FULL BODY HARNESSES, LANYARDS, AND LIFELINES
- Full body harnesses, lanyards and lifelines are considered components of personal fall protection systems.
- Lineman’s equipment (electrically rated harnesses). The full body harness used around high voltage equipment or structures shall be an industry designed “Linemen’s FP Harness” that will resist arc flashing.
PERSONAL FLOTATION DEVICES
Inherently buoyant Type III, Type V work vests or better USCG-approved Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) shall be provided and properly worn (zipped, tied, latched, etc., in closed fashion) by all persons in the following circumstances:
- On floating pipelines, pontoons, rafts, or stages;
- On structures or equipment extending over or next to water except where guardrails, personal fall protection system, or safety nets are provided for employees;
- Working alone at night where there are drowning hazards, regardless of other safeguards provided;
- In skiffs, small boats, or launches, unless in an enclosed cabin or cockpit; or
- Whenever there is a drowning hazard. Automatic-Inflatable PFDs Type V or better, USCG- approved for Commercial Use, may be worn by workers in lieu of inherently buoyant PFDs (See conditions 05.J.01.a-e above), provided the following criteria are met:
- PFDs are worn only by workers over 16 years of ageand those who weigh 90 pounds (40.8 kg) or more;
- An AHA must be performed for this activity;
- PFDs must be inspected, maintained, stowed and used only in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions (currently not intended to be used in areas of heavy construction or maintenance or where hot work (welding, brazing, cutting, soldering, etc.) is to be performed;
- PFDs shall provide a 30-pound minimum buoyancy post- deployment;
- All wearable PFDs shall be of a highly visible orange/reddish color. Each PFD shall have at least 31 square inches (200 cm2) of retroreflective material attached to its front side and at least 31 square inches (200 cm2) on its back side, per USCG requirements (46 CFR Part 25.25-15).
- Each PFD shall be equipped with a USCG-approved automatically activated light. Lights are not required for PFDs on projects performed exclusively during daylight hours.
- Before and after each use, the PFD shall be inspected for defects that would alter its strength or buoyancy.
- Throwable devices (Type IV PFD).
On USCG-inspected vessels, ring buoys are required to have automatic floating electric water lights (46 CFR 160). On all other floating plant and shore installations, lights
on life rings are required only in locations where adequate general lighting (e.g., floodlights, light stanchions) is not provided. For these plants and installations, at least one life
ring, and every third one thereafter, shall have automatic floating electric water light attached.
All PFDs shall be equipped with retro-reflective tape in accordance with USCG requirements.
Life rings (rope attachment not required) and ring buoys (rope attachment required) shall be USCG-approved; shall have at least 70 feet (21.3 m) of 3/8 in (0.9 cm) of attached solid braid polypropylene, or equivalent. Throw bags may be used in addition to life rings or ring buoys. Life rings or ring buoys shall be readily available and shall be provided at the following places:
- At least one not less than 20 inches (51 cm) on each safety skiff up to 26 feet (7.9 m) in length.;
- At least one 24 inches (61 cm) in diameter on all motor boats longer than 26 feet (7.9 m) in length up to 65 feet (19.8 m) in length and for motor boats 65 feet (19.8 m) in length or longer, a minimum of three life buoys of not less than 24 inches (61 cm) and one additional for each increase in length of 100 feet (30.4 m) or fraction thereof; and
- At least one at intervals of not more than 200 feet (60.9 m) on pipelines, walkways, wharves, piers, bulkheads, lock walls, scaffolds, platforms, and similar structures extending over or immediately next to water, unless the fall distance to the water is more than 45 feet (13.7 m), in which case a life ring shall be used. (The length of line for life rings at these locations shall be evaluated, but the length may not be less than 70 feet (21.3 m).)
At navigation locks, an analysis of the benefits versus the hazards of using floating safety blocks (blocks that may be quickly pushed into the water to protect individuals who have fallen in the water from being crushed by vessels) shall be made.
This analysis shall be documented as an AHA. If the use of blocks is found acceptable, consideration shall be given to the size and placement of the blocks, the appropriate means of securing and signing the blocks, etc. When the use of blocks is found unacceptable, alternative safety measures shall be developed.
LIFESAVING AND SAFETY SKIFFS
At least one skiff shall be immediately available at locations where employees work over or immediately next to water. Skiffs shall be kept afloat or ready for instant launching. Personnel trained in launching and operating the skiff shall be readily available during working hours. Lifesaving personnel shall perform a lifesaving drill, including the launching and recovery of the skiff, before the initiation of work at the site and periodically thereafter as specified by the Project Manager (but at least monthly or whenever new personnel are involved). Required equipment must be onboard and meet or exceed USCG requirements. Skiffs shall be equipped as follows:
- Four oars (two if the skiff is motor powered);
- Oarlocks attached to gunwales or the oars;
- One ball-pointed boat hook;
- One ring buoy with 70 feet (21.3 m) of 3/8-inch, solid braid polypropylene, or equivalent, line attached; and
- PFDs in number equaling the skiff rating for the maximum number of personnel allowed on board.
- Fire Extinguisher.
In locations where waters are rough or swift, or where manually operated boats are not practical, a power boat suitable for the waters shall be provided and equipped for lifesaving.
Skiffs and power boats shall have buoyant material capable of floating the boat, its equipment, and the crew. On vessels (such as skiffs) without permanently mounted navigation lights, portable battery-operated navigation lights will be available and used for night operations.
