Habitat for Humanity St. Louis
Fall Protection Plan

Prepared by: Construction Safety Committee
Original Issue - 7/97, Revision #2 - 8/01

Purpose of the HFHSL Fall Protection Process

We have a duty as an employer to provide fall protection for our employees who work at elevated locations in the HFHSL construction process. This Fall Protection Plan is designed to meet the intent of the OSHA CFR 29 1926.500 Subpart M.

We have an obligation to our volunteers to provide fall protection for volunteers who work at elevated locations in our HFHSL construction process.

Fall Protection Process Elements

Role of the Site Safety Observer (SSO)
The SSO will assure that the Morning Safety Huddle Topics which apply to the work anticipated for the day are reviewed during the Morning Safety Huddle that occurs on the day that work at elevated locations is planned. (See Morning Safety Huddle Topics)

During work at elevated locations such as on ladders, scaffolds, roofs, planking between ladder jacks, etc. the SSO shall be assigned as an observer for this work without any additional duties that might provide distractions.

The SSO shall be positioned so as to be able to observe the work and interact with the workers.

The SSO shall provide safety coaching, as needed, to the employees or volunteers throughout the duration of the work being performed at elevated locations. Safety coaching may also be provided by the HFHSL Construction Manager or his/her designate, the House Leader or one of the Crew Leaders.

The SSO will monitor the site conditions at the elevated location.

Qualification of Workers
We intend to qualify our employees or volunteers to perform work at elevated locations by providing specific training on the safe work practices that are to be used during a particular task or series of tasks on a particular day.

As our volunteer work force is widely variable, we must provide sufficient training prior to the work so that it can be performed safely. This must be supported by consistent on-site coaching throughout the task designed to assure the use of the specific safe work practices identified during the training.

Work Site Conditions
Prior to beginning work at elevated locations, the site below the elevated locations will be cleared of all movable materials which could increase the severity of an injury that might result from a fall. Materials which can not be moved will be covered in a manner which would serve to reduce the effect of a fall (for example, several sheets of plywood should be placed over the concrete foundation for a porch while roofing work is in progress overhead).

Fall Protection Process

I. Statement of HFHSL Policy
Habitat for Humanity St. Louis is dedicated to the protection of its employees and volunteers from on-the-job injuries. All employees or volunteers have the responsibility to work safely on the job. The purpose of the plan is to supplement our existing safety and health program and to ensure that every employee or volunteer who works on a HFHSL worksite recognizes workplace fall hazards and takes the appropriate measures to address those hazards.

This Fall Protection Plan addresses the use of conventional fall protection at a number of areas on the project, as well as identifies specific activities that require non-conventional means of fall protection. During the construction of residential buildings it is sometimes infeasible or it creates a greater hazard to use conventional fall protection systems at specific areas or for specific tasks. These areas or tasks may include, but are not limited to:

a. Installation of floor sheathing and joists;
b. Erecting exterior walls;
c. Setting and bracing of roof trusses and rafters and;
d. Roof sheathing operations

In these cases, conventional fall protection systems may not be the safest choice for builders. This plan is designed to enable HFHSL employees or volunteers to recognize the fall hazards associated with this job and to establish safe procedures that are to be followed in order to prevent falls to lower levels or through openings and/or leading edges associated with walking/working surfaces.

Each employee or volunteer will be trained in these procedures and will strictly adhere to them except when doing so would expose the employee or volunteer to a greater hazard. If, in the employee or volunteer's opinion, this is the case, the employee or volunteer is to notify the House Leader of their concern and have the concern addressed before proceeding.

It is the responsibility of each House Leader to implement this FallProtection Plan. While continual observational safety checks of work operations is the role of the Site Safety Observer, the enforcement of the policies included in the Fall Protection Plan is the responsibility of the House Leader or his/her designates. The Crew Leaders are responsible for correcting any unsafe practices or conditions immediately.

It is the responsibility of HFHSL to ensure that all employee or volunteers understand and adhere to the procedures of this plan and to follow the instructions of the House Leader or Crew Leaders. It is also the responsibility of the employees or volunteers to bring to the House Leader's attention any unsafe or hazardous conditions or practices that may cause injury to either themselves or any other employees or volunteers. Any changes to the Fall Protection Plan must be approved jointly by the Construction Manager, the Chair of the Construction Committee and the Chair of the Safety Committee.

II. Fall Protection Systems to Be Used on This Job
Installation of roof trusses/rafters, exterior wall erection, roof sheathing, floor sheathing and joist/truss activities will be conducted by employees or volunteers who are specifically trained to do this type of work and are trained to recognize the fall hazards. The nature of such work normally exposes the employee or volunteer to the fall hazard for a short period of time. This Plan details how HFHSL will minimize these hazards.

Controlled Access Zones
When using the Plan to implement the fall protection options available, workers must be protected through limited access to high hazard locations. Before any non-conventional fall protection systems are used as part of the work plan, a controlled access zone (CAZ) shall be clearly defined by the House Leader as an area where a recognized hazard exists. The demarcation of the CAZ shall be communicated by the House Leader to the employees or volunteers during the Morning Safety Huddle.

The House Leader shall take the following steps to ensure that the CAZ is clearly marked or controlled by the competent person (Crew Leaders and SSO):

• All access to the CAZ must be restricted to authorized entrants

• All workers who are permitted in the CAZ shall be trained that day on the hazards associated with work in the CAZ

• All protective elements of the CAZ are implemented prior to the beginning of work.

Installation of Floor Joists and Sheathing
During the installation of floor sheathing/joists (leading edge construction), the following steps shall be taken to protect workers:

• Only the trained workers will be allowed to install floor joists or sheathing

• Materials for the operations shall be conveniently staged to allow for easy access to workers, however, materials shall not be stored within 6' of a leading edge

• The first floor joists or trusses will be moved into position and secured either from the ground, ladders or scaffolds; Each successive floor joist or truss will be moved into place and secured from a platform created from a sheet of plywood laid over the previously secured floor joists or trusses; Except for the first row of sheathing which will be installed from ladders or the ground, workers shall work from the established deck; and any workers not assisting in the leading edge construction while leading edges still exist (e.g. cutting the decking for the basement stairs) shall not be permitted within six feet of the leading edge under construction.

Erection of Exterior Walls
During the construction and erection of exterior walls, HFHSL shall take the following steps to protect workers:

• Only the trained workers will be allowed to erect exterior walls.

• Materials for operations shall be conveniently staged to minimize fall hazards; Materials will not be staged within 6' of a leading edge.

• Workers constructing exterior walls shall complete as much cutting of materials and other preparation as possible away from the edge of the deck.

• Wall shall be laid out and assembled before raising the wall whenever possible.

Installation Procedures for Roof Truss and Rafter Erection
During the erection and bracing of roof trusses/rafters, conventional fallprotection may present a greater hazard to workers. On this job, safety nets, guardrails and personal fall arrest systems will not provide adequate fall protection because the nets may cause the walls to collapse, while there are no suitable attachment or anchorage points for guardrails or personal fall arrest systems.

On this job, requiring workers to use a ladder for the entire installation process will cause a greater hazard because the worker must stand on the ladder with his/her back or side to the front of the ladder. While erecting the truss or rafter the worker will need both hands to maneuver the truss and therefore cannot hold onto the ladder. In addition, ladders cannot be adequately protected from movement while trusses are being maneuvered into place. Many workers may experience additional fatigue because of the increase in overhead work with heavy materials, which can also lead to a greater hazard. Exterior scaffolds cannot be utilized on this job because the ground, after recent backfilling, may not support the scaffolding. In most cases, the erection and dismantling of the scaffold would expose workers to a greater fall hazard than erection of the trusses/rafters.

On all walls eight feet or less, workers will install interior scaffolds along the interior wall below the location where the trusses/rafters will be erected. As an alternate, a ladder leaning on a firmly braced side wall may be used to set the first several trusses.

During all stages of truss/rafter erection the stability of the trusses/rafters will be ensured at all times.

HFHSL shall take the following steps to protect workers who are exposed to fall hazards while working from the top plate installing trusses/rafters:

• Only trained workers will be allowed to work on the top plate during roof truss or rafter installation

• Workers shall have no other duties to perform during truss/rafter erection procedures

• All trusses/rafters will be adequately braced before any worker can use the truss/rafter as a support

• The first two trusses/rafters will be installed from interior scaffolding or from ladders leaning on side walls at points where the walls can support the weight of the ladder; a worker will then climb onto the interior top plate via a ladder to secure the peaks of the first two trusses/rafters being set

• Workers will remain on the top plate using the previously stabilized truss/rafter as a support while other trusses/rafters are being erected

• Workers will leave the area of the secured trusses only when it is necessary to secure another truss/rafter

HFHSL shall take the following steps to protect workers who are exposed to fall hazards while securing trusses/rafters at the peak of the trusses/ridge beam:

• The workers responsible for detaching trusses from cranes and/or securing trusses at the peaks traditionally are positioned at the peak of the trusses/rafters. There are also situations where workers securing rafters to ridge beams will be positioned on top of the ridge beam.

• Only trained workers will be allowed to work at the peak during roof truss or rafter installation

• Once truss or rafter installation begins, workers not involved in that activity shall not stand or walk below or adjacent to the roof opening or exterior walls in any area where they could be struck by falling objects

• Workers shall have no other duties than securing/bracing the trusses/ridge beam

• Workers positioned at the peaks or in the webs of trusses or on top of the ridge beam shall work from a stable position, either by sitting on a "ridge seat" or other equivalent surface that provides additional stability or by positioning themselves in previously stabilized trusses/rafters and leaning into and reaching through the trusses/rafters

• Workers shall not remain on or in the peak/ridge any longer than necessary to safely complete the task

Roof Sheathing Operations
Workers typically install roof sheathing after all trusses/rafters and any permanent truss bracing is in place. Roof structures are unstable until some sheathing is installed, so workers installing roof sheathing cannot be protected from fall hazards by conventional fall protection systems until it is determined that the roofing system can be used as an anchorage point. Trusses/rafters are subject to collapse if a worker falls while attached to a single truss with a belt/harness. Nets could also cause collapse, and there is no place to attach guardrails.

All workers will ensure that they have secure footing before they attempt to walk on the sheathing, including cleaning shoes/boots of mud or other slip hazards.

To minimize the time workers must be exposed to a fall hazard, materials will be staged to allow for the quickest installation of sheathing while maintaining at least 6' from a leading edge.

HFHSL shall take the following steps to protect workers who are exposed to fall hazards while installing roof sheathing:

• Once roof sheathing installation begins, workers not involved in that activity shall not stand or walk below or adjacent to the roof opening or exterior walls in any area where they could be struck by falling objects

• The House Leader shall determine the limits of this area, which shall be clearly communicated to workers prior to placement of the first piece of roof sheathing

• The House Leader may order work on the roof to be suspended for brief periods as necessary to allow other workers to pass through such areas when this would not create a greater hazard

• Only qualified workers shall install roof sheathing

• The bottom row of roof sheathing may be installed by workers standing in truss webs; after the bottom row of roof sheathing is installed, a slide guard extending the width of the roof shall be securely attached to the roof. Slide guards are to be constructed of no less than nominal 4" height capable of limiting the uncontrolled slide of workers. Workers should install the slide guard while standing in truss webs and leaning over the sheathing; additional rows of roof sheathing may be installed by workers positioned on previously installed rows of sheathing. A slide guard can be used to assist workers in retaining their footing during successive sheathing operations; and additional slide guards shall be securely attached to the roof at intervals not to exceed 13 feet as successive rows of sheathing are installed. For roofs with pitches in excess of 9-in-12, slide guards will be installed at four-foot intervals

• When wet weather (rain, snow, or sleet) are present, roof sheathing operations shall be suspended unless safe footing can be assured for those workers installing sheathing. When strong winds (above 40 miles per hour) are present, roof sheathing operations are to be suspended unless wind breakers are erected

III. Enforcement
Constant awareness of and respect for fall hazards, and compliance with all safety rules are required when working on a HFHSL worksite. The House Leader, Crew Leader and Site Safety Observer have the responsibility to provide coaching about the elements of the Fall Protection Plan to employees and volunteers. Workers who are unwilling to respond to this coaching will be asked to leave the worksite. Any controversies that result from this request will be addressed by the HFHSL Construction Staff assigned to the worksite.

IV. Accident Investigations
All accidents that result in injury to workers or significant near misses that could easily have resulted in injury to workers, regardless of their nature, shall be investigated and reported. It is an integral part of any safety program that documentation take place as soon as possible so that the cause and means of prevention can be identified to prevent a reoccurrence. Forms for this purpose a located in the last section of the House Leader's Safety Manual. In the event that an employee or volunteer falls or there is some other related, serious incident occurring, this plan shall be reviewed to determine if additional practices, procedures, or training need to be implemented to prevent similar types of falls or incidents from occurring.

V. Changes to Plan
Any changes to the plan will be made by the HFHSL Construction Safety Committee and will be jointly approved by the Construction Manager, Chair of the Construction Committee and Chair of the Safety Committee. This plan shall be reviewed by the Construction Safety Committee as the job progresses to determine if additional practices, procedures or training need to be implemented by the House Leaders to improve or provide additional fall protection. Workers shall be notified and trained, if necessary, in the new procedures. A copy of the most recent revision of this plan shall be maintained at the jobsite.

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