PROVINCE OF ALBERTA

Occupational Health and Safety Code

under the

Occupational Health and Safety Act

(2006)

Part 9 - Fall Protection

Note: This is not the official version. The full text and most current version of this
regulation is available by visiting the Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry website.

Rescue personnel exemption
General protection
Anchor points
Elevated work platforms, aerial devices, man baskets
Water danger
Fall protection plan
Instruction of workers
CSA standards
Wood pole climbing
Lanyards and safety belts
Shock absorbers
Full body harness
Clearance and maximum arresting force
Anchor plate
Travel restraint anchors — temporary
Travel restraint anchors — permanent
Fall arrest anchors
Vertical lifelines
Prusik and similar knots
Flexible horizontal lifeline and rigid horizontal fall protection systems
Installation of horizontal lifeline systems
Inspection and maintenance
Removal from service
Control zones

Rescue personnel exemption

138

Rescue personnel involved in training or in providing emergency rescue services may use equipment and practices other than those specified in this Part.

General protection

139

(1) An employer must ensure that workers use a fall protection system at a temporary or permanent work area if

(a)

a worker may fall 3 metres or more, or

(b)

there is an unusual possibility of injury if a worker falls less than 3 metres.

(2) For the purposes of this section, there is an unusual possibility of injury if the injury may be worse than an injury from landing on a solid, flat surface.

(3) An employer must ensure that a worker at a permanent work area is protected from falling by a guardrail if the worker may fall a vertical distance of more than 1.2 metres and less than 3 metres.

(4) Despite subsection (3), if the use of a guardrail is not reasonably practicable, an employer must ensure that a worker uses a travel restraint system.

(5) Despite subsection (4), if the use of a travel restraint system is not reasonably practicable, an employer must ensure that a worker uses an equally effective means that protects the worker from falling.

(6) A worker must use or wear the fall protection system the employer requires the worker to use or wear in compliance with this Code.

Anchor points

140

If a worker uses a personal fall arrest system or a travel restraint system, the worker must ensure that it is safely secured to an anchor point or plate that meets the requirements of this Part.

Elevated work platforms, aerial devices, man baskets

141

(1) An employer must ensure that a worker on a boom-supported elevating work platform, boom-supported aerial device, or telescopic forklift truck work platform uses a personal fall arrest system

(a)

connected to

(i)

an anchor point specified by the manufacturer of the work platform, aerial device or telescopic forklift truck, or

(ii)

if no anchor is specified by the manufacturer, an anchor point certified by a professional engineer that meets the requirements of CSA Standard Z259.16-04, Design of Active Fall-Protection Systems, and

(b)

when connected to the anchor point, the lanyard, if reasonably practicable, is short enough to prevent the worker from being ejected from the work platform or aerial device but is long enough to allow the worker to perform his or her work.

(2) An employer must ensure that a worker on a scissor lift or an elevating work platform with similar characteristics uses a travel restraint system consisting of a full body harness and lanyard

(a)

connected to an anchor point specified by the manufacturer of the scissor lift or aerial work platform, and

(b)

when connected to the anchor point, the lanyard, if reasonably practicable, is short enough to prevent the worker falling out of the scissor lift or aerial work platform but is long enough to allow the worker to perform his or her work.

(3) Subsection (2) does not apply if

(a)

the manufacturer’s specifications allow a worker to work from the scissor lift or elevating work platform with similar characteristics using only its guardrails for fall protection, and

(b)

the scissor lift or elevating work platform is operating on a firm, substantially level surface.

(4) Despite subsection (2), if a worker’s movement cannot be adequately restricted in all directions by the travel restraint system, the employer must ensure that the worker uses a personal fall arrest system.

(5) An employer must ensure that a worker who is being raised or lowered in a man basket uses a personal fall arrest system.

(6) Repealed

Water danger

142

(1) An employer must ensure that a worker uses an appropriate fall protection system in combination with a life jacket or personal flotation device if the worker

(a)

may fall into water that exposes the worker to the hazard of drowning, or

(b)

could drown from a fall, other than from a boat.

(2) Despite subsection (1) and section 241, a life jacket or personal flotation device need not be worn if a fall protection system prevents a fall into water.

Fall protection plan

143

(1) An employer must develop procedures in a fall protection plan for a work site if a worker at the work site may fall 3 metres or more and workers are not protected by guardrails.

(2) A fall protection plan must specify

(a)

the fall hazards at the work site,

(b)

the fall protection system to be used at the work site,

(c)

the procedures used to assemble, maintain, inspect, use and disassemble the fall protection system, and

(d)

the rescue procedures to be used if a worker falls, is suspended by a personal fall arrest system or safety net and needs to be rescued.

(3) The employer must ensure that the fall protection plan is available at the work site before work with a risk of falling begins.

Instruction of workers

144

An employer must ensure that a worker is trained in the fall protection plan and the safe use of the fall protection system before allowing the worker to work in an area where a fall protection system must be used.

CSA standards

145

(1) An employer must ensure that a full body harness is approved to CSA Standard CAN/CSA Z259.10-M90 (R1998), Full Body Harnesses.

(2) An employer must ensure that a safety belt is approved to CSA Standard CAN/CSA Z259.1-95 (R1999), Safety Belts and Lanyards.

(3) An employer must ensure that a lanyard is approved to CSA Standard CAN/CSA 259.1-95 (R1999), Safety Belts and Lanyards.

(4) An employer must ensure that, if a shock absorber or shock absorbing lanyard is used as part of a personal fall arrest system, it is approved to CSA Standard CAN/CSA Z259.11-M92 (R1998), Shock Absorbers for Personal Fall-Arrest Systems.

(5) An employer must ensure that connecting components of a fall arrest system consisting of carabiners, D-rings, O-rings, oval rings, self-locking connectors and snap hooks meet the requirements of CSA Standard Z259.12-01, Connecting Components for Personal Fall Arrest Systems (PFAS).

(6) An employer must ensure that

(a)

fall arresting devices, such as rope grabs, meet the requirements of CSA Standard Z259.2.1-98, Fall Arresters, Vertical Lifelines, and Rails,

(b)

self-retracting devices used with personal fall arrest systems are approved to CSA Standard Z259.2.2-98, Self-Retracting Devices for Personal Fall-Arrest Systems, and

(c)

automatic and manual descent control devices used with personal fall arrest systems meet the requirements of CSA Standard Z259.2.3-99, Descent Control Devices.

(7) An employer must ensure that a vertical lifeline used in a fall protection system meets the requirements of CSA Standard CAN/CSA-Z259.2.1-98, Fall Arresters, Vertical Lifelines, and Rails.

(8) An employer must ensure that fall restrict equipment used by a worker when the worker works on or from a wood pole is approved to CSA Standard Z259.14-01, Fall Restrict Equipment for Wood Pole Climbing.

(9) An employer must ensure that a lineman’s body belt is approved to CSA Standard Z259.3-M1978 (R2001), Lineman’s Body Belt and Lineman’s Safety Strap.

(10) Subsections (8) and (9) do not apply to fall restrict equipment or a lineman’s body belt in use before April 30, 2004.

Wood pole climbing

146

(1) An employer must ensure that a worker working on or from a wood pole uses fall restrict equipment that is approved to CSA Standard Z259.14-01, Fall Restrict Equipment for Wood Pole Climbing, in combination with

(a)

a lineman’s body belt that is approved to CSA Standard Z259.3-M1978 (R2001), Lineman’s Body Belt and Lineman’s Safety Strap, or

(b)

a full body harness that is approved to CSA Standard CAN/CSA Z259.10-M90 (R1998), Full Body Harnesses.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to fall restrict equipment or a lineman’s body belt in use before April 30, 2004.

Lanyards and safety belts

147

(1) An employer must ensure that a lanyard or safety strap used by a worker is made of wire rope or other material appropriate to the hazard if a tool or corrosive agent that could sever, abrade or burn a lanyard or safety strap is used in the work area.

(2) An employer must ensure that a worker uses a safety belt only as part of a travel restraint system or as part of a fall restrict system.

(3) Despite subsection (1), if a worker works near an energized conductor or in a work area where a lanyard made of conductive material cannot be used safely, the employer must ensure that the worker uses another effective means of fall protection.

(4) A worker must limit the vertical distance of a fall by

(a)

selecting the shortest length lanyard that will still permit unimpeded performance of the worker’s duties,

(b)

using only a single lanyard between the worker and the anchor point, except as required by subsection (3), and

(c)

securing the lanyard to an anchor point no lower than the worker’s shoulder height.

(5) If a shoulder height anchor point required by subsection (4)(c) is not available, a worker must secure the lanyard to an anchor point that is a high as reasonably practicable.

Shock absorbers

148

(1) An employer must ensure that a personal fall arrest system consists of a full body harness and a lanyard equipped with a shock absorber or similar device.

(1.1) Despite subsection (1), a shock absorber or similar device is not required if the personal fall arrest system is used in accordance with section 150.

(2) Despite subsection (1), a shock absorber is required with a fixed ladder fall arrest system only if it is required by the manufacturer of the system.

(3) Repealed

Full body harness

149

(1) An employer must ensure that a worker who is using a personal fall arrest system wears and uses a full body harness.

(2) A worker using a personal fall arrest system must wear and use a full body harness.

Clearance and maximum arresting force

150

(1) An employer must ensure that a personal fall arrest system is arranged so that a worker cannot hit the ground or an object or level below the work area.

(2) Repealed

(3) An employer must ensure that a personal fall arrest system limits the maximum arresting force on a worker to 8 kilonewtons.

Anchor plate

151

An employer must ensure that an anchor plate with multiple attachments points designed to support combinations of suspension lines, tie-back lines and lifelines is certified in writing by a professional engineer.

Travel restraint anchors — temporary

152

(1) An employer must ensure that a temporary anchor point used in a travel restraint system

(a)

has an ultimate load capacity of at least 3.5 kilonewtons per worker attached in any direction in which the load may be applied, and

(b)

is installed, used and removed according to the manufacturer’s specifications.

(2) The employer must ensure that the temporary travel restraint anchor point described in subsection (1) is

(a)

permanently marked as being for travel restraint only, and

(b)

removed from use on the earliest of

(i)

the date the work project for which it is intended is completed, or

(ii)

the time specified by the manufacturer.

Travel restraint anchors — permanent

153

(1) An employer must ensure that a permanent anchor point used in a travel restraint system associated with a construction project involving typical methods of constructing wood-framed, sloped-roof structures

(a)

has an ultimate load capacity of at least 8.75 kilonewtons per worker attached in any direction in which the load may be applied,

(b)

is installed and used according to the manufacturer’s specifications, and

(c)

is permanently marked as being for travel restraint only.

(2) An employer must ensure that a permanent anchor point used in a travel restraint system associated with applications other than those described in subsection (1)

(a)

has an ultimate load capacity of at least 22.2 kilonewtons per worker attached in any direction in which the load may be applied, and

(b)

is installed and used according to the manufacturer’s specifications.

Fall arrest anchors

154

(1) An employer must ensure that anchor points to which a personal fall arrest system is attached have an ultimate load capacity of at least 22.2 kilonewtons per worker attached, in any direction in which the load may be applied.

(2) Subsection (1) does not apply to anchor points installed before April 30, 2004.

(3) Subsection (1) does not apply to the anchor points of horizontal lifeline systems that must meet the requirements of subsection 157(1).

(4) If the structure to which the anchor point is attached is not capable of withstanding a 22.2 kilonewtons force without damage, the employer may use an anchor point designed, installed and used as part of a fall protection system that is capable of withstanding twice the maximum arresting force that the anchor point is subjected to.

(5) The employer must ensure that the anchor point described in subsection (4) is designed, installed and used

(a)

in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications, or

(b)

specifications certified by a professional engineer.

(6) Subject to section 151, an employer must ensure that anchor points to which a personal fall arrest system is attached are not part of an anchor used to support or suspend a platform.

Vertical lifelines

155

(1) An employer must ensure that a vertical lifeline used in a personal fall arrest system is secured to an anchor point that is not used to support any thing else.

(2) An employer must ensure that a vertical lifeline has a nominal breaking load specified by the manufacturer of not less than 27 kilonewtons.

(3) An employer must ensure that a vertical lifeline extends downward to within 1.2 metres of ground level or another safe lower surface.

(4) An employer must ensure that a vertical lifeline is free of knots or splices except for a stopper knot at its lower end.

(5) An employer must ensure that only one worker is attached to a vertical lifeline at any one time unless

(a)

the vertical lifeline is part of the fall arrest system of a fixed ladder, or

(b)

the manufacturer’s specifications or specifications certified by a professional engineer allow for the attachment of more than one worker to the same vertical lifeline

(6) An employer must ensure that a vertical lifeline

(a)

is effectively protected to prevent abrasion by sharp or rough edges, and

(b)

is made of wire rope or other material appropriate to the hazard if a tool or chemical agent is used that could sever, abrade or burn the vertical line.

(7) Despite subsection (6)(b), the employer must ensure that a different effective means of fall protection is used if a worker is working near an energized electrical conductor or in a work area where a lifeline made of conductive materials cannot be safely used.

(8) An employer must ensure that a vertical lifeline is installed and used in a manner that minimizes the hazards of swinging if a worker falls.

Prusik and similar knots

156

An employer must ensure that a Prusik or similar knot is used in place of a rope grab only during emergency situations or during training for emergency situations and only by a competent worker.

Flexible horizontal lifeline and rigid horizontal fall protection systems

157

(1) An employer must ensure that a flexible horizontal lifeline system meets the requirements of

(a)

CSA Standard Z259.13-04, Flexible Horizontal Lifeline Systems, or

(b)

the applicable requirements of CSA Standard Z259.16-04, Design of Active Fall-Protection Systems.

(2) An employer must ensure that a rigid horizontal fall protection system is designed, installed and used in accordance with

(a)

the manufacturer’s specifications, or

(b)

specifications certified by a professional engineer.

Installation of horizontal lifeline systems

158

(1) Repealed

(2) An employer must ensure that, before a horizontal lifeline system is used, a professional engineer, a competent person authorized by the professional engineer, the manufacturer, or a competent person authorized by the manufacturer, certifies that the system has been properly installed according to the manufacturer’s specifications or to specifications certified by a professional engineer.

Inspection and maintenance

159

An employer must ensure that the equipment used as part of a fall protection system is

(a)

inspected by the worker as required by the manufacturer before it is used on each work shift,

(b)

kept free from substances and conditions that could contribute to deterioration of the equipment, and

(c)

re-certified as specified by the manufacturer.

Removal from service

160

(1) An employer must ensure that equipment used as part of a fall protection system is removed from service and either returned to the manufacturer or destroyed if it is defective.

(2) An employer must ensure that, after a personal fall arrest system has stopped a fall, the system is removed from service.

(3) An employer must ensure that a personal fall arrest system that is removed from service is not returned to service unless a professional engineer or the manufacturer certifies that the system is safe to use.

Control zones

161

(1) If a control zone is used, an employer must ensure that it

(a)

is only used if a worker can fall from a surface that has a slope of no more than 4 degrees towards an unguarded edge or that slopes inwardly away from an unguarded edge, and

(b)

is not less than 2 metres wide when measured from the unguarded edge.

(2) An employer must not use a control zone to protect workers from falling from a skeletal structure that is a work area.

(3) If a worker will at all times remain further from the unguarded edge than the width of the control zone, no other fall protection system need be used.

(4) Despite section 139, a worker is not required to use a fall protection system when crossing the control zone to enter or leave the work area.

(5) When crossing a control zone referred to in subsections (3) and (4), to get to or from the unguarded edge, a worker must follow the most direct route.

(6) An employer must ensure that a control zone is clearly marked with an effective raised warning line or other equally effective method if a worker is working within 2 metres of the control zone.

(7) An employer must ensure that a worker who has to work within a control zone

(a)

uses a travel restraint system, or

(b)

an equally effective means that prevents the worker from getting to the unguarded edge.

(8) A person who is not directly required for the work at hand must not be inside a control zone.