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Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
Trumpy Offline OP
Member
John,
I can sympathise with your ideas there.
I climb 110kV concrete poles every now and then hang out from the pole using only a pole belt to change out a broken insulator.
Line work is not for wimps. [Linked Image]
It has made me wonder odd time or two, what would happen if that belt snapped. [Linked Image]
You depend upon your gear to protect you.
I have stood up on the tops of cross-arms to re-position live 110kV lines before today and hooked my pole belt over the top cross-arm and hung off of that.
Being 30m (90ft) up in the air isn't a worry.
I think I trust my gear too much though. [Linked Image]

Arc Flash PPE Clothing, LOTO & Insulated Tools
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,445
Likes: 2
Cat Servant
Member
We have a saying here:

"I'm not afraid of heights. I'm not even bothered much by the fall. But that sudden stop scared the heck out of me!"

Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 15
D
Member
Reno: I hear where you are coming from, however:

1) I dont believe that 1910.67 was written to address scissors lifts. I think the standard is limited to equipment covered in the ANSI standard incorporated by reference therein. i will say that OSHA could not have done a worse job on the way they have chosen to provide guidance on this type of equipment.

2)using a step ladder/5gal pail in a bucket truck is dangerous and should be prohibited (IMHO). When way up high, those lifts can be really unstable, no place for a ladder...

Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 5,445
Likes: 2
Cat Servant
Member
Just so you don't mis-understand me....I have had to use a short ladder, or climb on the bucket/lift, when the framing members were of such size and spacing that the lift itself could not enter- and I had to reach another foot or so.
I was certainly not speaking of using such things simply to 'go higher.' I think, if you are going to be climbing around, that maybe tying off to the structure begins to make sense.

As for instability- the worst bucket I've ever been in was a lot surer than the best ladder.

Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 2,749
Member
Quote
Fall Protection—Interpretations—Federal

07/21/1998 - Aerial lift regulations; fall protection for scissor lifts.

July 21, 1998

Dennis Vance

Safety Specialist

Safety Services

711 Low Gap Road

Princeton, WV 24740

Dear Mr. Vance:

RE: 1926.451(g); 1926.452(w);1926.453; 1926.502(d); CPL 2-1.23; ANSI A92.2; ANSI A92.6; scissors lift.

This is in response to your letter of May 27 to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in which you asked whether an employee working from a scissors lift equipped with guardrails needed to wear a "safety harness." You further expressed concern for the confusion created by OSHA's scaffold standard and its directive, CPL 2.112 (sic). Please accept our apology for the delay in responding to this inquiry and for any previously submitted requests.

We recognize that there is confusion regarding scissors lifts and the appropriate standards governing such equipment. The confusion stems from the way OSHA's directive is worded. In CPL 2-1.23, titled "Inspection Procedures for Enforcing Subpart L, Scaffolds Used in Construction - 29 CFR 1926.450-454," dated January 7, 1997, the statement in paragraph K.9.b states that scissors lifts are addressed by 1926.453, Aerial Lifts, and not by 1926.452(w), Mobile Scaffolds. The directive should have more clearly indicated that only aerial lifts meeting the design and construction of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) A92.2, Vehicle Mounted Elevating and Rotating Work Platforms, are addressed by 1926.453 since the coverage of that section is specifically limited to such lifts. All other types of mobile lifts would be covered by the specific requirements at 1926.452(w) and/or the general requirements of 1926.451. Please note, however, that if an employer is in full compliance with the requirements of the relevant document of the ANSI A92 series, OSHA would consider that compliance as providing an appropriate degree of safety for employees.

In regards to your specific question, when working from an elevated scissors lift (ANSI A92.6 series), a worker need only be protected from falling by a properly designed and maintained guardrail system. However, if the guardrail system is less than adequate, or the worker leaves the safety of the work platform, an additional fall protection device would be required. The general scaffolding fall protection provision found in 1926.451(g)(1)(vii) reads in part, "[f]or all scaffolds not otherwise specified in this section, each employee shall be protected by the use of personal fall arrest systems or guardrails systems."

If you require any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us again by writing to OSHA-Directorate of Construction, Office of Construction Standards and Compliance Assistance, Room N3621, 200 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20210.

Sincerely,

Russell B. Swanson, Director

Directorate of Construction


Joe Tedesco, NEC Consultant
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 15
D
Member
Unfortunately, in my experience, fall protection systems are usually an afterthought. Employees are often left with no other option than to choose an attachment point that "looks" the strongest, if they can find one at all. Being forced into a position where the only way to get the work done is to position yourself (and employer) at risk by violating the minimum workplace safety regulations stinks. It's a lose-lose situation.

Anchor points need to be engineered in the design phase of a project. I frequently drive by roadside construction projects and see guys with anchor points below their feet, or lanyards attached to scaffolds/guardrails, or tied off in such a way fall would result in a major swing. These are all extremely dangerous situations.

When you look at the rules for anchor points, i would think that the majority of points used, just don’t cut it!

Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
Trumpy Offline OP
Member
It makes me wonder, with my climbing.
What happens if I'm climbing up to the top of the pole structure to clamp on my "Fall Protection", get up there and the pole fails?.
The top of the pole is 90ft above ground.

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