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Posted By: akmaster Fall protection - 05/22/13 06:43 PM
What point of the body is used to calculate when a worker needs to be tied off? from the feet or waist?

please quote CFR 1926 or other requirement.

thank you,

Greg
Posted By: renosteinke Re: Fall protection - 05/22/13 08:48 PM
I recommend you read the OSHA part of the CFR before asking such a question. What the lawyer can't understand, and first-grader can readily explain.

As the rules begin at the 6-ft height, EVERY NBA player would be in violation if the rules referred to the distance between the head and the floor.
Posted By: akmaster Re: Fall protection - 05/23/13 12:04 AM
Hi,
Renosteinke, I have read CFR 1926 Part M and it does NOT specify the part of the body where the 6' is calculated from. I never mentioned anything about measuring from the head.. and back in the day everybody wore waist type fall protection, now it is a harness with a D ring in the center of the back...

I say it is from the waist, my partner says it's from the feet..

I don't feel it was a stupid question...just attempting to get some feedback/clarification.

regards,

GW


Posted By: HotLine1 Re: Fall protection - 05/23/13 03:22 AM
GW:
I do not profess to know the correct answer, but IMHO IF you are standing on an 8' ladder, on the 'legal' rung that is +/-6' AFF, I would use a common sense answer of 'your feet'.

Posted By: gfretwell Re: Fall protection - 05/23/13 07:12 AM
6' refers to the surface you are standing on

Quote
1926.501(b)(1)

"Unprotected sides and edges." Each employee on a walking/working surface (horizontal and vertical surface) with an unprotected side or edge which is 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above a lower level shall be protected from falling by the use of guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems.


There are a dozen other scenarios following that, all referring to the surface.
Posted By: HotLine1 Re: Fall protection - 05/23/13 01:31 PM
Greg:
Thanks for the official text!!
Posted By: renosteinke Re: Fall protection - 05/23/13 01:44 PM
Thank you, Greg and John.

Perhaps I get testy these days, at what I see as a complete failure of the schools to teach kids to think or even read.

"What body part do you measure from" is an absurd question, as the standard does not mention ANY body part. Rather, it discusses the height of the surface you're operating from, in relation to the area around it.

For that matter, it is irrelevant whether you are standing, sitting, laying down, or even doing a handstand.

Let's create an example to illustrate the point. Let's assume you wish to hang some holiday lights from the side of a pedestrian bridge, and are using a boom lift to extend out across the water. Do you need to wear a harness?

The answer is: as long as that basket is never raised more than 6-ft. above the water, you don't need a harness at all.

For a contrary situation, let's assume a situation where you need to remove part of the railing from a scissor lift. Now, since you don't have that railing, a harness might be required - though using a scissor lift does not usually require the use of a harness.

As for the OP's comments regarding harnesses vs. belts: one factor that applies is the type of restraint system. In most instances, a belt is adequate when an 'inertial' restraint is used, while a simple lanyard requires a harness.

Don't overlook other hazards by your blind obedience of "the rules." My employer had a man get killed (in another plant) when the lanyard got caught in the machinery. At my plant, we had a person get wrapped around a spinning shaft (broke nearly every major bone, but he's OK now) when the mandated unrolled shirt sleeve of his sturdy 'fire resistant' shirt got caught. Oops.
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