INFORMATION DATE 19901212
DESCRIPTION USDOL Program Highlights-Amended Powered Platform Standard
STANDARD NUMBER 1910.66
SUBJECT Amended Powered Platform Standard
ABSTRACT More modern job safety requirements to protect workers on powered platforms used in window washing and maintenance operations on high rise buildings were announced by OSHA earlier. The revised standard permits the use of alternative stabilization systems for the powered platforms. New requirements were added for training and protection against falls; and existing requirements were clarified and updated. The coverage of the standard also was expanded to include activities taking place in interior installations such as atriums. About 7,000 window washers and more than 1,000 exterior building maintenance workers who work on powered platforms are affected by the revised requirements.
U.S. Department of Labor
Program Highlights
Fact Sheet No. OSHA 90-34
AMENDED POWERED PLATFORM STANDARD
More modern job safety requirements to protect workers on powered platforms used in window washing and maintenance operations on high-rise buildings were announced by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in 1989.
The revised standard permits the use of alternative stabilization systems for the powered platforms.
New requirements were added for training and protection against falls; and existing requirements were clarified and updated. The coverage of the standard also was expanded to include activities taking place in interior installations such as atriums.
About 7,000 window washers and more than 1,000 exterior building maintenance workers who work on powered platforms are affected by the revised requirements.
SCOPE
Covers powered platform installations permanently dedicated to interior (e. g. atrium) or exterior building maintenance of a specific structure or group of structures. Does not apply to suspended scaffolds (swinging scaffolds) used to service buildings on a temporary basis and covered under Subpart D Walking-Working Surfaces) of the OSHA General Industry standards nor to suspended scaffolds used for construction work and covered under Subpart L (Ladders and Scaffolding) of OSHA's Construction Industry standards. Building maintenance covers, but is not limited to, such tasks as window cleaning, caulking, metal polishing and reglazing.
BACKGROUND
The previous OSHA standard, adopted in 1971, required that all platforms be stabilized by direct attachment to continuous guide rails in the building facade, whenever the building height exceeds 130 feet or 396 meters.
For less tall buildings, continuous guide rails were not required by the previous rule, but the platform had to be equipped with building face rollers and angled suspension wire ropes, which would hold the platform against the building facade.
During the years immediately following promulgation of the 1971 standard, most high-rise buildings were designed with straight building facades, which were adapted readily to the continuous guide rail requirements.
In recent years, however, architects have been designing some buildings with multiple vertical planes, setbacks, and complicated corners, for aesthetic reasons or to conserve energy. Energy costs, for example, led to smaller and fewer windows, projecting awnings, and recessed windows to provide insulation from outside temperatures.
These design changes make it difficult, costly, or impossible to use continuous guide rails on many building facades. As a result, the new designs for high rises have led to development of new types of stabilization systems for powered platforms.
The revised OSHA standard will permit use of two additional alternative stabilization systems: (1) The button system which employs a vertical line of buttons set into a building wall. The platform contains two vertical bar guides at each end of the platform. As the platform traverses the building, the bar guides engage the buttons and lock the platform to the building. (2) The intermittent tie-in system which uses lanyards that secure the suspension wire ropes to anchors set into the building wall. The building anchors are set at fixed intervals (usually from 30 to 50 feet); and the adjustable lanyards are designed to produce enough tension below the tie-in point to secure the platform against the building facade.
APPLICATION
Except for Appendix D, standard applies to all permanent installations completed after July 23, 1990. Major modifications to existing installations completed after that date are also considered new installations under this section.
EXISTING INSTALLATIONS
Permanent installations already in existence and completed before August 27, 1971 must comply with requirements for inspections, maintenance, employee training, and personal fall protection in the revised standard. If installed after August 27, 1971, and before July 23, 1990, such permanent installations must comply with requirements for inspections, maintenance, employee training, personal fall protection, and Appendix D, which addresses design requirements of the revised standard.
STABILIZATION SYSTEMS
The building stabilization system must be: (1) a continuous stabilization system using guide rails or (2) an intermittent stabilization system with building anchors no less than three floors or 50 feet apart vertically, or (3) a button guide stabilization system or (4), in the case of a building where the suspended platform is not more than 130 feet (or 39.6 meters) above a safe working surface, a system using angled roping and building face rollers.
ENGINEERING REQUIREMENT
Structural supports, tie-in guides, anchoring devices and any affected parts of the building included in the installation must be designed by or under the direction of a registered professional engineer experienced in such design.
EMERGENCY PLANNING
A written emergency plan describing the emergency procedures to be followed in the event of a power failure, equipment failure or other emergencies shall be developed and implemented. The employer must review with the employee those parts of the plan which employees must know to protect themselves in an emergency.
TRAINING
Employees who operate working platforms must be trained to recognize and prevent safety hazards; in required work procedures; and personal fall arrest systems. Written work procedures for the operation, safe use and inspection of the platforms must be provided for employee training, unless pictorial methods of instruction would improve employee communication. Training is to be done by a competent person.
PERSONAL FALL PROTECTION
Employees on working platforms also shall be protected by a fall arrest system meeting requirements detailed in Appendix C of the standard.
This is one of a series of fact sheets highlighting U.S. Department of Labor programs. It is intended as a general description only and does not carry the force of legal opinion.