OSHA has issued a final rule updating Walking-Working Surfaces standards in accordance with slip, trip and fall hazards. The rule also includes a new section under the general industry Personal Protective Equipment standards that establishes employer requirements for using personal fall protection systems. The most significant update allows employers to select the fall protection system that works best for them.
OSHA estimates the final standard will prevent 29 fatalities and more than 5,842 injuries annually. The rule, effective January 17th, 2017, will affect approximately 112 million workers at seven million worksites.
“The final rule will increase workplace protection from those hazards, especially fall hazards, which are a leading cause of worker deaths and injuries,” says Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels. “OSHA believes advances in technology and greater flexibility will reduce worker deaths and injuries from falls.”
Employers will now have the ability to select the fall protection system that works best for them, selecting one method from a range of accepted options including personal fall protection systems. OSHA has permitted the use of personal fall protection systems in construction since 1994 and the final rule adopts similar requirements for general industry. Other changes include allowing employers to use rope descent systems up to 300 feet above a lower level; prohibiting the use of body belts as part of a personal fall arrest system; and requiring worker training on personal fall protection systems and fall equipment.
