Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 38, September 20, 2024
(a) Buildings. Guardrails shall be provided
on all open sides of unenclosed elevated work locations, such as: roof
openings, open and glazed sides of landings, balconies or porches, platforms,
runways, ramps, or working levels more than 30 inches above the floor, ground,
or other working areas of a building as defined in Section
3207 of the General Industry Safety
Orders. Where overhead clearance prohibits installation of a 42-inch guardrail,
a lower rail or rails shall be installed. The railing shall be provided with a
toeboard where the platform, runway, or ramp is 6 feet or more above places
where employees normally work or pass and the lack of a toeboard could create a
hazard from falling tools, material, or equipment.
EXCEPTIONS:
1.
Runways used exclusively for oiling, adjusting or otherwise maintaining
shafting or other machinery may have the guardrail on the side adjacent to the
machinery omitted provided that additional guarding as required by Group 6
Power Transmission Equipment, Prime Movers, Machines and Machine Parts is
complied with.
2. Stationary
elevated platforms secured to buildings or structures used exclusively for the
service and maintenance of overhead bridge cranes and similar mobile equipment
may be equipped with removable railings in lieu of guardrails on the side
adjacent to the machinery provided such railings are secured against falling
when they are not serving as a protective railing. In existing installations
where clearance prohibits railings on the outside of the platform, railings
will be permitted on the building side to serve as handholds.
3. Portions of loading or storage platforms
which are used primarily for loading or unloading railroad cars or trucks, or
at waterside edges used for cargo handling.
4. Open-sided platforms or floors used for
storage of lumber or other materials may be guarded with movable single rails,
sliding panels, gates or other barriers provided they are of strength and
design equivalent to guardrails.
5.
Open sides of storage platforms less than four feet wide, or portions thereof
which are loaded and unloaded exclusively by means of stackers or lift trucks
handling pallet supported loads.
6.
Glazed sides that are in compliance with Section
3242.
7. Open hearth and hot metal pouring
platforms.
8. Platforms, runways,
ramps, or other working levels less than 4 feet above floor, ground, or other
working level constructed prior to January 1, 1967.
9. Theatre galleries, balconies, or other
such elevated seating locations, where a 42-inch railing would obstruct the
sight lines, may be protected by a guardrail or other barrier of not less than
34 inches in height provided that a horizontal concave safety ledge not less
than 6 inches in depth and not less than 36 inches in effective width is
installed beyond the railing at the balcony floor level. The safety ledge shall
be designed to carry a live load of 100 pounds per square foot.
10. On outside plaza, patio, and garden
areas, alternate means of protection are acceptable if the same degree of
safety is provided.
11. Elevated
locations used infrequently by employees if the employees using them are
protected by a fall restraint/fall arrest system used in accordance with the
requirements in Article 24 of the Construction Safety Orders.
12. On fire hose drying towers, the top rail
may be omitted on the inboard or working side of the platform if the hose
drying fingers or hangers are spaced not more than 6 inches apart and extend
the full length of the platform along the open or working side to within 6
inches of the end rails. The ends of the fingers or hangers shall be positioned
at the same height as prescribed for the top rail and within 5 inches from the
vertical projection of the platform edge.
13. On the auditorium side of a stage, raised
platforms and other raised floor areas such as runways, ramps and side stages
used for entertainment or presentation. At vertical openings in the performance
area of stages.
(b) Other
Elevated Locations. The unprotected sides of elevated work locations that are
not buildings or building structures where an employee is exposed to a fall of
4 feet or more shall be provided with guardrails. Where overhead clearance
prohibits installation of a 42-inch guardrail, a lower rail or rails shall be
installed. The railing shall be provided with a toeboard where the platform,
runway, or ramp is 6 feet or more above places where employees normally work or
pass and the lack of a toeboard could create a hazard from falling tools,
material, or equipment.
EXCEPTIONS:
1.
Runways used exclusively for oiling, adjusting or otherwise maintaining
shafting or other machinery may have the guardrail on the side adjacent to the
machinery omitted provided that additional guarding as required by Group
6-Power Transmission Equipment, Prime Movers, Machines and Machine Parts is
complied with.
2. Portions of
loading or storage platforms which are placed or located next to railroad cars
or trucks and used primarily for loading or unloading railroad cars or trucks,
or at waterside edges used for cargo handling.
3. Open sides of storage platforms less than
four feet wide, or portions thereof which are loaded and unloaded exclusively
by means of stackers or lift trucks handling pallet supported loads.
4. Portable platforms, portable or fixed
workstands, where used in close quarters which would make the installation of
guardrails impracticable, may be provided with removable or hinged railings
which can be either removed or swung out of the way during such work. Toeboards
may not be required on portable or fixed platforms where the nature of the work
requires the employees to sit on the edge of the platform.
5. Elevated locations used infrequently by
employees if the employees using them are protected by a fall restraint/fall
arrest system used in accordance with the requirements in Article 24 of the
Construction Safety Orders.
6.
Flumes when they are accessed by an employee for the purpose of conducting a
flume patrol (as defined in Section
3207), and provided the employer
implements either written administrative procedures or provides alternative
means which will control the hazard of an employee fall off the
flume.
7. Belt loaders or conveyors
designed and used for access/egress to aircraft shall be equipped with at least
one handrail that will furnish a handhold for anyone grasping it to avoid
falling.
8. Working on or in
aircraft wheel wells when the wheel well design does not permit the use of
guardrails or other fall protection equipment/devices.
9. On mobile vehicles/equipment, where the
design or work processes make guardrails impracticable, the use of sufficient
steps and attached handholds or structural members which allow the user to have
a secure hand grasp shall be permitted. Work from the decks,
permanent/stationary platforms, runways, or walkways of mobile
vehicles/equipment shall be excluded from the requirements of subsection (b)
where it can be shown that guardrails or handholds are impracticable by the
design or work processes.
10. Where
design or erection, dismantling, inspection, repair, maintenance and adjustment
processes make installation of guardrails impracticable on portable amusement
rides, employees shall be provided and shall install and use personal fall
protection equipment in accordance with the rquirements of Section
1670 of the Construction Safety
Orders.
(c) Where the
guardrail requirements of subsections (a) and (b) are impracticable due to
machinery requirements or work processes, an alternate means of protecting
employees from falling, such as personal fall protection systems, shall be
used.
(d) Openings in guardrails
for ladderway access shall be protected as required by Section
3212(a)(2) of the
General Industry Safety Orders.
1.
Renumbering and amendment of former Section 3210 to Section
3207 and new Section 3210 filed
6-20-75; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 75, No. 25). For history
of former Section 3210, see Register 75, No. 10.
2. Amendment filed
7-16-76; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 76, No.
29).
3. New subsection (a)(12) filed 10-5-77; effective thirtieth
day thereafter (Register 77, No. 41).
4. Amendment of subsection
(a)(1), (a)(11), (a)(12) and new (a)(13) filed 7-26-78; effective thirtieth day
thereafter (Register 78, No. 30).
5. Amendment filed 5-25-83;
effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 83, No. 2). Approved by State
Building Standards Commission 1-24-83.
6. Amendment filed 12-12-84;
effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 84, No. 50).
7. New
subsection (a)14. and amendment of NOTE filed 6-7-96; operative 7-7-96
(Register 96, No. 23).
8. New subsection (a)14. and amendment of
subsection (b) and NOTE filed 3-4-97; operative 4-3-97 (Register 97, No.
10).
9. Change without regulatory effect renumbering duplicate
subsection (a)14. to new subsection (a)15. filed 3-7-97 pursuant to section
100, title 1, California Code of
Regulations (Register 97, No. 10).
10. Amendment of section heading
and section filed 5-20-99; operative 6-19-99 (Register 99, No.
21).
11. Editorial correction of subsection (b) (Register 99, No.
25).
12. Amendment of subsection (a), new subsection (d) and
amendment of NOTE filed 12-8-2004; operative 1-7-2005 (Register 2004, No.
50).
13. New EXCEPTION 10 to subsection (b) filed 1-24-2013;
operative 4-1-2013 (Register 2013, No. 4).
Note: Authority cited: Section
142.3, Labor
Code. Reference: Section
142.3, Labor
Code.
