California Code of Regulations › Title 8 - Industrial Relations › Division 1 - Department of Industrial Relations › Chapter 4 - Division of Industrial Safety › Subchapter 7 - General Industry Safety Orders › Group 1 - General Physical Conditions and Structures › Article 6 - Powered Platforms and Equipment for Building Maintenance › Appendix C to Article 6

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 28, July 12, 2024
Personal Fall Arrest System
(Sections I and II-Mandatory);
(Section III-Non-Mandatory).
Use of the Appendix
Section I of Appendix C sets out the criteria for
						  personal fall arrest systems used by all employees using powered platforms, as
						  required by Section
						  3299. Section II sets out test
						  procedures which shall be used to determine compliance with applicable
						  requirements contained in Section I of this Appendix. Section III provides
						  non-mandatory guidelines which are intended to assist employers in complying
						  with these provisions.
I. Personal Fall Arrest Systems.
(a) Scope and Application. This section establishes the
						  application of, and performance criteria for, personal fall arrest systems
						  which are required for use by all employees using powered platforms under
						  Article 6.
(b) Definitions. Definitions that apply to terms used
						  in Appendix C are located in Article 1, Section
						  3207 and Article 5, Section
						  3281.
(c) Design for System Components.
(1) Connectors shall be drop forged, pressed or formed
						  steel, or made of equivalent materials.
(2) Connectors shall have a corrosion-resistant finish,
						  and all surfaces and edges shall be smooth to prevent damage to interfacing
						  parts of the system.
(3) Lanyards and vertical safety lines which tie-off
						  one employee shall have a minimum breaking strength of 5,000 pounds. All ends
						  shall be spliced or swaged as per the manufacturer's specifications. Knots
						  shall not be permitted at ends or anywhere along the length of the lanyard or
						  "safety line".
(4) Self-retracting safety lines and lanyards which
						  automatically limit free fall distance to two feet or less shall have
						  components capable of sustaining a minimum static tensile load of 3,000 pounds
						  applied to the device with the safety line or lanyard in the fully extended
						  position.
(5) Self-retracting safety lines and lanyards which do
						  not limit free fall distance to two feet or less, ripstitch lanyards, and
						  tearing and deforming lanyards shall be capable of sustaining a minimum tensile
						  load of 5,000 pounds applied to the device with the safety line or lanyard in
						  the fully extended position.
(6) Dee-rings and snap-hooks shall be capable of
						  sustaining a minimum tensile load of 5,000 pounds.
(7) Dee-rings and snap-hooks shall be 100 percent
						  proof-tested to a minimum tensile load of 3,600 pounds without cracking,
						  breaking, or taking permanent deformation.
(8) Snap-hooks shall be sized to be compatible with the
						  member to which they are connected. Only double-acting snap-hooks designed to
						  prevent accidental disengagement shall be used.
(9) Horizontal safety lines, where used, shall be
						  designed under the supervision of a professional engineer currently registered
						  in the State of California and installed as part of a complete personal fall
						  arrest system, which maintains a safety factor of at least two.
(10) Anchorages to which personal fall arrest equipment
						  is attached shall be capable of supporting at least 5000 pounds per employee
						  attached, or shall be designed under the supervision of a professional engineer
						  currently registered in the State of California and installed and used as part
						  of a complete personal fall arrest system which maintains a safety factor of at
						  least two.
(11) Ropes and straps (webbing) used in lanyards,
						  safety lines, and strength components of body harnesses, shall be made from
						  synthetic fibers or wire rope.
(12) All body harnesses and lanyards manufactured on or
						  before January 1, 1998, shall be designed and built to conform to ANSI
						  A10.14-1975, Requirements for Safety Belts, Harnesses, Lanyards, Lifelines and
						  Drop Lines for Construction and Industrial Use, which is hereby incorporated by
						  reference.
(13) All personal fall arrest, personal fall restraint
						  and positioning device systems manufactured after January 1, 1998, shall be
						  designed and built to conform to either ANSI A10.14-1991 American National
						  Standard for Construction and Demolition Use, or ANSI Z359.1-1992 American
						  National Standard Safety Requirements for Personal Fall Arrest Systems,
						  Subsystems and Components, which are hereby incorporated by reference.
(d) System Performance Criteria.
(1) Personal fall arrest systems shall, when stopping a
						  fall:
(A) Limit maximum arresting force on an employee to
						  1,800 pounds when used with a body harness;
(B) Bring an employee to a complete stop and limit
						  maximum deceleration distance an employee travels to 3.5 feet; and
(C) Have sufficient strength to withstand twice the
						  potential impact energy of an employee free falling a distance of six feet, or
						  the free fall distance permitted by the system, whichever is less.
(2)(A) When used by employees having a combined person
						  and tool weight of less than 310 pounds, personal fall arrest systems which
						  meet the criteria and protocols contained in paragraphs (b), (c) and (d) in
						  Section II of this Appendix shall be considered as complying with the
						  provisions of subparagraphs (d)(1)(A) through (d)(1)(C) above.
(B) When used by employees having a combined tool and
						  body weight of 310 pounds or more, personal fall arrest systems which meet the
						  criteria and protocols contained in paragraphs (b), (c) and (d) in Section II
						  may be considered as complying with the provisions of subparagraphs (d)(1)(A)
						  through (d)(1)(C), provided that the criteria and protocols are modified
						  appropriately to provide proper protection for such heavier weights.
(e) Care and Use.
(1) Body belts shall not be used as part of a personal
						  fall arrest system.
(2) Devices used to connect to a horizontal safety line
						  which may become a vertical safety line shall be capable of locking in either
						  direction on the safety line.
(3) Personal fall arrest systems shall be rigged such
						  that an employee can neither free fall more than six feet, nor contact any
						  lower level obstacle.
(4) The attachment point of the body belt shall be
						  located in the center of the wearer's back. The attachment point of the body
						  harness shall be located in the center of the wearer's back near shoulder level
						  or above the wearer's head.
(5) When vertical safety lines are used, each employee
						  shall be provided with a separate safety line.
(6) Personal fall arrest systems or components shall be
						  used only for employee fall protection.
(7) Personal fall arrest systems or components
						  subjected to impact loading shall be immediately removed from service and shall
						  not be used again for employee protection until repaired or replaced. Repaired
						  or replaced components or component parts shall meet the performance and
						  testing requirements of this appendix.
(8) The employer shall provide for prompt rescue of
						  employees in the event of a fall or shall assure the self-rescue capability of
						  employees.
(9) Before using a personal fall arrest system, and
						  after any component or system is changed, employees shall be trained in
						  accordance with the requirements of Secton 3298 in the safe use of the
						  system.
(f) Inspections.
(1) Personal fall arrest systems shall be inspected
						  prior to each use for mildew, wear, damage and other deterioration, and
						  defective components shall be removed from service if their strength or
						  function may be adversely affected.
(2) Each personal fall arrest system shall be inspected
						  not less than twice annually by a competent person in accordance with the
						  manufacturer's recommendations. The date of each inspection shall be
						  documented.
II. Test Methods for Personal Fall Arrest
						  Systems.
(a) General. Paragraphs (b), (c), (d) and (e) of this
						  Section II set forth test procedures which shall be used to determine
						  compliance with requirements in subparagraphs (d)(1)(A) through (d)(1)(C) of
						  Section I of this Appendix.
(b) General conditions for all tests in Section
						  II.
(1) Safety lines, lanyards and deceleration devices
						  shall be attached to an anchorage and connected to the body harness in the same
						  manner as they would be when used to protect employees.
(2) The anchorage shall be rigid, and shall not have a
						  deflection greater than .04 inches when a force of 2,250 pounds is
						  applied.
(3) The frequency response of the load measuring
						  instrumentation shall be 120 Hz.
(4) The test weight used in the strength and force
						  tests shall be a rigid, metal, cylindrical or torso-shaped object with a girth
						  of 38 inches plus or minus four inches.
(5) The lanyard or safety line used to create the free
						  fall distance shall be supplied with the system, or in its absence, the least
						  elastic lanyard or safety line available to be used with the system.
(6) The test weight for each test shall be hoisted to
						  the required level and shall be quickly released without having any appreciable
						  motion imparted to it.
(7) The system's performance shall be evaluated taking
						  into account the range of environmental conditions for which it is designed to
						  be used.
(8) Following the test, the system need not be capable
						  of further operation.
(c) Strength Test.
(1) During the testing of all systems, a test weight of
						  300 pounds plus or minus five pounds shall be used. (See subparagraph (b)(4),
						  above.)
(2) The test consists of dropping the test weight once.
						  A new unused system shall be used for each test.
(3) For lanyard systems, the lanyard length shall be
						  six feet plus or minus two inches as measured from the fixed anchorage to the
						  attachment on the body harness.
(4) For rope-grab-type deceleration systems, the length
						  of the safety line above the centerline of the grabbing mechanism to the safety
						  line's anchorage point shall not exceed two feet.
(5) For lanyard systems, for systems with deceleration
						  devices which do not automatically limit free fall distance to two feet or
						  less, and for systems with deceleration devices which have a connection
						  distance in excess of one foot (measured between the centerline of the safety
						  line and the attachment point to the body belt or harness) the test weight
						  shall be rigged to free fall a distance of 7.5 feet from a point that is 1.5
						  feet above the anchorage point, to its hanging location (six feet below the
						  anchorage). The test weight shall fall without interference, obstruction, or
						  hitting the floor or ground during the test. In some cases, a non-elastic wire
						  lanyard of sufficient length may need to be added to the system (for test
						  purposes) to create the necessary free fall distance.
(6) For deceleration device systems with integral
						  safety lines or lanyards which automatically limit free fall distance to two
						  feet or less, the test weight shall be rigged to free fall a distance of four
						  feet.
(7) Any weight which detaches from the belt or harness
						  shall constitute failure for the strength test.
(d) Force Test.
(1) General. The test consists of dropping the
						  respective test weight specified in subsection (d)(2)(A) or (d)(3)(A) once. A
						  new, unused system shall be used for each test.
(2) For lanyard systems.
(A) A test weight of 220 pounds plus or minus three
						  pounds shall be used. (See subparagraph (b)(4), above.)
(B) Lanyard length shall be six feet plus or minus two
						  inches as measured from the fixed anchorage to the attachment on the body
						  harness.
(C) The test weight shall fall free from the anchorage
						  level to its hanging location (a total of six feet free fall distance) without
						  interference, obstruction, or hitting the floor or ground during the
						  test.
(3) For all other systems.
(A) A test weight of 220 pounds plus or minus three
						  pounds shall be used. (See subparagraph (b)(4), above.)
(B) The free fall distance to be used in the test shall
						  be the maximum fall distance physically permitted by the system during normal
						  use conditions, up to a maximum free fall distance for the test weight of six
						  feet, except as follows:
1. For deceleration systems which have a connection
						  link or lanyard, the test weight shall free fall a distance equal to the
						  connection distance (measured between the centerline of the safety line and the
						  attachment point to the body harness).
2. For deceleration device systems with integral safety
						  lines or lanyards which automatically limit free fall distance to two feet or
						  less, the test weight shall free fall a distance equal to that permitted by the
						  system in normal use. (For example, to test a system with a self-retracting
						  safety line or lanyard, the test weight shall be supported and the system
						  allowed to retract the safety line or lanyard as it would in normal use. The
						  test weight would then be released and the force and deceleration distance
						  measured).
(4) A system fails the force test if the recorded
						  maximum arresting force exceeds 2,520 pounds when using a body harness.
(5) The maximum elongation and deceleration distance
						  shall be recorded during the force test.
(e) Deceleration Device Tests.
(1) General. The device shall be evaluated or tested
						  under the environmental conditions, (such as rain, ice, grease, dirt, type of
						  safety line, etc.), for which the device is designed.
(2) Rope-grab-type deceleration devices.
(A) Devices shall be moved on a safety line 1,000 times
						  over the same length of line a distance of not less than one foot, and the
						  mechanism shall lock each time.
(B) Unless the device is permanently marked to indicate
						  the type(s) of safety line which must be used, several types (different
						  diameters and different materials) of safety lines shall be used to test the
						  device.
(3) Other self-activating-type deceleration devices.
						  The locking mechanisms of other self-activating-type deceleration devices
						  designed for more than one arrest shall lock each of 1,000 times as they would
						  in normal service.
III. Non-Mandatory Guidelines for Personal Fall Arrest
						  Systems. The following information constitutes additional guidelines for use in
						  complying with requirements for a personal fall arrest system.
(a) Selection and Use Considerations. The kind of
						  personal fall arrest system selected should match the particular work
						  situation, and any possible free fall distance should be kept to a minimum.
						  Consideration should be given to the particular work environment. For example,
						  the presence of acids, dirt, moisture, oil, grease, etc., and their effect on
						  the system should be evaluated. Hot or cold environments may also have an
						  adverse affect on the system. Wire rope should not be used where an electrical
						  hazard is anticipated. As required by the standard, the employer must plan to
						  have means available to promptly rescue an employee should a fall occur, since
						  the suspended employee may not be able to reach a work level
						  independently.
Where lanyards, connectors, and safety lines are
						  subject to damage by work operations such as welding, chemical cleaning, and
						  sandblasting, the component should be protected or other securing systems
						  should be used. The employer should fully evaluate the work conditions and
						  environment (including seasonal weather changes) before selecting the
						  appropriate personal fall protection system. Once in use, the system's
						  effectiveness should be monitored. In some cases, a program for cleaning and
						  maintenance of the system may be necessary.
(b) Testing Considerations. Before purchasing or
						  putting into use a personal fall arrest system, an employer should obtain from
						  the supplier information about the system based on its performance during
						  testing so that the employer can know if the system meets this standard.
						  Testing should be done using recognized test methods.
Section II of this Appendix C contains test methods
						  recognized for evaluating the performance of fall arrest systems. Not all
						  systems may need to be individually tested; the performance of some systems may
						  be based on data and calculations derived from testing of similar systems,
						  provided that enough information is available to demonstrate similarity of
						  function and design.
(c) Component Compatibility Considerations. Ideally, a
						  personal fall arrest system is designed, tested, and supplied as a complete
						  system. However, it is common practice for lanyards, connectors, safety lines,
						  deceleration devices, and body harnesses to be interchanged since some
						  components wear out before others. The employer and employee should realize
						  that not all components are interchangeable. For instance, a lanyard should not
						  be connected between a body harness and a deceleration device of the
						  self-retracting type since this can result in additional free fall for which
						  the system was not designed. Any substitution or change to a personal fall
						  arrest system should be fully evaluated or tested by a qualified person to
						  determine that it meets the standard, before the modified system is put in
						  use.
(d) Employee Training Considerations.
Thorough employee training in the selection and use of
						  personal fall arrest systems is imperative. As stated in the standard, before
						  the equipment is used, employees must be trained in the safe use of the system.
						  This should include the following: Application limits; proper anchoring and
						  tie-off techniques; estimation of free fall distance, including determination
						  of deceleration distance, and total fall distance to prevent striking a lower
						  level; methods of use; and inspection and storage of the system. Careless or
						  improper use of the equipment can result in serious injury or death. Employers
						  and employees should become familiar with the material in this appendix, as
						  well as manufacturer's recommendations, before a system is used. Of uppermost
						  importance is the reduction in strength caused by certain tie-offs (such as
						  using knots, tying around sharp edges, etc.) and maximum permitted free fall
						  distance. Also, to be stressed are the importance of inspections prior to use,
						  the limitations of the equipment, and unique conditions at the worksite which
						  may be important in determining the type of system to use.
(e) Instruction Considerations. Employers should obtain
						  comprehensive instructions from the supplier as to the system's proper use and
						  application, including, where applicable:
(1) The force measured during the sample force
						  test;
(2) The maximum elongation measured for lanyards during
						  the force test;
(3) The deceleration distance measured for deceleration
						  devices during the force test;
(4) Caution statements on critical use
						  limitations;
(5) Application limits;
(6) Proper hook-up, anchoring and tie-off techniques,
						  including the proper dee-ring or other attachment point to use on the body
						  harness for fall arrest;
(7) Proper climbing techniques;
(8) Methods of inspection, use, cleaning, and storage;
						  and
(9) Specific safety lines which may be used.
This information should be provided to employees during
						  training.
(f) Inspection Considerations. As stated in the
						  standard (Section I, paragraph (f)), personal fall arrest systems must be
						  regularly inspected. Any component with any significant defect, such as cuts,
						  tears, abrasions, mold, or undue stretching; alterations or additions which
						  might affect its efficiency; damage due to deterioration; contact with fire,
						  acids, or other corrosives; distorted hooks or faulty hook springs; tongues
						  unfitted to the shoulder of buckles; loose or damaged mountings;
						  non-functioning parts; or wearing or internal deterioration in the ropes must
						  be withdrawn from service immediately, and should be tagged or marked as
						  unusable, or destroyed.
(g) Rescue Considerations. As required by the standard
						  (Section I, subparagraph (e)(8)), when personal fall arrest systems are used,
						  the employer must assure that employees can be promptly rescued or can rescue
						  themselves should a fall occur. The availability of rescue personnel, ladders
						  or other rescue equipment should be evaluated. In some situations, equipment
						  which allows employees to rescue themselves after the fall has been arrested
						  may be desirable, such as devices which have descent capability.
(h) Tie-off Considerations.
(1) One of the most important aspects of personal fall
						  protection systems is fully planning the system before it is put into use.
						  Probably the most overlooked component is planning for suitable anchorage
						  points. Such planning should ideally be done before the structure or building
						  is constructed so that anchorage points can be incorporated during construction
						  for use later for window cleaning or other building maintenance. If properly
						  planned, these anchorage points may be used during construction, as well as
						  afterwards.
(2) Employers and employees should at all times be
						  aware that the strength of a personal fall arrest system is based on its being
						  attached to an anchoring system which does not significantly reduce the
						  strength of the system (such as properly dimensioned eye- bolt/snap-hook
						  anchorage). Therefore, if a means of attachment is used that will reduce the
						  strength of the system, that component should be replaced by a stronger one,
						  but one that will also maintain the appropriate maximum arrest force
						  characteristics.
(3) Tie-off using a knot in a rope lanyard or safety
						  line (at any location) can reduce the safety line or lanyard strength by 50
						  percent or more. Therefore, a stronger lanyard or safety line should be used to
						  compensate for the weakening effect of the knot, or the lanyard length should
						  be reduced (or the tie-off location raised) to minimize free fall distance, or
						  the lanyard or safety line should be replaced by one which has an appropriately
						  incorporated connector to eliminate the need for a knot.
(4) Tie-off a rope lanyard or safety line around an "H"
						  or "I" beam or similar support can reduce its strength as much as 70 percent
						  due to the cutting action of the beam edges. Therefore, use should be made of a
						  webbing lanyard or wire core safety lines around the beam; or the lanyard or
						  safety line should be protected from the edge; or free fall distance should be
						  greatly minimized.
(5) Tie-off where the line passes over or around rough
						  or sharp surfaces reduces strength drastically. Such a tie-off should be
						  avoided or an alternative tie-off rigging should be used. Such alternatives may
						  include use of a snaphook/dee ring connection, wire rope tie-off, an effective
						  padding of the surfaces, or an abrasion-resistance strap around or over the
						  problem surface.
(6) Horizontal safety lines may, depending on their
						  geometry and angle of sag, be subjected to greater loads than the impact load
						  imposed by an attached component. When the angle of horizontal safety line sag
						  is less than 30 degrees, the impact force imparted to the safety line by an
						  attached lanyard is greatly amplified. For example, with a sag angle of 15
						  degrees, the force amplification is about 2:1 and at 5 degrees sag, it is about
						  6:1.
Depending on the angle of sag, and the line's
						  elasticity, the strength of the horizontal safety line and the anchorages to
						  which it is attached should be increased a number of times over that of the
						  lanyard. Extreme care should be taken in considering a horizontal safety line
						  for multiple tie-offs. The reason for this is that in multiple tie-offs to a
						  horizontal safety line, if one employee falls, the movement of the falling
						  employee and the horizontal safety line during arrest of the fall may cause
						  other employees to also fall. Horizontal safety line and anchorage strength
						  should be increased for each additional employee to be tied-off. For these and
						  other reasons, the design of systems using horizontal safety lines must only be
						  done by qualified persons. Testing of installed safety lines and anchors prior
						  to use is recommended.
(7) The strength of an eve-bolt is rated along the axis
						  of the bolt and its strength is greatly reduced if the force is applied at an
						  angle to this axis (in the direction of shear). Also, care should be exercised
						  in selecting the proper diameter of the eye to avoid accidental disengagement
						  of snap-hooks not designed to be compatible for the connection.
(8) Due to the significant reduction in the strength of
						  the safety line/lanyard (in some cases, as much as a 70 percent reduction), the
						  sliding hitch knot should not be used for safety line/lanyard connections
						  except in emergency situations where no other available system is practical.
						  The "one-and-one" sliding hitch knot should never be used because it is
						  unreliable in stopping a fall. The "two-and-two" or "three-and-three" knot
						  (preferable), may be used in emergency situations; however, care should be
						  taken to limit free fall distance to a minimum because of reduced safety
						  line/lanyard strength.
(i) Vertical Safety Line Considerations. As required by
						  the standard, each employee must have a separate safety line when the safety
						  line is vertical. The reason for this is that in multiple tie-offs to a single
						  safety line, if one employee falls, the movement of the safety line during the
						  arrest of the fall may pull other employees' lanyards, causing them to fall as
						  well.
(j) Free Fall Considerations. The employer and employee
						  should at all times be aware that a system's maximum arresting force is
						  evaluated under normal use conditions established by the manufacturer, and in
						  no case using a free fall distance in excess of six feet. A few extra feet of
						  free fall can significantly increase the arresting force on the employee,
						  possibly to the point of causing injury. Because of this, the free fall
						  distance should be kept at a minimum, and, as required by the standard, in no
						  case greater than six feet. To help assure this, the tie-off attachment point
						  to the safety line or anchor should be located at or above the connection point
						  of the fall arrest equipment to the body harness. (Since otherwise additional
						  free fall distance is added to the length of the connecting means (i.e.
						  lanyard)). Attaching to the working surface will often result in a free fall
						  greater than six feet. For instance, if a six foot lanyard is used, the total
						  free fall distance will be the distance from the working level to the body
						  harness attachment point plus the six feet of lanyard length. Another important
						  consideration is that the arresting force which the fall system must withstand
						  also goes up with greater distance of free fall, possibly exceeding the
						  strength of the system.
(k) Elongation and Deceleration Distance
						  Considerations. Other factors involved in a proper tie-off are elongation and
						  deceleration distance. During the arresting of a fall, a lanyard will
						  experience a length of stretching or elongation, whereas activation of a
						  deceleration device will result in a certain stopping distance. These distances
						  should be available with the lanyard or device's instructions and must be added
						  to the free fall distance to arrive at the total fall distance before an
						  employee is fully stopped. The additional stopping distance may be very
						  significant if the lanyard or deceleration device is attached near or at the
						  end of a long safety line, which may itself add considerable distance due to
						  its own elongation. As required by the standard, sufficient distance to allow
						  for all of these factors must also be maintained between the employee and
						  obstructions below, to prevent an injury due to impact before the system fully
						  arrests the fall. In addition, a minimum of 12 feet of safety line should be
						  allowed below the securing point of a rope grab type deceleration device, and
						  the end terminated to prevent the device from sliding off the safety line
						  should extend to the ground or the next working level below. These measures are
						  suggested to prevent the worker from inadvertently moving past the end of the
						  safety line and having the rope grab become disengaged from the safety
						  line.
(
l
) Obstruction Considerations. The
						  location of the tie-off should also consider the hazard of obstructions in the
						  potential fall path of the employee. Tie-offs which minimize the possibilities
						  of exaggerated swinging should be considered.
(m) Other Considerations. Because of the design of some
						  personal fall arrest systems, additional considerations may be required for
						  proper tie-off. For example, heavy deceleration devices of the self-retracting
						  type should be secured overhead in order to avoid the weight of the device
						  having to be supported by the employee. Also, if self-retracting equipment is
						  connected to a horizontal safety line, the sag in the safety line should be
						  minimized to prevent the device from sliding down the safety line to a position
						  which creates a swing hazard during fall arrest. In all cases, manufacturer's
						  instructions should be followed.
Note: Authority cited: Section
							 142.3, Labor
							 Code. Reference: Section
							 142.3, Labor
							 Code; and Section
							 18943(c),
							 Health and Safety Code.