Current through Vol. 24-16, September 15, 2024
Rule 2934.
(1)
Before an employee may perform any job related to hoisting employees aloft for
work, the employee shall receive training on safe access pursuant to these
rules. The operator of the hoist shall have a thorough understanding and comply
with subrules (2) to (9) of this rule pertaining to hoisting employees on the
hoist line.
(2) An anti-two block
device shall be used on all hoists, except where an employer can demonstrate
that ambient radiation frequency (RF) precludes that use. In such case, a
site-specific rigging plan shall be established and maintained on-site to
ensure that two blocking cannot occur and that effective communication between
the hoist operator and personnel being hoisted is maintained. This plan may
include a cable marking system, an employee situated on the tower in a position
to observe the top block, or any other system that will adequately ensure
communication. All of the following shall apply:
(a) A qualified person shall make the
following determinations:
(i) The rigging,
hoist line, and slings shall have a factor of safety of 10:1 against failure
during personnel lifts.
(ii) The
hoist line used to raise or lower employees must be wire rope and may be
equipped with a swivel to prevent any rotation of the employees.
(iii) If a swivel is not used, then an
alternate means shall be used to keep the employees under control at all
times.
(iv) If spin resistant wire
rope is used, additional and more frequent inspections are required due to
different wear trends.
(b) When hoisting personnel (versus
material), the hoist capacity load rating shall be de-rated by a factor of 2
(reduced by 1/2) and must maintain a 10:1 factor of safety after the reduction
is considered. All employees shall be provided with and required to use the
proper personal protective equipment (including fall protection equipment) that
shall be inspected before each day before use.
(c) Except where the employer can demonstrate
that specific circumstances or conditions preclude its use, a guide line (tag
line) shall be used to prevent the employees or the platform from contacting
the tower during hoisting.
(d) The
gin pole shall be thoroughly inspected before use by a competent person to
determine that it is free from defects, including but not limited to, damaged
and/or missing members, corrosive damage, missing fasteners and cracked or
broken welds at joints, and general deterioration.
(e) The gin pole shall be attached to the
tower as designed by a registered professional engineer. There shall be a
minimum of 2 attachment locations at the bottom of the gin pole and near the
top of the tower or the highest position available on the structure.
(f) The personnel load capacity and material
capacity of the lifting system in use shall be posted at the site near the
location of the hoist operator. If the system is changed (for example, if the
gin pole angle is changed), the posted capacity shall be changed
accordingly.
(g) In situations
where a gin pole is not being used on a communication tower and similar
structures, a crown block may be used on the structure instead of a gin pole
for access to the work location.
(3) A trial lift of the maximum intended
personnel load shall be made from ground level to the location to which
personnel are to be hoisted.
(a) The trial
lift shall be made immediately prior to placing personnel on the hoist
line.
(b) The hoist operator shall
determine that all systems, controls, and safety devices are activated and
functioning properly.
(c) A single
trial lift may be performed for all locations that are to be reached from a
single set-up position.
(d) The
hoist operator shall determine that no interference exists and that all
configurations necessary to reach those work locations remain under the limit
of the hoist's rated capacity and additionally maintain a 10:1 factor of safety
against failure.
(e) The trial lift
shall be repeated prior to hoisting employees whenever the hoist is moved and
set up in a new location or returned to a previously used position.
(f) After the trial lift, employees shall not
be lifted unless the following conditions are met:
(i) Hoist wire ropes are determined to be
free of damage in accordance with the provisions of construction safety
standard part 10. lifting and digging equipment,
R
408.41001a to
R
408.41099a.
(ii) Multiple part lines are not twisted
around each other.
(iii) The proof
testing requirements have been satisfied.
(g) If the hoist wire rope is slack, the
hoisting system shall be inspected to ensure that all wire ropes are properly
seated on drums and in sheaves.
(h)
A visual inspection of the hoist, rigging, base support, and foundation shall
be made by a competent person immediately after the trial lift to determine
whether testing has exposed any defect or adverse effect upon any component of
the structure.
(i) Any defects found during
the inspection that may create a safety hazard shall be corrected and another
trial lift shall be performed before hoisting personnel.
(ii) Prior to hoisting employees and after
any repair or modification, the system shall be proof tested to its rated load,
holding it in a suspended position for 5 minutes with the test load evenly
distributed (this may be done concurrently with the trial lift).
(iii) After proof testing, a competent person
shall inspect the rigging. Any deficiencies found shall be corrected and
another proof test shall be conducted.
(4) A pre-lift meeting shall be held before
the trial lift at each location and each time a new employee is assigned to the
operation. The pre-lift meeting shall meet both of the following requirements:
(a) The hoist operator, each employee to be
lifted, and the crew chief shall attend.
(b) The hoist operator shall review the
procedures to be followed and all appropriate requirements contained in this
rule with the other individuals present.
(5) The employer shall ensure that all trial
lifts, inspections, and proof tests shall be performed and documented, and the
documentation shall remain on site during the entire length of the project. The
employer shall ensure that the pre-lift meeting is documented, and the
documentation shall remain on site during the entire length of the
project.
(6) Employees shall be
hoisted to their work stations by using a personnel platform or by using a
boatswain chair and/or boatswain seat-type full body type harness.
(a) When a boatswain chair or boatswain
seat-type full body harness is used to hoist employees, the following shall
apply:
(i) Not more than 2 employees may be
hoisted at a time.
(ii) When
hoisting an employee in a boatswain type full body harness, the harness shall
be attached to the hoist wire rope line in such a manner as to utilize the
boatswain seat part of the harness, placing the employee into a sitting
position and a fall arrest lanyard must be attached from the back D ring of the
full body harness to a separate attachment point.
(iii) Only locking-type snap hooks shall be
used.
(iv) The harness shall be
equipped with 2 side rings and at least 1 front and 1 back D ring.
(v) The hoist line hook shall be equipped
with a safety latch that can be locked in a closed position to prevent loss of
contact.
(vi) Employees must
maintain 100% tie-off while moving between the hoist line and the
tower.
(b) When a
personnel platform is used, the following provisions must be followed:
(i) The maximum rate of travel shall not
exceed 200 feet per minute when a tag or trolley line is used to control
personnel hoists. When a tag or trolley line cannot be used, the rate of travel
of the employee being hoisted shall not exceed 100 feet per minute.
(ii) In all personnel hoist situations, the
maximum rate shall not exceed 50 feet per minute when personnel being lifted
approaches to within 50 feet of the top block.
(iii) The use of free-spooling (friction
lowering) is prohibited. When the hoist line is being used to raise or lower
employees, there shall be no other load attached to any hoist line and no other
load shall be raised or lowered at the same time on the same hoist.
(iv) As-built drawings approved by a
registered professional engineer shall provide the lifting capacity of the gin
pole and shall be available at the job site.
(v) The gin pole raising line shall not be
used to raise or lower employees unless it is rated for lifting
employees.
(vi) Employees must
maintain 100% tie-off while moving between the personnel platform and the
tower.
(7)
Employees being hoisted shall remain in continuous sight of and/or in direct
communication with the operator or signal person. The following shall apply:
(a) In those situations where direct visual
contact with the operator is not possible and the use of a signal person would
create a greater hazard for the person being hoisted, direct communication
alone, such as by radio, shall be used.
(b) When radios are used, they shall be
non-trunked closed 2-way selective frequency radio systems. When hand signals
are used, the employees must use industry standardized hand signals.
(8) Employees shall not be hoisted
during adverse weather conditions (high winds, electrical storms, snow, ice, or
sleet) or other impending danger, except in the case of emergency employee
rescue. The competent person shall make the determination.
(9) The hoist system (gin pole and its base
hoists) used to raise and lower employees on the hoist line, shall not be used
unless the following clearance distances are maintained at all times during the
lift:
| Power line voltage phase to phase (kV) |
Minimum safe clearance (feet) |
| 50 or below |
10 |
| Above 50 to 200 |
15 |
| Above 200 to 350 |
20 |
| Above 350 to 500 |
25 |
| Above 500 to 750 |
35 |
| Above 750 to 1,000 |
45 |
