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Amended Powered Platform Standard
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.

Voluntary Safety And Health Program Management Guidelines
INFORMATION DATE 19910805 DESCRIPTION USDOL Program Highlights on Safety and Health Program Management SUBJECT Voluntary Safety and Health Program Management ABSTRACT Management Commitment and Employee Involvement calls for a worksite policy on safe and healthful work and working conditions clearly stated so that all personnel with responsibility at the site and personnel at other locations with responsibility for the site understand the priority of safety and health protection in relation to other organizational values. U.S. Department of Labor Program Highlights Fact Sheet No. OSHA 91-37 VOLUNTARY SAFETY AND HEALTH PROGRAM MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued voluntary program management guidelines to encourage employers to do more than just comply with regulations to prevent occupational injuries and illnesses. Although compliance with the law, including specific OSHA standards, is an important objective, an effective program looks beyond specific requirements of law to address all hazards. It seeks to prevent injuries and illnesses, whether or not compliance is at issue. The language in these guidelines is general so that it may be broadly applied in general industry, shipyards, marine terminals, and longshoring activities regardless of the size, nature, or complexity of operations. Construction activities are not covered by this guideline because they are already covered under OSHA's construction standards. The guidelines, a distillation of successfully applied safety and health management practices, are advocated by safety and health professionals and consultants representing corporations, professional associations, and labor unions. The Guidelines The guidelines call for systematic identification, evaluation, and prevention or control of general workplace hazards, specific job hazards, and potential hazards which may arise from foreseeable conditions. The extent to which a program is described in writing is less important than how effective it is in practice. As the size of a worksite or the complexity of a hazardous operation increases, however, the need for written guidance increases to ensure clear communication of policies and priorities and consistent and fair application of rules. Major elements of an effective occupational safety and health program include: Management Commitment and Employee Involvement This calls for: A worksite policy on safe and healthful work and working conditions clearly stated so that all personnel with responsibility at the site and personnel at other locations with responsibility for the site understand the priority of safety and health protection in relation to other organizational values. A clear goal for the safety and health program and objectives for meeting that goal so that all members of the organization understand the results desired and the measures planned for achieving them. Top management involvement in implementing the program so that all will understand that management's commitment is serious. Employee involvement in the structure and operation of the program and in decisions that affect their safety and health, to make full use of their insight and energy. Assignment of responsibilities for all aspects of the program, so that managers, supervisors, and employees in all parts of the organization know what performance is expected of them. Provision of adequate authority and resources to responsible parties, so that assigned responsibilities can be met. Holding managers, supervisors, and employees accountable for meeting their responsibilities, so that essential tasks will be performed. Annual reviews of program operations to evaluate their success in meeting the goal and objectives, so that deficiencies can be identified and the program and/or the objectives can be revised when the goals and objectives are not met. Worksite Analysis This includes: Identification of all hazards by conducting baseline worksite surveys for safety and health and periodic comprehensive update surveys. Also included would be an analysis of planned and new facilities, processes, materials, and equipment; and another of routine job hazards. Regular site safety and health inspections, so that new or previously missed hazards and failures in hazard controls are identified. A reliable system to encourage employees, without fear of reprisal, to notify management personnel about conditions that appear hazardous and to receive timely and appropriate responses. Investigation of accidents and 'near miss' incidents, so that their causes and means for prevention are identified. Analysis of injury and illness trends over extended periods so that patterns with common causes can be identified and prevented.   Hazard Prevention and Control This calls for: Procedures that ensure that all current and potential hazards are corrected in a timely manner through engineering techniques where appropriate, safe work practices understood and followed by all parties; provision of personal protective equipment; and administrative controls, such as reducing the duration of exposure.   Safety and Health Training This includes training to: Ensure that all employees understand the hazards to which they may be exposed and how to prevent harm to themselves and other. Ensure that supervisors and managers understand their responsibilities and the reasons for them so they can carry out their responsibilities effectively. 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. This information will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request: voice phone, (202) 219-6666.