Or. Admin. R. 437-003-1501

Current through Register Vol. 63, No. 6, June 1, 2024

Section 437-003-1501 - Fall Protection

(1) General. Except where permitted by another standard, when employees are exposed to a hazard of falling 6 feet or more to a lower level, the employer must ensure that fall protection systems are provided, installed, and implemented according to the criteria in 1926.502, 437-003-0502, 437-003-1502, and 437-003-2502.

(2) Walking/working surfaces. The employer must determine if the walking/working surfaces on which its employees are to work have the strength and structural integrity to safely support employees. Employees may work on those surfaces only when the surfaces have the requisite strength and structural integrity.

(3) Holes. Regardless of height, each employee on a walking/working surface must be protected from tripping in or stepping into or through holes (including skylights) by covers, or equivalent.

NOTE: Smoke domes or skylight fixtures are not considered covers for the purpose of this section unless they meet the strength requirements of 1926.502(i).

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

(5) Excavations.

(a) Employers must use guardrail systems, fences, or barricades to protect any employee who might approach the edge of an excavation, when the excavation is 6 feet or more in depth and is not readily seen because of plant growth or other visual barrier.

(b) Employers must use guardrail systems, fences, barricades, or covers to protect any employee who might approach the edge of a well, pit, shaft, or other similar excavation, when the excavation is 6 feet or more in depth.

(6) Dangerous equipment. In addition to the fall protection requirements under 437-003-1501(1), each employee working less than 6 feet above dangerous equipment must be protected from falls into or onto dangerous equipment by guardrail systems or equipment guards.

Or. Admin. R. 437-003-1501

OSHA 6-2002, f. & cert. ef. 7-19-02; OSHA 1-2016, f. 3-1-16, cert. ef. 1/1/2017

Stat. Auth.: ORS 654.025(2) & 656.726(4)

Stats. Implemented: ORS 654.001 - 654.295