GENERAL SAFETY PROCEDURES
FALL PROTECTION
GENERAL SAFETY PROCEDURES
FALL PROTECTION
Procedure Number: GSP-202
202-15Valero Terminaling and Distribution Company / Last Revised 01/10/07
GENERAL SAFETY PROCEDURES
FALL PROTECTION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FALL PROTECTION – GSP-202
1.0 PURPOSE 1
2.0 SCOPE 1
3.0 DEFINITIONS 1
4.0 RESPONSIBILITIES 4
4.1. Responsibilities of Valero Managers 4
4.2. Responsibilities of the Technical Support Personnel or Consultants 4
4.3. Responsibilities of the Purchasing Personnel 4
4.4. Responsibilities of Supervision 4
4.5. Responsibilities of Designated HSE Representative 5
4.6. Responsibilities of All Personnel 5
5.0 INSPECTION 5
6.0 PROCEDURE 6
6.1. Routine Work at Elevated Heights 6
6.2. Non- Routine Work at Elevated Heights 6
6.3. Pre-Job Planning 6
6.4. Hierarchy of Fall Protection 6
6.5. Hierarchy of Access 7
6.6. Elevated Work Training 8
6.7. Equipment Specifications 9
6.8. Annual Audit 9
6.9. Rules for Fall Arrest System 9
7.0 APPENDIX A FALL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT INSPECTION CHECKLIST 11
8.0 APPENDIX B LADDER SAFETY GUIDE 12
9.0 APPENDIX C LADDER INSPECTION CHECKLIST 15
202-15Valero Terminaling and Distribution Company / Last Revised 01/10/07
GENERAL SAFETY PROCEDURES
FALL PROTECTION
1.0 PURPOSE
This safety procedure provides the personal fall hazard management requirements, responsibilities, fall arresting equipment descriptions, and work practices needed to prevent injury from falls from elevated work areas. Any deviation from this standard must follow the Valero Terminaling and Distribution Company (Valero) deviation procedures and obtain the approval of the designated Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) representative.
2.0 SCOPE
This procedure applies all personnel, company or contractor, working in or on Valero owned, operated or maintained pipelines or facilities. The procedure covers the following activities:
· safe design of structures above four feet high on which routine work is done-such as platforms and loading racks.
· non-routine work that is above six feet high where an employee may come within six feet of an unprotected edge. This includes tasks such as work in pipe racks, on unprotected tank tops and roof work.
· work on scaffolds, aerial lifts and ladders
Any departures from this policy as written must be approved by the designated HSE representative.
3.0 DEFINITIONS
Supervisor or his Designated Representative
The management representative with immediate responsibility for the terminal, area, site or function
HSE Representative
The designated HSE representative may be a Valero employee or group or it may be a contracted entity providing specialized services to assist in environmental, health, industrial hygiene, and safety compliance activities. Subject to corporate management approval, each facility may satisfy these responsibilities through a combination of in-house and outside contracted services.
Designated Technical Support
The designated Technical Support personnel may be a Valero employee or group or it may be a contracted entity providing specialized services to assist in engineering analysis. Subject to corporate management approval, each facility may satisfy these responsibilities through a combination of in-house and outside contracted services
Dual (Leg) Lanyard
A lanyard with two tie-off legs, which provide for 100% tie-off when climbing or moving during fall protection required activities. Valero requires dual legged lanyards which are shock absorbing.
Manager
The management representative with overall responsibility for the terminal, area, site or function
Fall Elimination
Reconsideration of work and approaches to ensure that fall hazards and worker exposure do not exist. Fall hazards are evaluated and may be eliminated through an engineered approach.
Full Body Harness
Is a full body harness designed to distribute the forces experienced during a fall to minimize injury? The harness should be polyester in order to resist damage by contact with chemicals. Personnel with a body weight exceeding the capacity of the full body harness must be fitted with a harness specially designed for their weight.
Shock Absorbing Lanyard
Has snap hooks at each end and is a maximum of 6 feet in length. Shorter lanyards must be utilized when fall hazard potential is below six feet. See dual lanyards, which are required.
Fall Prevention
Means to prevent a fall and include guard rails, handrails, barricades, and netting.
Fall Protection/Arresting
The use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to control and/or arrest a fall such that injury potential is eliminated. This personal protective equipment must consist of an approved full-body harness, shock-absorbing lanyard, and double acting lock clasp that cannot be accidentally disengaged.
Anchor/Anchorage
A point of secure attachment of the shock absorbing fall arresting equipment, capable of withstanding 5,000 pounds of loading per person.
Horizontal Lifeline
An assembly consisting of steel cable supported at engineered intervals, with connectors and proper anchorage points, capable of withstanding 5,000 pounds of loading per person. All components of the lifeline must be also rated for this loading.
Self-Retracting Lanyard
Also known as a “Yo-Yo” or Retractalock. A device which contains a drumwound line which may be slowly extracted or retracted onto the drum under slight tension during normal movement. However, the device locks, arresting the line extraction, during the fall.
Designed Access ways
Access ways must meet OSHA minimum requirements. Platforms must have a toe rail, mid-rail, and be capable of supporting 200 pounds per square foot.
Locking Type Snap Hook
A self-closing, self locking keeper which remains closed and locked until unlocked and pressed open for connection or disconnection.
Contaminant
Any material, which by reason of its action upon, within, or to a person is likely to cause physical harm.
Safety belt
A device, usually worn around the waist, which, by reason of its attachment to a lanyard and lifeline or a structure, will prevent a worker from reaching a fall hazard. Safety belts are intended to serve as a warning for a fall and not as fall protection. A Harness must be used for fall protection.
Unprotected sides and edges
Each employee on a walking/working surface (horizontal and vertical surface) within 6 feet of an unprotected side or edge which is 6 feet or more above a lower level must be protected from falling by the use of guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems.
4.0 RESPONSIBILITIES
All Personnel must wear an ANSI approved full body harness and shock-absorbing lanyard when work is performed from surfaces greater than six feet and fall arresting equipment is required.
4.1. Responsibilities of Valero Managers
a. Ensure adequate resources are provided to manage this program
b. Provide periodic program evaluation and corrective response
4.2. Responsibilities of the Technical Support Personnel or Consultants
a. Responsible for the design and suitability of permanent anchorage points, and for providing personnel with the assistance on temporary anchorage points.
b. Taking into consideration maintenance and operations tasks during design to minimize the need for fall protection
c. Ensures that new projects and repair work complies with this policy.
4.3. Responsibilities of the Purchasing Personnel
a. Responsible for purchasing equipment that complies with standards specified in this program. If in doubt refer to the HSE Group.
4.4. Responsibilities of Supervision
a. Evaluates the need for fall protection as a key part of preplanning each job.
b. Supplies and maintains the proper equipment for the job.
c. Provide the necessary follow-up and oversight to ensure that the application, and use of fall protection is correctly applied to the situation.
d. Provide training as required.
4.5. Responsibilities of Designated HSE Representative
The designated HSE representative may be a Valero employee or group or it may be a contracted entity providing specialized services to assist in environmental, health and safety compliance activities. Subject to corporate management approval, each facility may satisfy these responsibilities through a combination of in-house and outside contracted services. The designated HSE representative:
a. Develops administers and updates the program.
b. Approves all fall protection equipment and PPE
c. Facilitates training sessions.
d. Periodically audits fall protection practices using the elevated work audit.
e. Ensures OSHA and ANSI Standards are understood and incorporated into this program.
4.6. Responsibilities of All Personnel
a. Must evaluate each task for unprotected falls. When found personnel must immediately bring it to their supervisor’s attention.
b. Successfully complete training courses and apply it to their job.
c. Inspect all fall arrest and PPE prior to use.
5.0 INSPECTION
All fall arresting equipment is to be inspected by the user(s) prior to each use and annually by a trained competent person. (See Appendix A for inspection protocol).
Personnel using personal fall arresting equipment must always visually inspect equipment before each use.
Note: Any lifeline, lanyard or harness that arrests a fall must be immediately removed from service. After an incident investigation, the equipment must be destroyed.
6.0 PROCEDURE
6.1. Routine Work at Elevated Heights
a. When personnel routinely walk or work at heights above six (6) feet, permanent fall prevention must be provided. It must be provided at below six feet where there is exposure to hazards from dangerous equipment.
b. Permanent fall prevention must be provided in accordance with OSHA standards on walking and working surfaces. This includes but is not limited to railings, toe-boards, walkways, stairs, fixed ladders, floor and wall openings, etc.
c. Where permanent fall prevention cannot be used, and employees are exposed to fall hazards, other means of fall protection must be applied.
6.2. Non- Routine Work at Elevated Heights
a. Non-Routine Work Standard
When employees are assigned tasks that are above six feet high and they may come within six feet of an unguarded edge or floor opening, fall protection must be provided. The protection must be provided during all phases of the job. This includes traveling to and from elevated work areas.
6.3. Pre-Job Planning
a. Supervisors, or their designee, must evaluate each job they assign for unprotected fall hazards prior to the tasks.
b. As a back up, employees must evaluate their assigned tasks for unprotected fall hazards. When a fall hazard is recognized it should be immediately brought to the supervisor’s attention.
c. Employees should be included in the process of selecting appropriate fall protection.
6.4. Hierarchy of Fall Protection
When determining the best method to safeguard personnel from a fall hazard, attempt the following solution in order.
a. Eliminate the hazard. Through careful planning it is occasionally possible to do the work from the ground level.
b. Prevent the fall. This includes installing temporary rails at unprotected edges, or securing a cover over a floor opening. It can also include establishing designated areas that are at least six feet in from edges.
c. Fall Arrest. Select and install a fall arrest system that controls the fall hazard during the performance of the task and while traveling to and from the elevated height.
6.5. Hierarchy of Access
a. Where stairways and permanent platforms with guardrails are not available, supervision should pick from the following method for gaining access to an elevated height. Consider the options in the following order
· Aerial Lifts, the operator must wear a full body harness and shock-absorbing lanyard. Use of personnel platforms attached to cranes or derricks are not authorized without specific approval of the safety department.
· Scaffolds. Railings and floors should be complete and secure. If the nature of the work makes it impossible to have a complete set of railings guarding the edge, fall arrest equipment must be worn.
· Ladder. Use fall protection when working above six feet. A retractable lanyard must be used so that the fall distance is short. Ladder rungs are not strong enough to withstand the forces generated by a long freefall. The ladder must also be tied off to prevent movement.
b. Cover floor openings.
· All openings should be covered immediately when created. All covers must be capable of supporting without failure, the maximum intended load of employees and equipment to be applied to the cover at one time. All covers are to be installed as to prevent them from being moved. This means nailed, bolted or otherwise fastened immediately Covers must be marked with bright red letters” DANGER Floor hole cover”
c. Designated areas
· Designated areas must be established only on surfaces that are flat or slightly sloped no more than 10 degrees. They consist of an area surrounded by a rope, wire or chain and supporting stanchions. The stanchions must be sturdy so that they are not easily knocked over by the wind. The stanchions will be as close to the work area as possible. They must be at least six feet away from the edge or floor opening. Access to the designated area must be by a clear path formed by two lines (rope, wire, or chain) attached to stanchions.
d. Fall Arrest Systems
· Fall arrest systems must be used in accordance with OSHA regulations. Shock absorbing dual (leg) lanyards and full body harnesses must receive a formal inspection twice a year. A qualified person using the inspection checklist must conduct the semi-annual inspection.
· A qualified person must inspect retractable lifelines annually.
· Inspection reports will be maintained for review and kept on file for at least three years.
e. Work Positioning
· Equipment used to hold a person in place must be independent of the fall arrest equipment.
f. Aerial Lifts (Man lifts)
· Lift operators must be thoroughly trained. All persons within the lift must have their fall protection attached while riding inside the lift
g. Scaffolds
· Scaffold erection and dismantling should follow OSHA standards
h. Portable Ladders
· Portable ladders should be used in accordance with site safety rules. Monthly inspections will be conducted by the responsible department in possession of the ladder using the inspection form in Appendix B. Personnel will be trained in ladder safety.
6.6. Elevated Work Training
Personnel that are involved in elevated work must receive initial and periodic retraining.
6.7. Equipment Specifications
a. All fall arrest equipment must meet the requirements of ANSI Z359.1-1992. This requires double locking snap-hooks, which minimize rollout potential (i.e. accidental disengagement)
b. When purchasing equipment for designated areas uses the following specifications: Stanchions must be capable of withstanding a force of at least 16 pounds applied horizontally against the stanchion. The line must have minimum breaking or tensile strength of 5,000 pounds.