Guardrail standard

ASTM D 7032 Standard Specification for Establishing Performance Ratings for Wood-Plastic Composite Deck Boards and Guardrail Systems (Guards or Handrails) ... 

The standard method was withdrawn in 2002. The main reason to describe it in this chapter is that this method was referenced in ASTM D 7031 ( Standard guide for evaluating mechanical and physical properties of wood-plastic composite products ), issued in 2004, and in ASTM D 7032 ( Standard specification for establishing performance ratings for wood-plastic composite deck boards and guardrail systems (guards or handrails) ), issued in 2005. 

Steel erectors, just as in the general fall protection standard, can choose the best fall protection system for the job. The standard says protection from fall hazards can be a perimeter safety cable, guardrail, safety net, personal fall arrest, or a fall restraint (positioning device) system. 

Another example is the standard on classification of motor vehicle traffic accidents published by NSC. It provides a uniform method for compiling data on highway accidents. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) provides formulas for calculating roadway departure crashes from crash rate data. The method helps highway planners select the types and locations for barriers and guardrails and implement other safety improvements. 

The Standard Guardrail A commonly specified barrier is the standard guardrail illustrated in Figure 11-2. It has vertical supports, typically spaced 10ft or less apart. It has three horizontal parts top rad, middle raU, and toe board. Infill between these parts is important as well. 

Standard Guardrail As explained earlier, the standard guardrail has a toe board and sometimes inhll to prevent objects from falling to lower levels. 

Identify the elements of the standard guardrail and the function of each. 

Where access to conveyors requires elevated walking and working surfaces, there must be guardrails with standard protective features. Where conveyors have floor and wall openings through which people and material could fall, the openings must have guardrails with toe boards. 

Stairs Standards specify various characteristics of stairs. Included are clear width, tread and riser dimensions, head room, distance between landings, and landing dimensions. There are also winder, spiral and curved stair specifications. There are other details about stairs including handrails, guardrails, stairs enclosures, and other features. 

Standard guardrail systems or personal fall arrest systems (harnesses) are required at a working height of more than 10 feet above a lower working level... 

This standard applies to such items as crawler, locomotive, truck, overhead, gantry, and tower cranes helicopter operations material and personnel hoists, elevators and conveyors. Loads on the overhead cranes must be labeled and legible from the ground floor. The proper clearance must be maintained between moving and rotating structures on the crane and fixed objects. Employees on these cranes shall be protected from falling by guardrails or safety belts. 

Fixed leads shall be provided with ladder, and adequate rings, or similar attachment points, so that the loft worker may engage his safety belt lanyard to the leads. If the leads are provided with loft platforms(s), such platform(s) shall be protected by standard guardrails. 

Other fall protection meeting Subpart D of OSHA s general industry standards or Subpart M of OSHA s construction standards, as applicable. A guardrail system meeting one of those standards is an example. 

Scissor lifts — Workers on scissor lifts must either be tied-off or protected by guardrails. The aerial lift standard ( 1926.453) applies to equipment covered in ANSI A92.2-1969. Scissor lifts are not... 

A. No. OSHA s fall protection standard for construction generally requires fall protection when there is a fall distance of six feet or more. In a few, very specific situations (low-slope roof work, some leading-edge work, precast concrete erection, and residential construction), because of feasibility limitations, the standard permits the use of a warning line, in combination with other measures, instead of conventional fall protection (guardrail systems, personal fall arrest systems or safety net systems) to keep employees away from an edge. 

According to Appendix D, therefore, an equivalent to control lines should restrict access to the CDZ. OSHA directive CPL 02-01-034, Inspection policy and procedures for OSHA s steel erection standards for construction, further explains Section 1926.760(c)(3) requires that the boundaries of the CDZ be marked by the use of control lines or the equivalent. In a CDZ, the control line restricts access by visually warning employees of an unprotected area (66 FR 5247). Control lines can be made of rope, wire, tape, or other equivalent materials, but they must clearly designate the CDZ. Examples of other acceptable methods would be a perimeter wall, guardrail system, or even a restraint system rigged so that non-leading edge workers could not access the area. In contrast, a line painted on the floor would not be considered to be equivalent to control lines since it would be less visible than a control line. [Emphasis added]... 

Q. The steel erection standard requires perimeter safety cables on multi-story structures. Is it permissible to use other types of guardrail systems (such as wooden guardrails) to meet this requirement ... 

Prior to the issuance of this new directive, STD 03-00-001 allowed employers engaged in certain residential construction activities to use specified alternative methods of fall protection (e.g., slide guards or safety monitor systems) rather than the conventional fall protection (guardrails, safety nets, or personal fall arrest systems) required by the residential construction fall protection standard (29 CFR 1926.501 (b)(13)). Employers could use the alternative measures described in STD 03-00-001 without first proving that the use of conventional fall protection was infeasible or created a greater hazard and without a written fall protection plan. 

Are standard guardrails provided wherever aisle or walkway surfaces are elevated more than 30 inches (76.20 centimeters) above any adjacent floor or the ground ... 

When an employee is working above a lower level, fall hazards may be present where appropriate fall protection is required under the OSHA standards. Employees exposed to fall hazards of 4 feet or more in general industry work and 6 feet when they are performing construction tasks require some form of fall protection whether it be guardrail systems, personal fall arrest systems, restraint systems, or safety net systems. 

Once production has started on the site the four-foot height threshold remains in place. Drill rigs have many elevated surfaces and if they are four-feet or more above a lower level there must be some type of fall protection in use. A typical type of fall protection will be the standard guardrail. Places where guardrails will often be installed include the rig floor, the platform holding the shale shakers, the platform above the mud tanks, and the platform above the drilling fluid equipment. 

Most of your platforms should have standard guardrails and they would need to be installed before employees access the platform. 

The OSHA Letter of Interpretation dated May 5, 1980, states The General Industry Standards do not have a section pertaining to tie-off systems. OSHA has determined that when a standard guardrail is not feasible because it would result in impairment of the work being performed alternate protection may be provided for employees. A tie-off system is acceptable as a method of meeting the intent of Section 1910.23(c)(1). 

OSHA has determined that when a standard guardrail is not feasible because it would result in impairment of the work being performed alternate protection may be provided for... 

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