osha wire rope guardrail quotation

Your February 23 letter requesting an interpretation of an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard addressing the materials used for constructing guardrails has been forwarded to the Office of Construction and Maritime Compliance Assistance for response. I apologize for the delay in responding to your inquiry.

OSHA"s standards do not prohibit the use of wire rope or metal dry wall studs for the construction of guardrails at construction sites. If guardrails made with these materials meet the required criteria such as strength, deflection and smooth surface, OSHA will accept them.

We share your concern, however, that guardrails made of these materials are difficult to maintain or replace in effective condition. Let me assure your that OSHA is focusing its attention on fall hazards and will issue citations for ineffective guardrails to all responsible employers according to our multi-employer worksite citation policy. I have enclosed a copy of OSHA"s multi-employer worksite policy for your reference.

NEII is concerned with the safety of all persons on a job site as our own employees. There is an escalating problem in the protection of floor and wall openings by the use of wire rope barricades and the use of metal dry wall studs for barricade material.

This problem is seen on a nationwide basis and when NEII members as a subcontractor make an object to the use of these material for barricades on elevator hoistways, we get the standard answer that they are approved by OSHA. In reviewing the variances and the interpretations issued by OSHA, we have not been able to find any that address this condition.

The use of wire rope for barricades is in our opinion a hazard as once they have been removed to gain access to an area, they are never pulled taut again and thereby become a tripping hazard. These wire rope barricades usually have a span over 8 feet and they do not normally have a toeboard on them. Wire rope in our opinion is not smooth which is one requirement of the OSHA regulations. I can understand the use of wire rope for perimeter protection on buildings because, no one has to enter thru them and they are usually left as installed.

The other area in which there has been an increasing problem is the use of lightweight metal dry wall studs for barricades. These studs may be rigid when they are first put up but, if there is the slightest bend or crease in them, they quickly lose that rigidity. They do not by any means meet the deflection requirements of the standard and although they are smooth on the top, they have very sharp edges which could inflict a serious laceration to personnel who would handle them to remove or replace them. Once again, when a complaint is registered with the controlling contractor, we are told that they are OSHA approved.

NEII would like a formal interpretation as to whether or not these two materials are acceptable to OSHA for barricading of floor and wall openings, especially in view of the fact that they must be removed and replaced in order to work inside the barricaded area. Your help in this matter would certainly be appreciated.

Top edge height of top rails, or equivalent guardrail system members, shall be 42 inches (1.1 m) plus or minus 3 inches (8 cm) above the walking/working level. When conditions warrant, the height of the top edge may exceed the 45-inch height, provided the guardrail system meets all other criteria of this paragraph.

Midrails, screens, mesh, intermediate vertical members, or equivalent intermediate structural members shall be installed between the top edge of the guardrail system and the walking/working surface when there is no wall or parapet wall at least 21 inches (53 cm) high.

Other structural members (such as additional midrails and architectural panels) shall be installed such that there are no openings in the guardrail system that are more than 19 inches (.5 m) wide.

Guardrail systems shall be capable of withstanding, without failure, a force of at least 200 pounds (890 N) applied within 2 inches (5.1 cm) of the top edge, in any outward or downward direction, at any point along the top edge.

When the 200 pound (890 N) test load specified in paragraph (b)(3) of this section is applied in a downward direction, the top edge of the guardrail shall not deflect to a height less than 39 inches (1.0 m) above the walking/working level. Guardrail system components selected and constructed in accordance with the Appendix B to subpart M of this part will be deemed to meet this requirement.

Top rails and midrails shall be at least one-quarter inch (0.6 cm) nominal diameter or thickness to prevent cuts and lacerations. If wire rope is used for top rails, it shall be flagged at not more than 6-foot intervals with high-visibility material.

When guardrail systems are used at hoisting areas, a chain, gate or removable guardrail section shall be placed across the access opening between guardrail sections when hoisting operations are not taking place.

When guardrail systems are used around holes used for the passage of materials, the hole shall have not more than two sides provided with removable guardrail sections to allow the passage of materials. When the hole is not in use, it shall be closed over with a cover, or a guardrail system shall be provided along all unprotected sides or edges.

When guardrail systems are used around holes which are used as points of access (such as ladderways), they shall be provided with a gate, or be so offset that a person cannot walk directly into the hole.

Manila, plastic or synthetic rope being used for top rails or midrails shall be inspected as frequently as necessary to ensure that it continues to meet the strength requirements of paragraph (b)(3) of this section.

The maximum size of each safety net mesh opening shall not exceed 36 square inches (230 cm) nor be longer than 6 inches (15 cm) on any side, and the opening, measured center-to-center of mesh ropes or webbing, shall not be longer than 6 inches (15 cm). All mesh crossings shall be secured to prevent enlargement of the mesh opening.

During the construction of elevator shafts, two employees may be attached to the same lifeline in the hoistway, provided both employees are working atop a false car that is equipped with guardrails; the strength of the lifeline is 10,000 pounds [5,000 pounds per employee attached] (44.4 kN); and all other criteria specified in this paragraph for lifelines have been met.

Note: If the personal fall arrest system meets the criteria and protocols contained in Appendix C to subpart M, and if the system is being used by an employee having a combined person and tool weight of less than 310 pounds (140 kg), the system will be considered to be in compliance with the provisions of paragraph (d)(16) of this section. If the system is used by an employee having a combined tool and body weight of 310 pounds (140 kg) or more, then the employer must appropriately modify the criteria and protocols of the Appendix to provide proper protection for such heavier weights, or the system will not be deemed to be in compliance with the requirements of paragraph (d)(16) of this section.

Personal fall arrest systems shall not be attached to guardrail systems, nor shall they be attached to hoists except as specified in other subparts of this Part.

When the path to a point of access is not in use, a rope, wire, chain, or other barricade, equivalent in strength and height to the warning line, shall be placed across the path at the point where the path intersects the warning line erected around the work area, or the path shall be offset such that a person cannot walk directly into the work area.

The rope, wire, or chain shall be rigged and supported in such a way that its lowest point (including sag) is no less than 34 inches (.9 m) from the walking/working surface and its highest point is no more than 39 inches (1.0 m) from the walking/working surface;

After being erected, with the rope, wire, or chain attached, stanchions shall be capable of resisting, without tipping over, a force of at least 16 pounds (71 N) applied horizontally against the stanchion, 30 inches (.8 m) above the walking/working surface, perpendicular to the warning line, and in the direction of the floor, roof, or platform edge;

The rope, wire, or chain shall have a minimum tensile strength of 500 pounds (2.22 kN), and after being attached to the stanchions, shall be capable of supporting, without breaking, the loads applied to the stanchions as prescribed in paragraph (f)(2)(iii) of this section; and

Mechanical equipment on roofs shall be used or stored only in areas where employees are protected by a warning line system, guardrail system, or personal fall arrest system.

On floors and roofs where guardrail systems are not in place prior to the beginning of overhand bricklaying operations, controlled access zones shall be enlarged, as necessary, to enclose all points of access, material handling areas, and storage areas.

On floors and roofs where guardrail systems are in place, but need to be removed to allow overhand bricklaying work or leading edge work to take place, only that portion of the guardrail necessary to accomplish that day"s work shall be removed.

Where tools, equipment, or materials are piled higher than the top edge of a toeboard, paneling or screening shall be erected from the walking/working surface or toeboard to the top of a guardrail system"s top rail or midrail, for a distance sufficient to protect employees below.

The fall protection plan shall document the reasons why the use of conventional fall protection systems (guardrail systems, personal fall arrest systems, or safety nets systems) are infeasible or why their use would create a greater hazard.

This responds to your June 1, 1999, letter to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), requesting information on wire rope and Crosby clips used around the perimeter of buildings as a guardrail. You also requested clarification on when employees must tie-off when a guardrail system is removed to facilitate hoisting operations. We apologize for the long delay in providing this response.

Question 1: How many Crosby clips are required to be used when setting up a wire rope guardrail? Is it permissible to splice two wire ropes by overlapping or must the connections be turned back into eyelets and properly secured?

Answer: For construction work covered by 29 CFR 1926 Subpart M, §1926.502(b) sets forth the criteria that must be met when using wire rope as a guardrail. The standard requires guardrails to meet several specific criteria. For example, 1926.502(b)(3) states that the guardrail shall be capable of withstanding, without failure, a force of at least 200 pounds applied within 2 inches of the top edge, in any outward or downward direction, at any point along the top edge. Section 1926.502(b)(4) states that when the 200 pound test load noted in §1926.502(b)(3) is applied in a downward direction, the top edge of the guardrail shall not deflect to a height less than 39 inches above the walking/working level. Section 1926.502(b)(9) states that the top rail and mid-rails shall be at least ¼-inch nominal diameter or thickness to prevent cuts and lacerations. These and other criteria must be met when using wire rope as a guardrail around the perimeter of a building.

The OSHA standard does not specify a minimum number of clips when using wire rope as a guardrail. However, as a practical matter, it is unlikely you could meet the specific requirements under §1926.502(b) unless you follow the manufacturer"s recommendations for the number of clips to be used on wire ropes of different diameters (for example, the Crosby Group Inc. general catalog, 2000 edition has tables showing their recommendations for their clips). Also, note that OSHA"s standard for rigging equipment used for material handling, 29 CFR §1926.251, has a table for the number of clips required for wire rope ½-inch and greater. Although that standard does not apply to wire rope used for guardrails, when you design a rope system to meet the §1926.502 requirements, following those tables will normally ensure that you have enough clips.

Question 2: What are the requirements for tying-off employees when a guardrail system is removed to facilitate hoisting operations? 29 CFR §1926.501(b)(3) states that, when guardrails are removed to facilitate hoisting operations, employees who have to lean out over the edge must be tied off. What about other employees, who do not have to lean out—do they have to be tied-off also?

Answer: Section 1926.501(b)(3) states that each employee in a hoist area shall be protected from falls of 6 feet or more by guardrail systems or personal fall arrest systems. It also states that, "If guardrail systems ... are removed to facilitate the hoisting operation (e.g., during landing of materials), and an employee must lean through the access opening or out over the edge of the access opening (to receive or guide equipment and materials, for example), that employee shall be protected from fall hazards by a personal fall arrest system." (59 FR 40710).

You ask if this means that the only employees who must use fall protection when the guardrails are removed are those who must lean out. The answer is no; the first sentence of §1926.501(d)(3) requires that all employees in the hoist area be protected by either a guardrail or personal fall arrest system. So, when all or part of a guardrail has been removed, all employees must be protected by a personal fall arrest system.

If you need additional information, please contact us by fax at: U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA, Directorate of Construction, Office of Construction Standards and Guidance, fax # 202-693-1689. You can also contact us by mail at the above office, Room N3468, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210, although there will be a delay in our receiving correspondence by mail.

This is in response to the questions posed in the letter from Jay Withrow regarding safety railing(s) required by OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1926.750(b)(1)(iii). The standard reads as follows:

"Floor periphery - safety railing. A safety railing of ½-inch wire rope or equal shall be installed, approximately 42 inches high, around the periphery of all temporary - planked or temporary metal-decked floors of tier buildings and other multifloored structures during structural steel assembly." (emphasis added).

Question 1: Is orange plastic-coated 3/16-inch aircraft wire "equal" to ½-inch wire rope? (Note: This product is seeing extensive use in Northern Virginia).

Answer: The response is a qualified yes. The key to whether the 3/16 aircraft wire is equal to ½-inch wire rope is whether a the 3/16 aircraft wire is equal in strength to ½-inch wire rope.

The standard does not set forth any specifications for the design and construction of the ½-inch wire rope. Thus any wire rope ½-inch in diameter of any design or construction could be used to comply with this standard.

There is at least one 3/16-inch aircraft cable (Galvanized and tinned aircraft cord and strand Construction 1x19 - Nominal Breaking Strength 4700 pounds) that has a greater nominal breaking strength than does at least one type of ½-inch wire rope (Iron Galvanized Running Rope - Construction 6x12 - Nominal Breaking Strength 4560 pounds). Therefore, the previously referenced aircraft cable would have to be considered equal to ½-inch wire rope.

Question 3: Although it is not stated anywhere, must the wire rope used to comply with 1926.750(b)(1)(iii) (½-inch wire rope; or 3/16-inch aircraft wire if you find that to be equivalent) have a maximum permissible deflection of 3-inches in one direction when a load of 200 pounds is applied in any direction at any point?

Answer: The response to this question is a qualified yes. OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1926.750(b)(1)(iii) does not address the issue of deflection. The standard, as written, could be enforced so that no deflection is permitted. However that would be contrary to guidance relating to wire rope used for guardrails contained in directives (STD 3-10.3), memoranda and proposed standards (Fall Protection In Construction.)

Therefore in Region III, for the purpose of complying with OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1926.750(b)(1)(iii), a safety railing that meets the following criteria would be considered to be equal to a ½-inch wire rope:

[Correction 6/20/2005. See OSHA Directive CPL 02-01-034 "Inspection policy and procedures for OSHA"s steel erection standards for construction" published on 3/22/2002 for the current policy on OSHA"s steel erection standards (1926 Subpart R) for construction.]

Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act, REGULATION 213/91 FOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS Section 26.3(5) (point load of 150 pounds applied to every 8 feet of guardrail at the top rail equivalent to 19 lb per linear foot)

Below, we’ll explain OSHA’s official rules on guardrail for general industry applications and show you how your business can remain compliant with these regulations.

For more help, contact the team of experts at Diversified Fall Protection. Our engineers will design and implement a complete, OSHA-compliant guardrail system to protect your team when working on rooftops and other elevated surfaces.

A guardrail, or guard rail, is a stationary, fixed fall protection system designed to prevent workers from stepping over the edge of a walking-working surface. OSHA 1910.29(b) is the portion of the regulations that contains system requirements that employers must follow to ensure guardrail systems will protect workers from falling to lower levels.

There are three main parts of a guardrail: The top rails, the midrails, and the vertical posts. Each part of the guardrail must comply with OSHA’s rules, including material type, size, height, and location. We explain each of these below.

According to OSHA, the top edge height of top rails (or equivalent guardrail system members) must be 42 inches (107 cm), plus or minus 3 inches (8 cm), above the walking-working surface. The top edge height may exceed 45 inches (114 cm), as long as the guardrail system meets all other criteria.

If there is not a wall or parapet at least 21 inches (53 cm) high, then midrails must be installed halfway between the top edge of the guardrail and the walking-working surface. Screens, mesh, intermediate vertical members, solid panels, or other equivalents can be considered “midrails” for this purpose.

Guardrail systems need to be capable of withstanding a force of at least 200 pounds (890 N) at any point along the top rail. This force is applied in a downward or outward direction within 2 inches (5 cm) of the top edge. When tested in a downward direction, the top rail of the guardrail system must remain at least 39 inches (99 cm) above the walking-working surface.

Guardrail systems need to be smooth-surfaced. This is to protect employees from injury, such as punctures or lacerations, and to prevent catching or snagging of clothing. Our railings have a powder-coated finish to meet this requirement.

OSHA also requires that the ends of top rails and midrails do not overhang the terminal posts, which are the posts at each end. The only exception is if the overhang does not pose a projection hazard.

OSHA says that when guardrail systems are used at hoist areas, there needs to be a removable guardrail section placed across the access opening when employees are not performing hoisting operations. This section must have a top rail and midrail. You may use chains or gates instead of a removable guardrail section if you show they provide the same level of protection as guard rails.

Guardrail systems used around holes must be installed on all unprotected sides or edges of the hole. If materials will be passed through the hole, no more than two sides of the guardrail system can be removed at a time. When materials are not being passed through the hole, the hole must be guarded by a guardrail system along all unprotected sides or edges or closed over with a cover.

When used around holes that serve as points of access (such as ladderways), the guardrail system opening needs to have a self-closing gate that slides or swings away from the hole. The gate must have a top rail and midrail (or equivalent intermediate member) that meets the requirements for guardrail above. The other option is to offset it to prevent an employee from walking or falling into the hole.

For ramps and runways, guard rail must be installed along each unprotected side or edge. You can use Manila or synthetic rope for top rails or midrails if it is inspected as necessary to ensure that the rope continues to meet OSHA strength requirements described above (the 200-pound and 150-pound tests).

The material must be durable, the top rail and the midrail must be at least 1/4 inch (.6 cm) in diameter. OSHA also requires the surface of the railing itself must be smooth to protect employees from injuries; such as cuts, punctures and to prevent snagging.

OSHA provides a range for the railings to ensure your system is safe and compliant. Guardrail height must be between 39 inches and 45 inches. The midrails should be placed halfway between the top edge of the railing and the working-walking surface.

The section of the OSHA code that specifies most of the primary guardrail requirements and directly relates to safety railing is 1910.29. Specifically, the following sections are the most relevant to railing and guardrail for fall protection.

OSHA deems any change in elevation of 48 inches or more to be a fall hazard requiring a form of fall protection in walking-working areas. Protection can range anywhere from company policy and warning signs to railings systems. It’s important to contact an expert to fully understand what you need or might not need.

OSHA states that guardrail must reach a height of 42 inches, plus or minus 3 inches, above the walking-working surface and withstand a force of 200 pounds at any point in a downward or outward direction. If the railing dips below 39 inches, due to the force, the railing is not OSHA compliant. Parapets or railings that are preexisting are acceptable at a minimum of 36 inches under OSHA code 55 Federal Register 13360, siting that replacing the parapet or railing would introduce unnecessary risk to the workers replacing it. In addition, if there is no parapet or wall that reaches 21 in. in height, an installed railing will require midrails, screens, solid panels, or other equivalence.

Railings should be able to support a force of at least 200 lb (890 N) in any direction, downward or outward, without failing, to be OSHA compliant according to code 1920.29. This applies to any point in the railing whether you’re in the middle of the rail or at either end.

Per OSHA 1910.28, railings installed 60 days before April 10, 1990, can be grandfathered into OSHA compliance at a minimum of 36 inches in height from the working-walking surface. Anything after that date, 42 inches is the standard height that must be met and support a force of 200 lb at any point in the railing.

OSHA does not require railing to be mounted to a supporting structure. OSHA states that railing must withstand a force of 200 lb at any point along the railing. If it does withstand 200 lb force loads, it doesn’t need to be attached to the structure.

OSHA requires guardrail posts to be spaced no more than 8-feet apart on center, no matter if it’s wood, pipe railing, or structural steel. If posts are spaced more than 8-feet on center, it will no longer be OSHA compliant.

Simplified Safety was very knowledgeable in terms of OSHA requirements and provided a product that would satisfy OSHA requirements. The customer service was great.

I"ve been on construction sites where we"ve used cable as a handrail. Couldn"t tell you spans for certain but they definitely weren"t 18". The cable was also tensioned to take out all the slack. Whatever you decide on deflection, 12" is in no way reasonable for guardrail. RE: OSHA Guardrail

Even if I put something reasonable in, say an 8"-0" span and 60" total length between anchorages, the deflection from 200 lbs is about 5.5". RE: OSHA Guardrail

If you"re tied off to it, then I wouldn"t classify it as a guardrail, I would classify it as a life-line. A guardrail would be in place for a situation where you"re not tying off. RE: OSHA Guardrail

The use of wire ropes as top rails and intermediate rails of guardrail systems used for perimeter protection or for guardrails used on scaffolding meeting the equivalent requirements of 29 CFR 1926.500(d)(1) and 29 CFR 1926.451(a)(5) is acceptable provided it meets the following guidelines:

(3) The maximum deflection of the top rail when a load of 200 pounds is applied in any direction at any point on the top rail shall not exceed 3 inches in one direction which includes the free hanging sag in the wire rope.

Our compliance officers are aware that wire rope is an acceptable method of perimeter protection for buildings under construction. If we can be of further assistance, please let use know.

You will need to look at increasing the cable pretension to satisfy the 3" deflection limit at those spans. Take a look at this article which is written for vehicle barrier cables but can be adapted to your situation: Link. RE: OSHA Guardrail

Thats exactly what I ended up doing. I put a maximum total length of 60"-0", maximum span of 10"-0", and had them add 200 pounds of pretension for every 10"-0" of cable length. That solved the issue. Thanks guys! RE: OSHA Guardrail

I checked the results with the gross area of the 3/8" cable and 29x106 psi and I get about 4.25" sag. Curious if you used these values in your calculations. From what I"ve read the typical "fill factor" for wire rope is 0.6, and effective modulus about half of steel which accounts for some rotation in the wires which lengthens the cable.

There are a couple other things to watch for in safety cables - if you have a long run of cable that is used year round, the difference in temperature from install to time of use could effect the max sag and max tension. And if your anchor points aren"t completely rigid, then you could increase the loaded sag as well - if you"re anchored to a flexible post, this should be taken into consideration. RE: OSHA Guardrail

There is deflection due to self weight that must be accounted for. And a large portion of the pre-tension goes into removing that slack out of the cable. That"s why Canpro indicates it"s a diminishing return by increasing the the pre-tension. RE: OSHA Guardrail

I would just add the selfweight of the cable as a lumped load at the middle with your 200 lbs on the span in question... should be conservative to neglect it elsewhere on the other spans as it will have the effect of increasing tension on the wire on the loaded span. I don"t think you"ll see much effect though, it"s only a couple pounds of wire. This isn"t like power poles with no pretension spaced at 50 feet or whatever. RE: OSHA Guardrail

cal, I may very well be wrong the about the limiting pretension - and if I am, I would very much like to understand why. Could you please elaborate on the tension increasing the transverse stiffness? I could see maybe that by increasing the pretension that you bring your effective modulus closer to the full value for steel. RE: OSHA Guardrail

I imagine it as if your cable system is fixed at one end, and you"ve got the Hulk pulling the cable on the other end. If there"s 200 lbs on one of the spans, it will deflect a certain amount. The Hulk can pull the rope even harder to decrease the deflection. As the deflection approaches 0, doubling your applied tension will halve your deflection. As the deflection departs from 0, you need less than double your applied tension to halve your deflection. RE: OSHA Guardrail

It took me a while to wrap my head around this, especially with multiple spans. I find it best to think in terms of strain when solving these problems. RE: OSHA Guardrail

Agreed this has been a good conversation. And I don"t mean to drag this on - but from reading this and your previous posts, I get the sense that you are a good engineer...and I"ve been using my spreadsheet for a couple years now and our results are far enough off that I would like to iron out any mistakes I may have been making. RE: OSHA Guardrail

Exactly. Again, I"m ignoring self weight. So there is 0 deflection when there is no load. A 60 ft length rope anchored at 60 ft will have 0 strain, so 0 pretension. A 59.9 ft rope anchored at 60 ft has a strain of 0.1 / 59.9 = 0.00167, and the pretension force is EA * 0.00167.

Take a guitar and loosen one of its strings (but not to the point that it starts deflecting). You"ll find it takes little force to deflect the string 1" transversely. Tighten it up a bunch and apply the same amount of force, and it"ll barely budge. In both cases there was no initial deflection, yet the pretension provides a drastic change in transverse stiffness. Pretension"s role is not solely limited to eliminating the initial deflection. I would say in fact that unless the wire weighs the same magnitude as the load being applied to it, initial deflection effectively plays no role at all.

If I understand your process correctly (please correct me if I"m wrong), pretension"s benefit is limited to the magnitude of the initial sag, because that is all it eliminates. RE: OSHA Guardrail

If you ignore the weight of the wire (which is reasonable for this application), you can calculate the required pretension directly by considering the cable deflected to its limiting value of 3" under a 200lb load. The force vector triangle is a similar triangle to the triangle created by the deflected shape, so tension is equal to the length of the cable from the point of support to the point of deflection, assumed to be at the middle of the 10" span (60.07" in this case), divided by deflection, and multiplied by the force going to that side, which is half the total (think of it as two 100lb forces applied a fraction of an inch apart at the middle of the span). In this case, 60.07" / 3" * 100lbs = 2002lbs. From there, subtract the tension required to change the length from 60ft (undeflected) to 60.0125ft (deflected shape) ---> 3018psi --> 215lbs, and the required pretension is 1786lbs. RE: OSHA Guardrail

The link that dik posted on April 7 has an example you can use to check your work against. See page 3 of the PDF - their calculated loaded sag is 1.66 ft. With your method, I get within 5% BUT if you input too high of a pretension, the calculation fails. My spreadsheet returns a value of 1.66ft. Our results are much closer in this example because the cable length is 200" and the difference between initial lengths becomes relatively minor. RE: OSHA Guardrail

Can anyone post a table of cable properties, for example, 7-19 cable, sizes, yield, area of steel and modulus of elasticity... I can only find tables with safe loading.

I probably shouldn"t be trying to figure this out late at night...but I can"t let this consume my time at work either. I would very much like to reconcile our results. I"ve started to look at this problem from a work and energy perspective and I believe that both of our current methods contain an error. When I have time I will expand on this. RE: OSHA Guardrail

Looking for a *.pdf file with properties dia, As, fy, fu, E, etc. for a "bunch" of different cables, not just the one. Do you have such a table? or anyone else? I can find a lot of info on "breaking strength" or "working strength", but, nothing with the info I seek. In some instances, the published E value is approx half that of a solid bar.

I added the weight of the cable into the Excel spreadsheet I developed for span-wire signal structures, applied the 200lb load and limited the deflection to 3". The total cable tension was 2010lbs. The change in length of the cable to deflect 3" is 012493". Using a A = 0.0714 sq in and E = 14,500,000 psi from Cal91, the change in tension stress due to the deflection is 3019 psi (60.012493" / 60" * 14500000), yielding a tension force of about 216 lbs. The required pretension is about 1800 lbs, assuming rigid end anchorages. If the cable anchorages have some give to them, this reduces the allowable change in tension below the 216 lbs, so the required pretension gets closer to the 2010 lbs unadjusted value the more "give" there is in the end anchorages. RE: OSHA Guardrail

Dik, see the link below - this document seems to provide good info on effective area and modulus of elasticity for a variety of wire rope types. It also covers the topic of prestretched rope. The good stuff is on page 16 of the PDF (page number 24/25 in the document).

Cal, I think to really iron out the fundamental difference to our approach, we should simplify the problem. Lets consider this: we have a vertical wire rope anchored over head with zero initial tension and initial length of L0. A load P1 is applied to the cable and it stretches a value of Δ1, and the new cable length is L1. The load P1 is equivalent to our pretension. Once the cable has stretched, an additional load P2 is applied, and the cable stretches Δ2 to a final length of L2. P2 being our 200lbs point load.

While the appearance of rails may be important to decorative and personal use railings, workplace cable railing is much more restricted. Such systems must comply with regulations established by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). This organization stipulates that railings must be able to support 200 pounds, be set 3 inches from the wall and stand 30 to 37 inches from the ground with a mid-rail. Many residential applications comply with these structural specifications as a matter of convenience and structural integrity.

There are several basic components applied in the design of a cable railing system. The cable itself has three main elements known as filaments, strands, and cores. Filaments are cold drawn rods of metal materials of varying diameters. These wires are then twisted or braided together to form what are known as strands. Each strand may contain as few as two strands or several dozen. Variable numbers of these strands are then wrapped around the third and final component, the core. Cores can be fibrous or made of wire as well, depending upon the application.

The framework used with stranded wire railing must be very rigid due to the force applied by tensioning the cable. The cable tension prevents deflection and can yield great amounts of stress which are placed on the posts. Intermediate posts are placed at varying intervals throughout the railing system to relieve some of the burden from the end posts.

The second bullet point, 6’ to 15’ to the edge of a rooftop, is the most common situation most industries will find themselves working in. This is also where guardrails are the best option for a passive fall

The guardrail top rail must be able to withstand 200 lbs of downward and outward force. It must be 42” tall or minus 3” as measured adjacent to the rail. The top height may exceed 45 inches, provided the guardrail

The guardrail midrail, screen, mesh, intermediate vertical members, solid panels, or equivalent intermediate members shall be installed at a height midway between the top edge and the walking-working surface and

Another important item to note in this standard is that guardrail systems shall be smooth-surfaced to protect employees from injuries like punctures and lacerations. The ends of top rails and midrails should not

There are many premade options on the market for guardrail systems which are easy to set up, tear down, and are modular to adapt to many different jobsite situations. Our Gear Experts® are experienced in

***The content of this page is not intended to replace proper, in-depth training. Manufacturer’s instructions must also be followed and reviewed before any equipment is used.

Investigation findings:OSHA issued the employer one repeated, 13 serious, and one-other-than serious citation for exposing workers to safety hazards. Violations include not ensuring wire rope guardrails were pulled tight to prevent workers from falling overboard; allowing workers to use forklifts with broken safety equipment; blocked exit doors, not providing welding screens for arc welders; exposing workers to electrical hazards; and exposing workers to saws and other machinery that lacked safety guards. One other violation was cited for an exit not being clearly marked.

Quote: "I am concerned that this company is promoting a "pristine safety record," yet continues to violate OSHA standards that date back to 1973," said Darlene Fossum OSHA"s area director in Columbia. "Management must take immediate action to eliminate fall, electrical and other hazards identified during this inspection to protect its workers."

Detyens Shipyards Inc. is the largest commercial shipyard on the East Coast and employs more than 450 workers. The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, request a conference with OSHA"s area director or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

To ask questions, obtain compliance assistance, file a complaint or report workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA"s toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency"s Columbia Area Office at 803-765-5904.

Even the impact from a short, four-foot fall results in an impact force of 1,600 pounds and may result in a serious injury. Fall exposure management can be effectively addressed through sound safety engineering principles. The first step is to recognize the hazard. Mitigation techniques should then focus primarily on elimination of the hazard, then the application of engineering, personal protective equipment (fall arrest equipment), and administrative controls as a last resort. The OSHA standard basically follows this process. Fall exposures exist in many forms ranging from unprotected leading edges, to floor, roof, and deck openings. The nature of the exposure will determine what protection methods are acceptable. Generally, construction workers should be protected from all fall hazards in excess of six feet.

The preferred method of fall management is to eliminate the hazard. A good example of hazard elimination is covering a floor opening. If the opening is covered, then the hazard is eliminated. OSHA 1926.501(bB)(4) requires any hole greater than two inches in dimension be protected. The requirements for covers are found in OSHA 1926.502(iI). Covers should be secured against accidental displacement, be capable of supporting at least twice the weight of an employee, equipment, or materials that may be imposed on the cover, and be marked with the word “HOLE” or “COVER.” One other note regarding floor openings: employees on lower levels can be exposed to falling objects. Falling object protection is also required by OSHA 1926 Subpart M.

In addition to covers, the use of toe boards, nets, and screens in guardrails may also be necessary. Another fall management tool is eliminating access to a potential fall hazard. Guardrails are the preferred method of providing fall protection on elevated floor perimeters, flat roofs, around floor openings, and elevator and stair cores. The construction requirements for guardrails can be found in OSHA 1926.502(b). General requirements include a top rail height between 39 and 45 inches, a mid-rail installed halfway between the walking surface and the top rail, and a lateral force strength requirement of 200 pounds. Guardrails are typically constructed with wood. If wire rope is used for guardrail construction, then it must be flagged at six-foot intervals with a highly-visible material. Wire rope will have a certain amount of vertical deflection. The rope must be anchored securely, and have adequate supports so that the deflection remains within the 39- and 45-inch height requirements. In the absence of other feasible controls, personal fall arrest equipment should be utilized. Proper application of fall arrest systems is dependent on several criteria. It is extremely important that, when used, the fall arrest components be considered as an entire system.

The second component is the lifeline or lanyard. These can be in various forms including self-retracting lifelines, lifelines with rope grab, or a shock-absorbing lanyard. These connect the full-body harness to the anchorage point, and, together, comprise the complete fall arrest system.

Anchorage point selection is critical to a properly engineered fall arrest system. If the anchorage point is inadequate, then the system will fail and the employee will still fall. The anchorage point must be capable of supporting 5,000 pounds per attached employee, and be independent of the surface that an employee is working on. Anchorage points should also be selected to prevent swing-falls (a fall where an employee can swing into a structure).

fall must be limited to 1,800 pounds or less. This is achieved by limiting the free-fall distance. Methods include utilizing various lanyard lengths, anchorage point selection, or using deceleration equipment. As an employer, you should ensure that the individual selecting fall arrest equipment and designing jobsite fall protection systems fully understands the requirements of OSHA 29CFR1 926 Subpart M, as well as the correct application and limitations of all components in the fall arrest system. Some systems, such as horizontal lifelines, must be designed, installed, and used under the supervision of a qualified person.

It also stipulates that employees be retrained under certain circumstances such as change in the jobsite fall exposures, or when you have reason to believe that a trained employee does not have the required understanding and skill. If employees are properly trained, and if the proper equipment and work methods are selected, then work can be conducted with a high degree of safety and efficiency at any height. The key is a commitment from both employers and employees to participate in a proactive fall management program. The end result will be increased production, safer working environments, and a reduction in accidents, injuries, and deaths.

Both locally and nationally, annual OSHA citations for deficiencies in fall protection consistently rank within the top 10 citations. Compensable fall injuries in construction costs billions of dollars annually.

NOTICE:This guide may make reference to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations; however the guide is not legal advice as to compliance with OSHA or other safety laws, codes, or regulations. Compliance with OSHA and other safety laws codes or regulations, and maintaining a safe work environment for your employees remains your responsibility. WCF Insurance does not undertake to perform the duty of any person to provide for the health or safety of your employees. WCF Insurance does not warrant that your workplace is safe or healthful, or that it complies with any laws, regulations, codes, or standards.

1910.28 includes unprotected sides and edges. "The employer must ensure each employee on a walking-working surface with an unprotected side or edge that is 4 feet (1.2m) or more above a lower level is protected from falling by one or more of the following guardrail systems; safety net systems; or personal fall protection system."

ANSI A1264.1-2007 “Safety Requirements for Workplace Walking/Working Surfaces and Their Access; Workplace, Floor, Wall and Roof Openings; Stairs and Guardrails Systems,” a document put out by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE):

5.6.2 "removable railing system[s] constructed of flexible materials" requires these systems to be anchored by rigid supports spaced no more than 8 feet apart. If you must abide by ANSI standards only use our 8 foot models as in plant barriers. Max deflection and sag at the center point are also limited at 3 inches each, which our product meets when properly installed and tightened. Section E4.1.1 states "The guardrail system may be removable, but should preferably be hinged or otherwise mounted so as to be conveniently put back in service."

A controlled access zone is a safety measure for workers at heights where guardrails or fall arrest equipment are not able to be used.  OSHA requires employers to implement fall protection measures for employees working at heights of six feet or more. A controlled access zone is used to prevent non-essential workers or personnel from entering a particular area of the job site. Let’s take a look at what controlled access zones are, and how they should be implemented in compliance with OSHA regulations.

OSHA’s definition of a controlled access zone is “an area in which certain work may take place without the use of guardrail systems, personal fall arrest systems, or safety net systems, and access to the zone is controlled.”

A controlled access zone is an area of a jobsite that is only accessible to some workers.  Workers who are not approved to be in that area are prohibited from entering, with any exceptions to the rule depending on the worksite’s unique fall protection plan. A safety monitor must be present to monitor the area and the people going in and out and to ensure that proper safety precautions are being followed.

One type of controlled access zone would be a guardrail system that has a gate. The guardrail is used to cordon off the area and block non-essential workers from entering. A safety monitor supervises the area and controls who is allowed through the gate.

By definition, a warning line system is any type of barrier set up on a rooftop that warns workers of an unprotected edge. This also designates a working area that does not require workers to use guardrails, belts or safety net systems.

The rope, chain or wire used in the warning line system must have a minimum tensile strength of 500 pounds, as opposed to the 300 pounds required for controlled access zones

A controlled access zone must be marked clearly using tape, wire, or rope.  Employers are expected to adhere to all OSHA requirements (see our checklist above).

All workers and supervisors in controlled access zones must follow OSHA fall protection requirements. Some work environments may necessitate annual training.

POST a QUESTION or COMMENT about Building Code Rules & Installation Specifications for Guardrail Cables: Wire Rope Railings, spacing, tensioning, support, cable diameters, inspection, safety hazards, applications, & code approvals

This article lists historical and current model building codes regulating guardrail openings, cable railings, and railings where the ladder-effect, climbable guardrails, may be present. We give the allowable opening size between guardrail or stair guard openings including the 4" sphere and 6" sphere passage through openings guidelines.

This article series describes and includes illustrations of cable or wire rope railings or guardrails used along decks, balconies, walkways and stairways. We include definitions of guardrail, a handrailing or stairway handrail, and other terms that assist in understanding the building code, construction, and safety requirements that wire cable type railings must meet.

A brief history of the IRC"s position on horizontal "ladder effect" railings (including cable railings) is given in our own article CABLE RAILINGS & GUARDRAILS in section: LADDER EFFECT at GUARDRAILS and that history is indeed repeated for IRC editions in 2000, 2001, and 2012 in the in the article you suggested and whose citation we have expanded.

Indeed it"s both significant and interesting that guidance regarding an obvious child hazard: climbable guardrails, was amended to remove what experts previously agreed was a concern.

We might both also look for research comparing hazard levels of vertical vs. horizontal cable guardrails that lack adequate tension to prevent deformation and openings that form safety hazards.

Watch out: In addition to the requirement to comply with all local zoning and building codes, or safety and durability cable type guardrailings and stair rails, their posts, connections, and tensioning devices must be installed following the specifications provided by the cable railing manufacturer. We give some examples and cable railing or cable guardrail installation standards and manuals here.

CABLE GUARDRAILS in CANADA [PDF] - BCC Ruling No. 16­26­1454 on cable railings in Canada, retrieved 2018/10/20, original source: www.mah.gov.on.ca/Page16639.aspx

Barrie Canada DECK SPECIFICATIONS [PDF] retrieved 2018/10/23, original source: https://www.barrie.ca/Living/Housing-and-Property/renovations-and-projects/Documents/Deck-Specifications.pdf

California CODE of REGULATIONS TITLE 8, Section 3209. STANDARD GUARDRAILS, CA Department of Industrial Relations, [Does not mention the word "cable"] Retrieved 2017/08/28, original source:

OSHA 1926.500, GUARDRAILS, HANDRAILS & GUARDS [PDF] Standard Number 1926.500, 23 April 1973 - Excerpt: Since cables or chains are commonly used as barriers or guards on construction projects at floor and wall openings and to establish uniformity in this Region, the

SC&R provides at least 18 different cable railing designs and installation instructions including for aluminum post and rail systems, round and square posts, multiple top rail types in aluminum, stainless steel, wood,stainless steel post and rail systems, wood post and rail systems, field swaged or factory swaged assembly, and other variations. Two cable types include 19 cable strands twisted toghether, grade 316L & electroplated cabling, or 7 bundles of wires wound together to resemble a rope.

Thanks for the question, Scott. We do find both horizontal and vertical cable guardrailings installed in commercial locations such as the shopping center shown in photos earlier on this page, but ultimately the approval is up to local code enforcement officials. As for specific code requirements, the railings have to pass the same height, strength, spacing, and graspability rules as other types of railings. Please take a look at the article above and also see references [48][49][50][51][52] and let me know if questions remain.

I find nowhere on the internet a specific reference to the code requirement for a rigid top rail in a cable guardrail system. Can the top rail be cable? (assuming a substantial anchor post and adequate cable tension) I am referring to an elevated deck, not stairs.

See GUARDRAIL & HANDRAIL STRENGTH for examples of the requirement for a top railing along a glass guardrail. Similar restrictions would pertain to a cable type guardrail system.

Post spacing is not illustrated in the model codes that we cite in this article series; rather the post spacing for cable railings will be specified by the manufacturer and are a feature of the cable railing"s tensioning system. Typically you"ll see more-modest intermediate posts and heavier, reinforced posts at corners where tensioning hardware is installed; on longer runs indeed a reinforced intermediate post or posts may be required for proper cable tensioning.

[2] §3209. Standard Guardrails, California Building Code, provides description of how guard rails should be constructed. Web search 09/02/2011,original source: www.dir.ca.gov/title8/3209.html

Commentary: Handrails, treads and risers must be structurally sound, firmly attached to the structure, and properly maintained to perform their intended function safely. During an inspection the code official should inspect all stringers, risers, treads, and handrails.