Current through all regulations passed and filed through September 16, 2024
(A) Scope.
This rule shall apply to temporary conditions where there is
danger of employees or material falling through floor, roof or wall openings or
from stairways or runways.
(B) Definitions.
(1)
"Handrail" means a
rail used to provide employees with a handhold for
support.
(2)
"Hole" means a gap or void two inches ( 5.1 cm) or more
in its least dimension, in a floor, roof, or other walking/working
surface
(3) "Nose (nosing)" means that portion of a tread
projecting beyond the face of the riser immediately below.
(4)
"Platform" means a working space for employees elevated above the surrounding
floor or ground.
(5) "Rise (riser)" means
the vertical distance
from the top of a tread to the top of the next higher tread or platform/landing
or the distance from the top of a platform/ landing to the top of the next
higher tread or platform/landing.
(6) "Runway" means a
passageway for employees, elevated above surrounding floor or ground
level.
(7) "Stair platform" means an extended step or landing
breaking a continuous run of stairs.
(8)
"Stairrail
system" means a vertical barrier erected along the unprotected sides and edges
of a stairway to prevent employees from falling to lower levels. The top
surface of a stairrail system may also be a "handrail."
(9)
"Stairs (stairway)" means a series of steps and landings having four or more
risers leading from one level or floor to another, or leading to
platforms.
(10) "Standard guard railing" means a substantial
barrier, constructed in accordance with paragraph (E) of this rule.
(a) "Intermediate rail" means the
intermediate lateral member or members of a standard guard railing, installed
at intervals of no more than twenty-one inches.
(b) "Top rail" means the top lateral member
of a standard guard railing.
(11) "Toeboard" means
a
low protective barrier that will
prevent the fall of materials and equipment to lower levels and provide
protection from falls for personnel.
(12) "Tread width"
means the horizontal distance from the front to back of tread
(excluding nosing,
if
any).
(13) "Wall opening" means an opening
no less than eighteen inches in its horizontal dimension in any
wall where the outside bottom edge of the wall opening
is six feet ( 1.8 m) or more above lower levels and the inside bottom edge of
the wall opening is less than thirty-nine inches ( 1.0 m) above the
walking/working surface.
(C) Temporary floors.
(1) Strength and construction.
(a) Strength.
Temporary floors shall be provided in all structures for
employees working on various floor levels and shall be substantially
constructed to support employees and equipment safely.
(b) Construction.
The planks shall be placed as close together as possible and shall not extend more than one foot beyond
supports unless securely fastened to prevent slipping or tipping.
(2) Guarding of partial
area.
(a) When employees are not required to
work over the entire area of a floor, only such partial area on which employees
are required to work shall be provided with the temporary working floors as
required in paragraph (C) (1) of this rule.
(b) Standard guard railing and toeboards
shall be provided around the unused portion of exposed sides of all openings in
floors, roofs, platforms or shafts.
(3) Joists.
(a) Joists shall be securely fastened to
prevent tipping before placing temporary floors.
(b) Over joists upon which concrete floors
are to be placed, expanded metal lath or wire mesh (no greater than one-half
inch mesh) may be used where the joist spacing does not exceed twenty-four
inches, provided that all laps and joints are securely fastened and that plank
runways are provided for safe passage or working thereon by
employees.
(4) Temporary
floors below finished floor.
In buildings or structures where the upper floors are
constructed before the lower floors, temporary floors of the strength required
in paragraph (C)(1) of this rule shall be maintained no more than two floors
below the floor being constructed.
(5) In structural steel frame buildings.
(a) Structural steel frame buildings shall
have temporary floors as provided in paragraph (C)(1) of this rule placed
within two typical floors of the erectors and the riveters. Such floors shall
cover the entire floor area beneath riveters or erectors except that no floors
are required over hoistway or stairway openings.
(b) Exception.
The provisions of paragraph (C)(5)(a) of this rule shall not
apply to what is generally known as mill buildings where no floors are
contemplated, and where the operation of overhead cranes, etc., will not permit
compliance.
(6) In
reinforced concrete frame constructed buildings.
Reinforced concrete frame constructed buildings shall have
floor or concrete forms constructed before the forms of the story above are
started.
(7) Sectionally
constructed buildings.
In sectionally constructed buildings each section constitutes a
separate building operation in the application of the temporary floor
requirements of this rule.
(D)
Holes and
openings.
(1)
Openings.
Floor openings shall be guarded by a standard guard railing and
toeboard or a cover with a safety factor of no less than two and so constructed
that the cover cannot be accidentally displaced. A safety belt or harness with
a lanyard may be provided in lieu of a standard guard railing and toeboard or
cover.
(a) Ladderway floor openings or
platforms.
Ladder or
openings shall be guarded by a standard guard railing
and toeboard on all exposed sides except at the entrance to the opening, with
the passage through the standard guard railing either provided with a swinging
gate or so offset that an employee cannot walk directly into the
opening.
(b) Floor holes.
Floor holes into which employees can accidentally walk, shall
be provided with either a standard guard railing and toeboard on all exposed
sides, or a floor hole cover which provides a factor of safety of no less than
two and so constructed that the cover cannot be accidentally displaced. While
the cover is not in place, the floor hole shall be guarded by a standard guard
railing.
(c) Hatchways.
A removable standard guard railing and toeboard shall be
provided on no more than two sides of the hatchway opening and fixed standard
guard railing and toeboard shall be provided on all other exposed sides. The
removable portion of the standard guard railings shall be kept in place when
the opening is not in use and where practicable should be hinged or otherwise
mounted so as to be conveniently replaceable.
(2) Wall openings.
(a) Guarding.
Each employee working on, at,
above, or near wall openings (including those with chutes attached) shall be
protected from falling by the use of a guardrail system, a safety net system,
or a personal fall arrest system.
(b) Spreaders.
If spreaders are used in window or door frames, such spreaders
shall be substantially secured in place.
(c) Where doors or gates open directly onto a
stairway, a platform shall be provided and the swing of the door shall not
reduce the effective width of the platform to less than twenty inches.
(3) Roof openings.
Wherever there is a danger of an employee falling six feet or
more to a lower level through a roof opening, including skylights, a standard
guard railing and toeboard shall be provided on all exposed sides, or a cover
which provides a factor of safety of no less than two shall be provided. A
safety belt or harness or a safety net system may be provided in lieu of the
standard guard railing and toeboard or cover.
(E) Standard guard railing.
(1) Standard guard railing shall be
constructed as a substantial barrier, securely fastened in place and free from
protruding objects such as nails, screws, and bolts, to protect openings or
prevent accidental contact with some object.
Top edge height of top
rails, or equivalent guardrail system members, shall be forty-two inches ( 1.1
m) plus or minus three inches (8 cm) above the walking/working level. When
conditions warrant, the height of the top edge may exceed the forty-five inch
height, provided the guardrail system meets all other criteria of this
paragraph. Note: When employees are using stilts, the top edge height of the
top rail, or equivalent member, shall be increased an amount equal to the
height of the stilts. Minimum material requirements shall be:
(a) Metal
(i) For pipe railings, the top rail,
intermediate rail and uprights shall be no less than one and one half inches
nominal diameter (schedule forty pipe) with
uprights spaced no more than eight feet on centers.
(ii) For structural steel railings, the top
rail, intermediate rail and uprights shall be of two-inch by two-inch by
three-eights-inch angles with uprights spaced no more than eight
feet on centers.
(iii) For wire
rope railings, the top and intermediate rail shall be at least one-quarter inch
diameter of thickness. If wire rope is used for top
rails, it shall be flagged at not more than six-foot intervals with
high-visibility material.
(b) Wood.
For wood railings, the uprights shall be of no less than
two-inch by four-inch (nominal) stock space not to exceed eight feet; the top
rail shall be of no less than two-inch by four-inch (nominal) stock; the
intermediate rail shall be of no less than one-inch by six-inch stock
(nominal).
(2) A
standard toeboard shall be constructed of substantial material. It shall be
three and one-half inches minimum in vertical height from its top edge to the
level of the floor, platform, runway or ramp. It shall be securely fastened in
place, with a clearance of no more than one-fourth-inch above the floor,
platform, runway or ramp. They shall be solid or have
openings not over one inch ( 2.5 cm) in greatest dimension. `Toeboards shall be
capable of withstanding, without failure, a force of at least fifty pounds
applied in any downward or outward direction at any point along the
toeboard.
(F)
Stairways.
(1) Uniform dimensions.
(a) The rise height and tread width shall be
uniform throughout any flight of stairs, including any foundation structure
used as one or more treads of the stairs. Variations in
riser height or tread depth shall not be over one-fourth-inch ( 0.6 cm) in any
stairway system
(b) Temporary
stairs shall have a landing no less than thirty inches in the direction of
travel travel and extend at least twenty-two inches (56
cm) in width at every twelve feet of vertical rise.
(c)
Winding and spiral stairways shall be equipped with a
handrail offset sufficiently to prevent walking on those portions of the
stairways where the tread width is less than six inches (15
cm).
(2) Angle of
stairways.
(a)
Stairways that will not be a
permanent part of the structure on which construction work is being performed
shall have landings of not less than thirty inches (76 cm) in the direction of
travel and extend at least twenty-two inches (56 cm) in width at every twelve
feet ( 3.7 m) or less of vertical rise. Stairs shall be installed between
thirty deg. and fifty deg. from horizontal.
(b) Where it is not possible to provide
temporary stairways due to the absence of floors in the structure, a ladder
shall be provided.
(3)
Stairways with pan-type treads.
Except during stairway
construction, foot traffic is prohibited on stairways with pan stairs where the
treads and/or landings are to be filled in with concrete or other material at a
later date, unless the stairs are temporarily fitted with wood or other solid
material at least to the top edge of each pan. Such temporary treads and
landings shall be replaced when worn below the level of the top edge of the
pan.
(4) Treads,
landings, gratings.
Treads for temporary service shall be made of wood or other
solid material, and shall be installed the full width and depth of the
stair.
(5)
Illumination.
Stairways, ramps, runways and platforms shall be lighted to no
less than the minimum illumination intensity of five foot-candles.
(6) Stair railings and handrails.
(a) Every flight of stairs having four or
more risers or rising thirty inches, whichever is less, shall be equipped with
stair railings or handrails as specified in paragraphs (F)(6)(a)(i) to
(F)(6)(a)(i)(v) of this rule, the width of the stair to be measured clear of
all obstructions except handrails. Handrails and the top rails of stairrail systems shall be
capable of withstanding, without failure, a force of at least two hundred
pounds (890 n) applied within two inches (5 cm) of the top edge, in any
downward or outward direction, at any point along the top edge.
(i)
The height of handrails shall be not more than
thirty-seven inches (94 cm) nor less than thirty inches (76 cm) from the upper
surface of the handrail to the surface of the tread, in line with the face of
the riser at the forward edge of the tread.
(ii)
When the top edge of
a stairrail system also serves as a handrail, the height of the top edge shall
be not more than thirty-seven inches (94 cm) nor less than thirty-six inches (
91.5 cm) from the upper surface of the stairrail system to the surface of the
tread, in line with the face of the riser at the forward edge of the
tread.
(iii)
Stairrail systems and handrails shall be so surfaced as
to prevent injury to employees from punctures or lacerations, and to prevent
snagging of clothing.
(iv)
Handrails
shall provide an adequate handhold for employees grasping them to avoid
falling.
(v)
The ends of stairrail systems and handrails shall be
constructed so as not to constitute a projection hazard.
(vi)
Unprotected sides and edges
of stairway landings shall be provided with guardrail systems.
(b) Construction.
(i) Stair railing.
A stair railing shall be of construction similar to a standard
guard railing, except that the vertical height shall be no less than thirty-six
inches from the upper surface of the top rail to the surface of the tread in
line with the face of the riser at the forward edge of the tread.
(ii) Handrail.
(a) A handrail shall be of construction
similar to a standard guard railing except that it is mounted to a wall or
partition, and does not include an intermediate rail. It shall have a smooth
surface along the top and both sides of the handrail. Ends of the handrail
shall be constructed so as not to constitute a projection hazard.
(b) The height of handrails shall be no more
than thirty-seven inches and no less than thirty inches from the upper surface
of the handrail to the surface of the tread, in line with the face of the riser
or to the surface of the ramp.
(c)
Handrails and railings shall be provided with a clearance of approximately
three inches between the handrail or railing and any other object.
(G)
Overhead protection.
Overhead protection shall be provided where employees are
working below other employees on floor levels with open floor above.
(H) Guarding of open-sided floors,
platforms and runways.
(1) Open-sided floors
or platforms.
(a) Standard guard railing and
toeboards shall be provided on every open-sided floor or platform six feet or
more above adjacent floor or ground level, except where there is entrance to a
ramp, stairway or fixed ladder.
(b)
One-quarter-inch wire rope and toeboard, substantially secured in place, may be
used in lieu of standard guard railing.
(2) Runways.
(a) Standard guard railings and toeboards
shall be provided on all open sides of runways six feet or more above floor or
ground level.
(b) Runways used
exclusively for special purposes may have the railing on one side omitted where
operating conditions necessitate such omission, providing the falling hazard is
minimized by using a runway no less then eighteen inches wide.
(3) Working above dangerous
equipment.
(a) Each employee working less than
six feet above dangerous equipment, such as machinery in operation, open vats,
hoppers, or tanks, railroad tracks with moving equipment below the work, live
electrical conductors unless deenergized and effectively grounded, or similar
sources of danger, shall be protected from falling into or onto the dangerous
equipment by a standard guard railing and toeboard, or the equipment shall be
guarded.
(b) Each employee working
six feet or more above dangerous equipment, such as machinery in operation,
open vats, hoppers, or tanks, railroad tracks with moving equipment below the
work, live electrical conductors unless deenergized and effectively grounded,
or similar sources of danger, shall be protected from falling into or onto the
dangerous equipment by a standard guard railing and toeboard, or safety belt or
harness, or a safety net system.
(4) Bridge decks.
The height of the standard guard railing on bridge decks may be
adjusted to provide clearance for the operation of paving machinery.
