Current through all regulations passed and filed through September 16, 2024
(A) Scope.
The requirements of this rule relate to the personal protective
equipment listed in this paragraph, as required for employees on operations
described in this rule in which there is a known hazard, recognized as
injurious to the health or safety of the employee.
(1) Eye and face protection.
(2) Foot (toe) protection.
(3) Respiratory protection - includes
respirators, masks, canister type masks, supplied-air helmets, etc., for
protection of the respiratory system from inhalation of particulate matter,
noxious gases and vapors, and oxygen deficiency. Although this rule does not
cover engineered protective measures (for example, ventilation), exposure
control shall be accomplished as far as is feasible by accepted engineering
methods before considering or instituting use of respirators (see rule
4123:1-3-18
of the Administrative Code).
(4)
Head and hair protection - includes all operations where employees are required
to be present in areas where a hazard to their head exists from falling or
flying objects, or from physical contact from rigid objects, or from exposures
where there is a risk of injury from electrical shock or hair
entanglement.
(5) Protective
clothing.
(6) Hearing
protection.
(7) Safety belts, body
harness lifelines and lanyards.
(8)
Seat belts.
(9) Safety
nets.
(10) Working over or near
water.
(B) Definitions.
(1) "Head protection devices" means
any device that meets the
American national standards institute (ANSI) Z 89.1 -1997, "American National
Standard for Personnel Protection-Protective Headwear for Industrial
Workers-Requirements," or any revisions to that standard.
(2) "Lanyard" means a flexible line of rope,
wire rope, or strap which generally has a connector at each end for connecting
the body belt or body harness deceleration device
to a life line or anchorage.
(3)
" Lifeline" means a
harness is attached component
consisting of a flexible line for connection to an anchorage at one end to hang
vertically (vertical lifeline), or for connection to anchorages at both ends to
stretch horizontally (horizontal lifeline), and which serves as a means for
connecting other components of a personal fall arrest system to the
anchorage.
(4) "O.D." means
optical density and refers to the light refractive characteristics of a
lens.
(5) "Radiant energy" means
energy that travels outward in all directions from its sources.
(6) "Respiratory devices" means:
(a) "Air-purifying
respirator"
means a
respirator with an air-purifying filter, cartridge, or
canister that removes specific air contaminants by passing ambient air through
the air-purifying element.
(b)
Assigned
protection factor (APF) means the workplace level of respiratory protection
that a respirator or class of respirators is expected to provide to employees
when the employer implements a continuing, effective respiratory protection
program as specified by this rule.
(c)
Atmosphere-supplying respirator means a respirator that
supplies the respirator user with breathing air from a source independent of
the ambient atmosphere, and includes supplied-air respirators (SARs) and
self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) units.
(d)
Canister or
cartridge means a container with a filter, sorbent, or catalyst, or combination
of these items, which removes specific contaminants from the air passed through
the container.
(e)
Demand respirator means an atmosphere-supplying
respirator that admits breathing air to the facepiece only when a negative
pressure is created inside the facepiece by inhalation.
(f)
Escape-only
respirator means a respirator intended to be used only for emergency
exit.
(g)
Filter or air purifying element means a component used
in respirators to remove solid or liquid aerosols from the inspired
air.
(h)
Filtering facepiece (dust mask) means a negative
pressure particulate respirator with a filter as an integral part of the
facepiece or with the entire facepiece composed of the filtering
medium.
(i)
Positive pressure respirator means a respirator in
which the pressure inside the respiratory inlet covering exceeds the ambient
air pressure outside the respirator.
(j)
Powered
air-purifying respirator (PAPR) means an air-purifying respirator that uses a
blower to force the ambient air through air-purifying elements to the inlet
covering.
(k)
Supplied-air respirator (SAR) or airline respirator
means an atmosphere-supplying respirator for which the source of breathing air
is not designed to be carried by the user.
(l) "Self-contained
breathing apparatus (SCBA)" means a
an
atmosphere-supplying respirator for which the breathing air source is designed
to be carried by the user.
(7) "
Body belt
" means a
strap with means both
for securing it about the waist and for attaching it to a lanyard, lifeline, or
deceleration device.
(8)
"Body harness" means straps which may be secured about
the employee in a manner that will distribute the fall arrest forces over at
least the thighs, pelvis, waist, chest and shoulders with means for attaching
it to other components of a personal fall arrest system.
(C) Specific
requirements of general application.
(1)
Personal protective equipment furnished by the employer shall be issued to the
employee in sanitary and proper condition so that it will effectively protect
against the hazard involved.
(2)
Where employees provide their own protective equipment, such equipment shall
give equal or greater protection than that furnished by the employer.
(D) Eye and face protection.
(1) Responsibility.
The employer shall provide eye protection for all employees
engaged in the operations listed in paragraph (D)(2) of this rule and exposed
to an eye hazard. Eye protection shall also be provided for any other employees
required to work in the immediate area and who are exposed to the hazards of
the operations listed. It shall be the responsibility of the employee to use
the eye protection provided by the employer (see sections
4101.12 and
4101.13 of the Revised Code).
(See also appendix to paragraph (D) of this rule for "Eye and Face Protector
Selection Guide".)
(2)
Operations requiring eye protection.
(a) Eye
protection shall be provided to employees performing the following operations:
(i) When using hand tools or mechanical
equipment to cut, chip, drill, clean, buff, grind, polish, shape, or surface
masonry, plaster, stone, plastics, or other hardened substances. This also
covers demolition work where the materials listed are part of the
operation;
(ii) Where acids, sand
or shot blast are used in building cleaning operations;
(iii) Welding or cutting operations involving
the use of gas flames or electric arc. For all electric welding operations the
employer shall provide suitable helmets, hoods, or hand shields. (See appendix
to this rule);
(iv) Where portland
cement or similar dust-producing material is taken from an elevated bin,
hopper, or similar structure by a chute;
(v) All spray paint operations where the
employee's eyes are exposed to paint mist in the atmosphere;
(vi) All sand or shot blast operations where
the employee's eyes are exposed to the blasting;
(vii) In the handling of molten metal, hot
tars, hot pitch, hot asphalt, hot plastic, or similar hot substances;
(viii) Dressing grinding wheels;
(ix) Cleaning operations where wire wheels
are used;
(x) In handling injurious
acids, alkalis, or other chemicals;
(xi) When working in close proximity to a
laser beam in excess of five milliwatts;
(xii) Cutting, drilling, turning, planing,
jointing, and sanding of wood with power tools;
(xiii) Operations of portable
explosive-actuated fastening tools and portable pneumatically powered
fasteners;
(xiv) Operations
requiring the use of compressed air for cleaning purposes.
(b) This rule does not apply where a shield
or exhaust equipment provides adequate eye protection for employees otherwise
exposed to the hazards covered in paragraphs (D)(2)(a)(i) to (D)(2)(a)(xiv) of
this rule.
(3) Face
shields.
Face shields may be used only in conjunction with safety
glasses and/or goggles where additional protection for the face is
necessary.
(4) Material
requirements for eye and face protection shall
meet ANSI Z 87.1 - 1968 or any revisions to that standard.
(5) Laser protection.
The employer shall provide laser safety goggles which will
protect the employee from direct or reflected laser light equal to or greater
than 0.005 watts (five milliwatts) per square centimeter. The laser safety
goggles shall provide protection for the specific wavelength of the laser and
be of optical density (O.D.) adequate for the energy involved. Table 3-3 lists
the maximum power or energy density for which adequate protection is afforded
by glasses of optical densities from five through eight. Output levels falling
between lines in this table shall require the higher density.
(a) Labeling of eye protection.
All protective goggles shall bear a label identifying the
following data:
(i) The laser
wavelength for which use is intended;
(ii) The optical density of those
wavelengths;
(iii) The visible light
transmission.
(b)
Labeling of laser equipment.
The employer shall furnish equipment provided with labels
containing the following minimum information for continuous-wave (cw)
lasers:
(i) Wavelength or wavelength
range;
(ii) Emergent beam
size;
(iii) Beam
divergence;
(iv) Maximum average
power output;
(v) Maximum emergency
beam irradiance;
(vi)
Manufacturer's name and address;
(vii) Product identification
number.
(c) Posting.
The employer shall post standard laser
warning placard notices in prominent locations in which lasers are being
operated. (For examples see appendix to this rule.)
(d) Beam shutters or caps shall be utilized,
or the laser turned off, when laser transmission is not actually required. When
the laser is left unattended for a substantial period of time, such as during
lunch hour, overnight or at change of shifts, the laser shall be turned
off.
(e) Atmospheric conditions.
When it is raining or snowing, or when there is dust or
fog in the air, the operation of laser systems shall be prohibited where
practicable; in any event, employees shall be kept out of range of the area of
source and target during such weather
conditions.
(E) Foot (toe) protection.
Foot protection shall be worn by the employee where an employee
is exposed to machinery or equipment that represents a foot hazard or where an
employee is handling material which presents a foot hazard.
Safety-toe footwear for employees shall meet the
requirements and specifications in American National Standard for Men's
Safety-Toe Footwear, Z 41.1 -1967 or any revisions of that
standard.
(F)
Respiratory equipment.
(1) The employer shall
furnish approved respiratory equipment where there are air contaminants as
defined in paragraph (B)(1) of rule
4123:1-3-01
of the Administrative Code. It shall be the responsibility of the employee to
use the respirator or respiratory equipment provided by the employer, guard it
against damage and report any malfunction to the employer (see sections
4101.12 and
4101.13 of the Revised Code).
Note: See appendix to this rule for basic guides for the selection of
respirators.
(2) This requirement
does not apply where an effective exhaust system or other means of equal or
greater protection has been provided.
(G) Head and hair protection.
(1) Responsibility.
(a) Employer.
(i) Whenever employees are required to be
present in areas where the potential hazard mentioned in paragraph (A)(4) of
this rule are present, employers shall provide them with
head protection devices or hair enclosures.
Where required, head protection shall meet the requirements of
ANSI Z 89.1 - 1969 or any revisions to that
standard.
(ii) When
required, employers shall provide accessories designed for use with protective
headgear and which are suitable for their intended purpose.
(iii) Protective helmets and bump caps, or
parts thereof, and hair enclosures shall be sanitized before reissue and
damaged parts of protective headgear shall be replaced.
(b) Employees.
Employees shall not alter any head or hair protective equipment
that lessens its effectiveness, and shall use such equipment in accordance with
instructions and training received.
(2) Hair enclosures.
(a) A hat, cap, or net shall be worn where
there is danger of hair entanglement in moving parts of machinery or equipment,
or where there is exposure to means of ignition. It shall be designed to
enclose all loose hair and be adjustable to accommodate all head sizes.
Material used for a hair enclosure shall be durable, fast-dyed, nonirritating
to the skin and capable of withstanding frequent cleaning. It shall not be
reissued from one employee to another unless it has been thoroughly
sanitized.
(b) Hair enclosures used
in areas where there is exposure to sparks, hot or molten metals, or ignition
from heat, flames, or chemical reaction shall be made of materials that are
nonburning or flame retardant and do not melt.
(H) Protective clothing.
(1) When handling chemicals injurious to the
skin.
The employer shall provide rubber or plastic gloves, sleeves
and aprons for all operations involving the handling of injurious
concentrations of acids, alkalis, epoxy or similar substances.
(2) Welding, cutting, brazing, and
molten metal exposures.
(a) All employees
exposed to the hazards created by welding, cutting, brazing, or molten metal
operations shall be protected by personal protective equipment.
(b) Specified protective clothing.
(i) The employer shall provide durable
flame-resistant gloves for all welders and oxygen cutters. Insulated linings
shall be provided when the employee is exposed to high radiant
energy.
(ii) The employer shall
provide cape sleeves or shoulder covers with bibs made of leather or other
flame-resistant materials for employees required to perform overhead welding or
cutting operations.
(iii) Clothing
treated with nondurable flame-retardant materials shall be treated after each
wetting or cleaning.
(3) When working by hand on
electrical circuits
protector
gloves shall be worn over insulating gloves, except as follows:
(a)
Unless
deenergized and grounded, the employer shall provide electricians' rubber
gloves with protectors, or other means of insulating employees from ground or
current of opposite polarity when working on circuits in excess of two hundred
fifty volts.
(b)
Protector gloves need not be used with Class 0 gloves,
under limited use conditions, when small equipment and parts manipulation
necessitate unusually high finger dexterity.
(c)
If the voltage
does not exceed two hundred fifty volts, ac, or three hundred seventy-five
volts, dc, protector gloves need not be used with Class 00 gloves, under
limited-use conditions, when small equipment and parts manipulation necessitate
unusually high finger dexterity.
(d)
Any other class
of glove may be used without protector gloves, under limited-use conditions,
when small equipment and parts manipulation necessitate unusually high finger
dexterity but only if the employer can demonstrate that the possibility of
physical damage to the gloves is small and if the class of glove is one class
higher than that required for the voltage involved.
(e)
Insulating gloves
that have been used without protector gloves may not be reused until they have
been tested under the provisions of "ASTM F496-14a Standard Specification for
In-Service Care of Insulating Gloves and Sleeves."
(4) When handling hot asphaltic materials.
The employer shall provide suitable foot protection to prevent
burns when employees are required to handle hot asphaltic materials.
(I) Hearing protection.
Employees exposed to continuous noise levels of ninety or more
decibels, A-scale (dBA) slow response shall be
provided with approved ear protection. If ear plugs that require fitting are
provided, they shall be fitted to the individual employee by a competent
person.
(J)
Body
belts, harness lifelines and lanyards.
(1)
Lifelines,
body belts or harnesses and lanyards shall be provided
by the employer, and it shall be the responsibility of the employee to wear
such equipment when exposed to hazards of falling where the operation being
performed is more than six feet above ground or above a floor or platform,
except as otherwise specified in this chapter, and when required to work on
stored material in silos, hoppers, tanks, and similar storage areas. Lifelines
and
body belts or harnesses shall be securely fastened to
the structure and shall sustain a static load of no less than three thousand
pounds.
(2) Lifelines,
body
belts or harnesses and lanyards shall be used only for employee safeguarding.
Any lifeline,
body belt, safety harness, or lanyard actually
subjected to in-service loading, as distinguished from static load testing,
shall be removed from service and shall not be used again for employee
safeguarding until inspected and determined by an authorized person to be
undamaged and suitable for reuse.
(3) Lifelines used on rock-scaling
operations, or in areas where the lifeline may be subjected to cutting or
abrasion, shall be a minimum seven-eighths-inch wire core manila rope or
equivalent. For all other lifeline applications, a minimum of
three-fourths-inch manila rope or equivalent shall be provided.
(4)
Body belt or
harness lanyard shall be a minimum of one-half-inch nylon, or equivalent, with
a maximum length to provide for a fall of no more than six feet. The lanyard
shall have a breaking strength of no less than three thousand pounds.
(5) All
body belt or
harness and lanyard hardware shall be drop forged or pressed steel, cadmium
plated. Surface shall be smooth and free from sharp edges.
(6) All
body belt or
harness and lanyard hardware shall be capable of withstanding a tensile loading
of three thousand pounds without cracking, breaking, or becoming permanently
deformed.
(7) Safety nets may be
used in lieu of lifelines and safety belts or harnesses.
(K) Seat belts.
(1)
Seat belts
shall be provided for crawler-type tractors, bulldozers, rubber-tired
earth-moving equipment, off-highway trucks and graders except on equipment that
is designed for standup operations only or that has no rollover protective
structure.
(2)
Seat belts and anchorages meeting the requirements of
49 CFR Part 571 (department of transportation, Federal Motor Vehicle Safety
Standards) shall be installed in all motor vehicles.
(L) Safety nets.
(1) Safety nets shall be provided when
workplaces are more than twenty-five feet above the ground, water, or other
surface where the use of ladders, scaffolds, catch platforms, temporary floors,
safety lines or safety belts or harnesses is impractical.
(2) Where safety net protection is required
by this rule operations shall not be undertaken until the net is in place and
has been tested.
(3) Safety nets
shall extend
eight feet beyond the edge of the work
surface where employees are exposed and shall be installed as close under the
work surface as practical but in no case more than twenty-five feet below such
work surface. Safety nets shall be hung with sufficient clearance to prevent
user's contact with the surfaces or structures below. Such clearances shall be
determined by impact load testing.
(4) The
mesh size of safety nets shall not exceed six
inches. All new safety nets shall meet accepted
performance standards of seventeen thousand five hundred foot-pounds minimum
impact resistance as determined and certified by the manufacturer, and shall
bear a label of proof test. Edge ropes shall provide a minimum breaking
strength of five thousand pounds.
(5) Forged steel safety hooks or shackles
shall be used to fasten the safety net to its
supports. Attachment of safety nets to the working platform is
prohibited.
(6) Connections between
safety net panels shall maintain the full
strength of the safety net.
(M) Working over or near water.
(1) Where employees are working over or near
water, and where the depth or current of the water creates a danger of
drowning, the employer shall provide U.S. coast guard-approved life jackets or
buoyant work vests for each employee.
(2) Ring buoys with no less than ninety feet
of line attached shall be provided and readily available for emergency rescue
operations. Distance between ring buoys shall not exceed two hundred
feet.
(3) At least one lifesaving
skiff shall be immediately available at locations where employees are working
over or adjacent to water.
(4) In
cribs and cofferdams where employees are exposed to danger of falling inside of
the enclosure containing water, a life raft shall be provided.
(N) Employee's responsibility.
It shall be the responsibility of the employee to properly use
the equipment provided by the employer as required in this rule (See also
sections 4101.12 and
4101.13 of the Revised
Code).
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