osha wire rope guardrail factory

2023-05-21 21:22:12

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.]

osha wire rope guardrail factory

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.

osha wire rope guardrail factory

This is in response to your November 7, 1995, letter requesting a letter of compliance from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for your Kenguard System.

As discussed with Mr. Dale Cavanaugh of my staff, OSHA does not endorse products or issue formal certificates of approval for products or practices. However, when provided with adequate information, we can offer an opinion as to whether or not a product affords compliance with certain regulations. We have reviewed the pictures and product data accompanying your letter and although you did not provide any engineering test data, it appears that if the Kenguard System is properly installed it would meet the applicable fall protection equipment criteria in 29 CFR 1926.502.

Please note that when wire rope is used as the top rail of a guardrail system, the wire rope cannot deflect below 39 inches above the working level when loaded with a 200 pound test weight. This can often be achieved by looping or clamping the wire rope at the posts. Otherwise, when a worker bumps or falls into the rail, the slack that is in the top rail would all be pulled towards the contact point and the worker would not be restrained.

We believe we meet and/or exceed the necessary OSHA standard 1926.500 for Guardrails and Handrails. I think it has the capacity to prevent accidents and save lives. Once again, I would like to thank you for your time, and in the case of questions give you my phone number-(715) 382-5102.

osha wire rope guardrail factory

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.

osha wire rope guardrail factory

This is in response to your letter of June 29, concerning the acceptability of wire rope and/or cable as a method of perimeter protection for a building under construction.

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.

osha wire rope guardrail factory

Cable guardrails are commonly seen on construction projects. Although they can provide adequate protection at perimeter edges, they often have issues with the way they are installed. Risk Managers should keep the below in mind to share with their workers and safety committees. If properly constructed and maintained, cable guardrails can provide compliant fall protection in numerous situations.

Typically, cable guardrails are erected by ironworkers at the final interior and exterior perimeters of floors upon completion of installing the deck. However, cast-in-place concrete structures may transition from wood guard rails to cable guardrails installed by carpenters. As part of the floor turnover process for a steel or concrete building, controlling contractors often times direct the contractor who installed the system to leave the perimeter cables in place until the fall exposure is removed by setting windows or curtain wall. At this point, the controlling contractor inspects and accepts control of the fall protection if it meets the following criteria set forth by OSHA 1926 Subpart M regulations:

It is highly recommended anyone who installs or maintains safety cables be trained and authorized. These systems are initially compliant, but when tampered with or removed by others throughout the course of construction and not replaced properly, they can be a safety concern.

Excessive Deflection or Sagging – incorporate turnbuckles to allow for easy tightening of the cable. Another option is to keep a cable puller and wire rope grip attachment handy in order to tighten cable guardrails easily.

System Not Properly Terminated – common issues include wire rope clips installed backwards, not enough wire rope clips, and the cables are improperly spliced. The U-Bolt of the clip should be applied to the dead end of the wire rope and the saddle on the live end. This is what the phrase,“Never saddle a dead horse!” refers to. There should be at least two clips installed for wire rope that is ¼” – 3/8” in diameter. Lastly, the preferred method to terminating the wire rope or splicing two wire ropes together is to turnback the ends through each eye as seen in the diagrams.

An alternative method to splicing two wire ropes together is to lay the wire rope ends parallel and correctly apply the proper amount of wire rope clips as depicted in the diagrams.

Safety cable guardrails can provide OSHA compliant fall protection for employees on a construction project. However, they must be continuously inspected and maintained to ensure compliance with OSHA 1926 Subpart M standards.

osha wire rope guardrail factory

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.

osha wire rope guardrail factory

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

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.

osha wire rope guardrail factory

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).

osha wire rope guardrail factory

Section 1926.502 sets forth the requirements for the installation, construction, and proper use of fall protection required by part 1926, except as follows:

Performance requirements for guardrail systems used on scaffolds and performance requirements for falling object protection used on scaffolds are provided in subpart L of this part.

Criteria for steps, handholds, ladders, and grabrails/guardrails/railings required by subpart CC are provided in subpart CC. Sections 1926.502(a), (c) through (e), and (i) apply to activities covered under subpart CC unless otherwise stated in subpart CC. No other paragraphs of § 1926.502 apply to subpart CC.

Controlled access zone (CAZ) means an area in which certain work (e.g., overhand bricklaying) may take place without the use of guardrail systems, personal fall arrest systems, or safety net systems and access to the zone is controlled.

Deceleration device means any mechanism, such as a rope grab, rip-stitch lanyard, specially-woven lanyard, tearing or deforming lanyards, automatic self-retracting lifelines/lanyards, etc., which serves to dissipate a substantial amount of energy during a fall arrest, or otherwise limit the energy imposed on an employee during fall arrest.

Infeasible means that it is impossible to perform the construction work using a conventional fall protection system (i.e., guardrail system, safety net system, or personal fall arrest system) or that it is technologically impossible to use any one of these systems to provide fall protection.

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 to a deceleration device, lifeline, or anchorage.

Rope grab means a deceleration device which travels on a lifeline and automatically, by friction, engages the lifeline and locks so as to arrest the fall of an employee. A rope grab usually employs the principle of inertial locking, cam/level locking, or both.

Warning line system means a barrier erected on a roof to warn employees that they are approaching an unprotected roof side or edge, and which designates an area in which roofing work may take place without the use of guardrail, body belt, or safety net systems to protect employees in the area.

Each employee on a walking/working surface (horizontal and vertical surface) with an unprotected side or edge which is 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above a lower level shall be protected from falling by the use of guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems.

Each employee who is constructing a leading edge 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above lower levels shall be protected from falling by guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems. Exception: When the employer can demonstrate that it is infeasible or creates a greater hazard to use these systems, the employer shall develop and implement a fall protection plan which meets the requirements of paragraph (k) of 1926.502.

Each employee on a walking/working surface 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above a lower level where leading edges are under construction, but who is not engaged in the leading edge work, shall be protected from falling by a guardrail system, safety net system, or personal fall arrest system. If a guardrail system is chosen to provide the fall protection, and a controlled access zone has already been established for leading edge work, the control line may be used in lieu of a guardrail along the edge that parallels the leading edge.

Each employee in a hoist area shall be protected from falling 6 feet (1.8 m) or more to lower levels by guardrail systems or personal fall arrest systems. If guardrail systems, [or chain, gate, or guardrail] or portions thereof, 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.

Each employee on walking/working surfaces shall be protected from falling through holes (including skylights) more than 6 feet (1.8 m) above lower levels, by personal fall arrest systems, covers, or guardrail systems erected around such holes.

Each employee at the edge of an excavation 6 feet (1.8 m) or more in depth shall be protected from falling by guardrail systems, fences, or barricades when the excavations are not readily seen because of plant growth or other visual barrier;

Each employee at the edge of a well, pit, shaft, and similar excavation 6 feet (1.8 m) or more in depth shall be protected from falling by guardrail systems, fences, barricades, or covers.

Each employee less than 6 feet (1.8 m) above dangerous equipment shall be protected from falling into or onto the dangerous equipment by guardrail systems or by equipment guards.

Each employee 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above dangerous equipment shall be protected from fall hazards by guardrail systems, personal fall arrest systems, or safety net systems.

Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of this section, each employee performing overhand bricklaying and related work 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above lower levels, shall be protected from falling by guardrail systems, safety net systems, personal fall arrest systems, or shall work in a controlled access zone.

Each employee reaching more than 10 inches (25 cm) below the level of the walking/working surface on which they are working, shall be protected from falling by a guardrail system, safety net system, or personal fall arrest system.

Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b) of this section, each employee engaged in roofing activities on low-slope roofs, with unprotected sides and edges 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above lower levels shall be protected from falling by guardrail systems, safety net systems, personal fall arrest systems, or a combination of warning line system and guardrail system, warning line system and safety net system, or warning line system and personal fall arrest system, or warning line system and safety monitoring system. Or, on roofs 50-feet (15.25 m) or less in width (see Appendix A to subpart M of this part), the use of a safety monitoring system alone [i.e. without the warning line system] is permitted.

Each employee on a steep roof with unprotected sides and edges 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above lower levels shall be protected from falling by guardrail systems with toeboards, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems.

Each employee engaged in the erection of precast concrete members (including, but not limited to the erection of wall panels, columns, beams, and floor and roof "tees") and related operations such as grouting of precast concrete members, who is 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above lower levels shall be protected from falling by guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems, unless another provision in paragraph (b) of this section provides for an alternative fall protection measure. Exception: When the employer can demonstrate that it is infeasible or creates a greater hazard to use these systems, the employer shall develop and implement a fall protection plan which meets the requirements of paragraph (k) of 1926.502.

Each employee engaged in residential construction activities 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above lower levels shall be protected by guardrail systems, safety net system, or personal fall arrest system unless another provision in paragraph (b) of this section provides for an alternative fall protection measure. Exception: When the employer can demonstrate that it is infeasible or creates a greater hazard to use these systems, the employer shall develop and implement a fall protection plan which meets the requirements of paragraph (k) of 1926.502.

Each employee working on, at, above, or near wall openings (including those with chutes attached) where the outside bottom edge of the wall opening is 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above lower levels and the inside bottom edge of the wall opening is less than 39 inches (1.0 m) above the walking/working surface, shall be protected from falling by the use of a guardrail system, a safety net system, or a personal fall arrest system.

Except as provided in 1926.500(a)(2) or in 1926.501 (b)(1) through (b)(14), each employee on a walking/working surface 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above lower levels shall be protected from falling by a guardrail system, safety net system, or personal fall arrest system.

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.

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.

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.

The use and operation of guardrail systems, personal fall arrest systems, safety net systems, warning line systems, safety monitoring systems, controlled access zones, and other protection to be used;

The standard requires guardrail systems and components to be designed and built to meet the requirements of § 1926.502(b)(3), (4), and (5). This Appendix serves as a non-mandatory guideline to assist employers in complying with these requirements. An employer may use these guidelines as a starting point for designing guardrail systems. However, the guidelines do not provide all the information necessary to build a complete system, and the employer is still responsible for designing and assembling these components in such a way that the completed system will meet the requirements of § 1926.502(b)(3), (4), and (5). Components for which no specific guidelines are given in this Appendix (e.g., joints, base connections, components made with other materials, and components with other dimensions) must also be designed and constructed in such a way that the completed system meets the requirements of § 1926.502.

For rope-grab-type deceleration systems, the length of the lifeline above the centerline of the grabbing mechanism to the lifeline"s anchorage point should not exceed 2 feet (0.61 m).

For lanyard systems, for systems with deceleration devices which do not automatically limit free fall distance to 2 feet (0.61 m) or less, and for systems with deceleration devices which have a connection distance in excess of 1 foot (0.3 m) (measured between the centerline of the lifeline and the attachment point to the body belt or harness), the test weight should be rigged to free fall a distance of 7.5 feet (2.3 m) from a point that is 1.5 feet (.46 m) above the anchorage point, to its hanging location (6 feet below the anchorage). The test weight should fall without interference, obstruction, or hitting the floor or ground during the test. In some cases a non-elastic wire lanyard of sufficient length may need to be added to the system (for test purposes) to create the necessary free fall distance.

The kind of personal fall arrest system selected should match the particular work situation, and any possible free fall distance should be kept to a minimum. Consideration should be given to the particular work environment. For example, the presence of acids, dirt, moisture, oil, grease, etc., and their effect on the system, should be evaluated. Hot or cold environments may also have an adverse effect on the system. Wire rope should not be used where an electrical hazard is anticipated. As required by the standard, the employer must plan to have means available to promptly rescue an employee should a fall occur, since the suspended employee may not be able to reach a work level independently.

Employee training considerations. Thorough employee training in the selection and use of personal fall arrest systems is imperative. Employees must be trained in the safe use of the system. This should include the following: application limits; proper anchoring and tie-off techniques; estimation of free fall distance, including determination of deceleration distance, and total fall distance to prevent striking a lower level; methods of use; and inspection and storage of the system. Careless or improper use of the equipment can result in serious injury or death. Employers and employees should become familiar with the material in this Appendix, as well as manufacturer"s recommendations, before a system is used. Of uppermost importance is the reduction in strength caused by certain tie-offs (such as using knots, tying around sharp edges, etc.) and maximum permitted free fall distance. Also, to be stressed are the importance of inspections prior to use, the limitations of the equipment, and unique conditions at the worksite which may be important in determining the type of system to use.

Instruction considerations. Employers should obtain comprehensive instructions from the supplier as to the system"s proper use and application, including, where applicable:

Proper hook-up, anchoring and tie-off techniques, including the proper dee-ring or other attachment point to use on the body belt and harness for fall arrest;

Inspection considerations. As required by § 1926.502(d)(21), personal fall arrest systems must be regularly inspected. Any component with any significant defect, such as cuts, tears, abrasions, mold, or undue stretching; alterations or additions which might affect its efficiency; damage due to deterioration; contact with fire, acids, or other corrosives; distorted hooks or faulty hook springs; tongues unfitted to the shoulder of buckles; loose or damaged mountings; non-functioning parts; or wearing or internal deterioration in the ropes must be withdrawn from service immediately, and should be tagged or marked as unusable, or destroyed.

One of the most important aspects of personal fall protection systems is fully planning the system before it is put into use. Probably the most overlooked component is planning for suitable anchorage points. Such planning should ideally be done before the structure or building is constructed so that anchorage points can be incorporated during construction for use later for window cleaning or other building maintenance. If properly planned, these anchorage points may be used during construction, as well as afterwards.

Properly planned anchorages should be used if they are available. In some cases, anchorages must be installed immediately prior to use. In such cases, a registered professional engineer with experience in designing fall protection systems, or another qualified person with appropriate education and experience should design an anchor point to be installed.

In other cases, the Agency recognizes that there will be a need to devise an anchor point from existing structures. Examples of what might be appropriate anchor points are steel members or I-beams if an acceptable strap is available for the connection (do not use a lanyard with a snaphook clipped onto itself); large eye-bolts made of an appropriate grade steel; guardrails or railings if they have been designed for use as an anchor point; or masonry or wood members only if the attachment point is substantial and precautions have been taken to assure that bolts or other connectors will not pull through. A qualified person should be used to evaluate the suitable of these "make shift" anchorages with a focus on proper strength.

Employers and employees should at all times be aware that the strength of a personal fall arrest system is based on its being attached to an anchoring system which does not reduce the strength of the system (such as a properly dimensioned eye-bolt/snap-hook anchorage). Therefore, if a means of attachment is used that will reduce the strength of the system, that component should be replaced by a stronger one, but one that will also maintain the appropriate maximum arrest force characteristics.

Tie-off using a knot in a rope lanyard or lifeline (at any location) can reduce the lifeline or lanyard strength by 50 percent or more. Therefore, a stronger lanyard or lifeline should be used to compensate for the weakening effect of the knot, or the lanyard length should be reduced (or the tie-off location raised) to minimize free fall distance, or the lanyard or lifeline should be replaced by one which has an appropriately incorporated connector to eliminate the need for a knot.

Tie-off of a rope lanyard or lifeline around an "H" or "I" beam or similar support can reduce its strength as much as 70 percent due to the cutting action of the beam edges. Therefore, use should be made of a webbing lanyard or wire core lifeline around the beam; or the lanyard or lifeline should be protected from the edge; or free fall distance should be greatly minimized.

Tie-off where the line passes over or around rough or sharp surfaces reduces strength drastically. Such a tie-off should be avoided or an alternative tie-off rigging should be used. Such alternatives may include use of a snap-hook/dee ring connection, wire rope tie-off, an effective padding of the surfaces, or an abrasion-resistance strap around or over the problem surface.

The strength of an eye-bolt is rated along the axis of the bolt and its strength is greatly reduced if the force is applied at an angle to this axis (in the direction of shear). Also, care should be exercised in selecting the proper diameter of the eye to avoid accidental disengagement of snap-hooks not designed to be compatible for the connection.

Although not required by this standard for all connections until January 1, 1998, locking snaphooks designed for connection to suitable objects (of sufficient strength) are highly recommended in lieu of the nonlocking type. Locking snaphooks incorporate a positive locking mechanism in addition to the spring loaded keeper, which will not allow the keeper to open under moderate pressure without someone first releasing the mechanism. Such a feature, properly designed, effectively prevents roll-out from occurring.

As required by § 1926.502(d)(6), the following connections must be avoided (unless properly designed locking snaphooks are used) because they are conditions which can result in roll-out when a nonlocking snaphook is used:

Improper dimensions of the dee-ring, rebar, or other connection point in relation to the snaphook dimensions which would allow the snaphook keeper to be depressed by a turning motion of the snaphook.

Elongation and deceleration distance considerations. Other factors involved in a proper tie-off are elongation and deceleration distance. During the arresting of a fall, a lanyard will experience a length of stretching or elongation, whereas activation of a deceleration device will result in a certain stopping distance. These distances should be available with the lanyard or device"s instructions and must be added to the free fall distance to arrive at the total fall distance before an employee is fully stopped. The additional stopping distance may be very significant if the lanyard or deceleration device is attached near or at the end of a long lifeline, which may itself add considerable distance due to its own elongation. As required by the standard, sufficient distance to allow for all of these factors must also be maintained between the employee and obstructions below, to prevent an injury due to impact before the system fully arrests the fall. In addition, a minimum of 12 feet (3.7 m) of lifeline should be allowed below the securing point of a rope grab type deceleration device, and the end terminated to prevent the device from sliding off the lifeline. Alternatively, the lifeline should extend to the ground or the next working level below. These measures are suggested to prevent the worker from inadvertently moving past the end of the lifeline and having the rope grab become disengaged from the lifeline.

Other considerations. Because of the design of some personal fall arrest systems, additional considerations may be required for proper tie-off. For example, heavy deceleration devices of the self-retracting type should be secured overhead in order to avoid the weight of the device having to be supported by the employee. Also, if self- retracting equipment is connected to a horizontal lifeline, the sag in the lifeline should be minimized to prevent the device from sliding down the lifeline to a position which creates a swing hazard during fall arrest. In all cases, manufacturer"s instructions should be followed.

Inspection Considerations. As required in § 1926.502 (e)(5), positioning device systems must be regularly inspected. Any component with any significant defect, such as cuts, tears, abrasions, mold, or undue stretching; alterations or additions which might affect its efficiency; damage due to deterioration; contact with fire, acids, or other corrosives; distorted hooks or faulty hook springs; tongues unfitted to the shoulder of buckles; loose or damaged mountings; non-functioning parts; or wearing or internal deterioration in the ropes must be withdrawn from service immediately, and should be tagged or marked as unusable, or destroyed.

The following Fall Protection Plan is a sample program prepared for the prevention of injuries associated with falls. A Fall Protection Plan must be developed and evaluated on a site by site basis. It is recommended that erectors discuss the written Fall Protection Plan with their OSHA Area Office prior to going on a jobsite.

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