determine whether
the device is intended for leading edge or non-leading edge use (for
example, green housing may signify leading edge, while gray signi-
fi es non-leading edge). An employer may also desire PFLs made
with lightweight materials in a compact design, which may enable
enhanced user mobility.
As a fi nal note, training and proper use of the selected PPE help
to maintain safety while working at height. National standards
and state, provincial, and federal laws may require the user to be
trained before using fall protection products. Reference to prod-
uct user manuals may also be incorporated as part of a user safety
training program that is appropriate for the user’s occupation. Em-
ployers oft en provide these instructions to users before use of the
product and allow user to retain the instructions for ready refer-
ence. Employers may require the user to read, understand (or have
explained), and follow all instructions, labels, markings and warn-
ings supplied with the product and
with those products intended for use
in association with it.
Dennis Capizzi is Marketing Manager
for Head Protection and Fall Protection
PPE at MSA Safety. Dennis began his
career with MSA nearly two decades
ago as the marketing event coordina-
tor before transitioning into a product
management role and fi nally into seg-
ment marketing. Within his career he
has been responsible for respiratory,
thermal imaging cameras, communi-
cations, head/eye/face/hearing, and fall
protection equipment across both the
industrial and fi rst responder market.
REFERENCE
1. tinyurl.com/y4fwwxwp
2. tinyurl.com/532extcr
3. tinyurl.com/rxsf237d
4. tinyurl.com/3dy66uts
5. tinyurl.com/bdz7t7sn
6. tinyurl.com/3tap9chp
7. tinyurl.com/3xtcx2e9
8. tinyurl.com/45k94by2
9. tinyurl.com/bddr6dck
10. tinyurl.com/bdhzjxyp
11. tinyurl.com/mtdzss5w
12. tinyurl.com/muuxu4ja
13. tinyurl.com/mse6epcr
14. tinyurl.com/5bv563aa
20 Occupational Health & Safety | OCTOBER 2024 www.ohsonline.com