Regulations & Standards
Lives are on the line at life on the edge
Window washers, maintenance contractors and suspended access workers must be able to securely attach equipment while working at heights — and building owners are on the hook to put adequate safety measures in place that meet federal regulations and industry standards
As you walk this line, work with Summit Anchor Company to comply with safety measures. Whether design plans, anchor installation or certification, or other suspended maintenance safety matters, Summit Anchor guides clients through the challenging process. For instance, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Walking-Working Surfaces, which went into effect in 2017, requires employers to identify slip, trip and fall hazards and then provide fall protection, ranging from anchorages, guard rails, tethered harnesses and other measures. Employers and building owners must comply with requirements for inspecting, testing, and certifying Rope Descent System (RDS) anchorages before any worker uses an RDS.
Why is fall protection important?
Fall protection measures such as anchors must comply with OSHA regulations and standards, and a company’s reputation may be on the line if it fails to meet these. Building owners and managers face financial liability for accidents from falls. And most importantly, life is precious: OSHA expects its Walking-Working Surfaces rule, affecting approximately 112 million workers, will prevent 29 fatalities and more than 5,000 injuries annually.
Developing a suspended access system that is both safe and compliant requires careful planning and insight into suspended access operations and fall protection planning. Architects, engineers and design professionals planning building projects should incorporate workplace safety elements early in the design process. Summit Anchor, from the beginning to end, provides legitimate equipment layout plans that balance structural demands, budget constraints and complex design with compliance to safety standards.
Call us to set up an appointment.
Safety from the top down.
“OSHA expects its Walking-Working Surfaces rule,
affecting approximately 112 million workers,
will prevent 29 fatalities and more than 5,000 injuries annually.”
Safety from the top down.
CLICK HERE to request a quote using our Design Assist Request.
Below are examples of workplace height safety regulations and standards:
United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration
- OSHA Walking-Working Surfaces and Personal Fall Protection Systems Final Rule, subpart D applying to fall protection
Doc with Link to: OSHA Subpart D Final Rule Searchable - OSHA Enforcement Guidance for General Industry Rope Descent System (RDS) Anchorage Requirements
https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2017-11-20
State Regulations
State, and industry fall protection standards and regulations apply to suspended access workers and contractors. Working at height safety standards can vary depending on state guidelines – with some states adhering to more stringent fall protection codes than the federal standard. Visit individual state websites under its labor section, but here are links to the California and New York standards.
Industry Standards
- International Window Cleaning Association, the 2001 ANSI/IWCA I-14 Window Cleaning Safety Standard
https://www.iwca.org/i-14-standard/
- American Society of Mechanical Engineers, A-120 Safety Requirements for Powered Platforms and Traveling Ladders and Gantries for Building Maintenance
https://www.asme.org/products/codes-standards/a1201-2014-safety-requirements-powered-platforms
- American Society of Safety Professionals, Fall Protection and Fall Restraint, Z359
https://www.assp.org/standards/standards-topics/fall-protection-and-fall-restraint-z359https://www.assp.org/docs/default-source/Standards-Documents/z359-bulletin_1018.pdf?sfvrsn=2
