Law Department notice on WTC document preservation, Oct 2001

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

Standard Operating Procedure Page 9 of 15 Fall Protection

• To any object which is incompatibly shaped or dimensioned in relation to the snaphook such that imintentional disengagement could occur by the connected object being able to depress the snaphook keeper and release itself.

On suspended scaffolds or similar work platforms with horizontal lifelines that may become vertical lifelines, the devices used to connect to a horizontal lifeline shall be capable of locking in both directions on the lifeline.

Horizontal lifelines shall be designed, installed, and used, under the supervision of a qualified person, as part of a complete personal fall arrest system, which maintains a safety factor of at least two.

Lanyards and vertical lifelines shall have a minimum breaking strength of5,000 pounds (22.2 kN).

When vertical lifelines are used, each employee shall be attached to a separate lifeline. During the construction of elevator shafts, two employees may be attached to the same lifeline in the hoistway, provided both employees are working atop a false car that is equipped with guardrails; the strength of the lifeline is 10,000 poimds [5,000 pounds per employee attached] (44.4 kN); and all other criteria specified in this paragraph for lifelines have been met.

Lifelines shall be protected against being cut or abraded.

Self-retracting lifelines and lanyards which automatically limit free fall distance to 2 feet (0.61 m) or less shall be capable of sustaining a miniminn tensile load of 3,000 pounds (13.3 kN) applied to the device with the lifeline or lanyard in the fully extended position. Self-retracting lifelines and lanyards which do not limit free fall distance to 2 feet (0.61 m) or less, ripstitch lanyards, and tearing and deforming lanyards shall be capable of sustaining a minimum tensile load of 5,000 pounds (22.2 kN) applied to the device with the lifeline or lanyard in the fully extended position.

Ropes and straps (webbing) used in lanyards, lifelines, and strength components of body belts and body harnesses shall be made from synthetic fibers.

Anchorages used for attachment of personal fall arrest equipment shall be independent of any anchorage being used to support or suspend platforms and capable of supporting at least 5,000 pounds (22.2 kN) per employee attached, or shall be designed, instiled, and used as follows:

• As part of a complete personal foil arrest system which maintains a safety factor of at least two; and • Under the supervision of a qualified person.

Personal fall arrest systems, when stopping a fall, shall:

• Limit maximum arresting force on an employee to 900 pounds (4 kN) when used with a body belt; • Limit maximum arresting force on an employee to 1,800 pounds (8 kN) when used with a body harness; • Be rigged such that an employee can neither free fell more than 6 feet (1.8 m), nor contact any lower level; • Bring an employee to a complete stop and limit maximum deceleration distance an employee travels to 3.5 feet (1.07 m); and, • Have sufficient strength to withstand twice the potential impact energy of an employee free felling a distance of 6 feet (1.8 m), or the free fall distance permitted by the system, whichever is less.

The attachment point of the body belt shall be located in the center of the wearer's back. The attachment point of the body harness shall be located in the center of the wearer’s back near shoulder level, or above the wearer's head.

Body belts, harnesses, and components shall be used only for employee protection (as part of a personal fall arrest system or positioning device system) and not to hoist materials.

Personal fall arrest systems and components subjected to impact loading shall be immediately removed from service and shall not be used again for employee protection until inspected and determined by a competent person to be undamaged and suitable for reuse.

NYC-WTC_000145146