OPNAVINST Chapter 13 Fall Protection
OPNAVINST Chapter 13 Fall Protection
OPNAVINST Chapter 13 Fall Protection
23G
30 Dec 05
CHAPTER 13
1301. Purpose
This chapter provides requirements to establish a managed fall protection program to protect Navy
civilians and military personnel from the hazards of falling from heights at Navy Shore activities.
1302. Background
a. Falls from heights are a leading cause of work-related injuries and fatalities. The
Navy continues to experience serious fall related mishaps, which lead to reduced readiness and
productivity, as well as high medical and compensation costs resulting from these mishaps.
c. The Navy requires activities to protect its personnel from recognized hazards.
There is much more to workplace safety than a Navy activity representative arriving at a work
site with a copy of the pertinent standards in hand. Navy activities have a duty to anticipate the
need to work at heights and to plan their work activities accordingly – this means that effective
mishap prevention must be incorporated into the job planning process. Falls are preventable.
Careful planning and preparation lay the necessary groundwork for an accident-free workplace.
1303. Policy
Every command, work center, and unit shall have a safety culture with management commitment
that promotes a safe work environment for personnel working at heights. The Regional
Commander, Commanding Officer/Director, Officer-In-Charge of the Navy Activity is responsible for
establishing and implementing a fall protection program, which includes identification and
elimination/control of fall hazards. Navy activities are responsible for: assigning responsibilities;
surveying and assessing fall hazards; providing prevention and control measures; training of
personnel; inspecting the equipment; auditing and evaluation; proper installation and use of fall
protection systems; and the availability of rescue equipment with accompanying rescue procedures.
Fall protection must be provided to Navy civilians and military personnel exposed to fall hazards on
any elevated walking working surface with unprotected sides, edges, or floor openings, from which
there is a possibility of falling four feet (five feet for Shipyard Operations) or more to a lower level; or
where there is a possibility of a fall from any height onto dangerous equipment, into a hazardous
environment, or onto an impalement hazard.
Each Navy activity, which has personnel exposed to fall hazards, is required to establish a managed
fall protection program. The managed fall protection program shall be in writing and approved by
the activity’s safety office. As an alternative to this requirement, a Navy shore activity, in lieu of a
separate written program with safety office review and approval, may state in writing that it is using
the Department of the Navy-Fall Protection Guide for Ashore Facilities, reference 13-1, as their fall
protection program. A managed fall protection program includes:
a. Activity Policy
e. Training
g. Rescue Procedures
Each activity may prescribe supplementary requirements for special conditions above and beyond
the fall protection policy set out in this instruction.
Each Navy activity shall delineate duties and assign responsibilities in the implementation of a
managed fall protection program. The activities shall ensure that assigned personnel have the
necessary skills, knowledge, training, and expertise to manage, administer, and implement the fall
protection program. Depending upon the activity size and mission, personnel who manage,
administer and/or implement the fall protection program may either be assigned as full time or as
part time (collateral duty) positions.
Personnel assigned to the fall protection program should have the following qualifications and
responsibilities:
a. The Fall Protection Program Manager: A person authorized by the command who is
responsible for the development and implementation of the program. The manager shall ensure
that personnel exposed to fall hazards and other personnel involved in the program receive
adequate training as outlined in appendix A.
NOTE:
The program manager position need not be an exclusive title designation. With adequate
education, training, and experience the same person may also function as a qualified person or
competent person.
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well as in their application and use with related equipment, AND who has the authority to take
prompt corrective measures to eliminate the hazards of falling.
c. Qualified Person for Fall Protection: A person with a recognized engineering degree
or professional certificate, and with extensive knowledge, training, and experience in the field of fall
protection who is capable of performing design, analysis, and evaluation of fall protection systems
and equipment.
d. End User of Fall Protection: A person who has been trained in the use of assigned
fall protection equipment, including hands-on training in a typical fall hazard situation, and uses
personal fall arrest or fall restraint/positioning device equipment while performing work assignments.
A competent person who has the knowledge, expertise, and education to deliver the training should
train end users. The competent person should also be qualified as a fall protection trainer for end
users.
a. Each Navy activity shall survey the workplace to identify potential fall hazards in
accordance with Chapter 5 of instruction. Navy activities shall determine if the walking or working
surfaces on which employees are to work have the strength and structural integrity to safely support
the workers. Employees shall not be permitted to work on those surfaces until it has been
determined that the surfaces have the requisite strength and structural integrity to support the
workers and equipment related to their tasks. Once it has been determined that the surface is safe
for employees to work on, then it should be determined if a fall hazard exists at the work location.
a. The hierarchy or preferred order of control measures for fall hazards are:
(1) Elimination - Removing the hazard from a workplace. This is the most
effective control measure (e.g., lower various devices or instruments, such as meters or valves to
the height level of the individual, instead of servicing such devices or instruments at heights).
(2) Prevention - Isolating or separating the hazard from the general work areas
(e.g., same level barriers such as guardrails, walls, or covers.)
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(5) Personal Protective Systems and Equipment - These shall be used after
other control measures (such as eliminating or isolating a fall hazard) are determined not to be
practical, or when a secondary system is needed (e.g., when it is necessary to increase protection
by employing a backup system).
NOTE:
Control measures are not mutually exclusive. There may be situations when more than one
control measure should be used to reduce the risk of a fall.
b. Navy activities shall select fall protection measures compatible with the type of
work being performed. If fall hazards cannot be eliminated, fall protection can be provided through
the use of:
(1) Guardrail Systems. Guardrails consist of top and mid-rails, posts, and toe
boards (toe boards as applicable). Guardrails are used to protect personnel on a walking working
surface with unprotected sides or edges from reaching a fall hazard. The specifics on guardrail
systems can be found in references 13-1 through 13-4.
(2) Work Platforms. When working from elevated work platforms, four feet (five
feet for Shipyard Operations) or higher, the work platforms shall be equipped with a standard
guardrail or other fall protection system. The specifics on work platforms can be found in references
13-1, 13-2, and 13-4.
(3) Safety Net Systems. Safety nets shall be installed as close as possible
under the walking working surfaces with an unprotected side or edge, or when working over water,
or other surfaces where the use of ladders, scaffolds, catch platforms, temporary floors, safety lines,
full body harnesses, or restraint/positioning belts are impractical. The specifics on safety net
systems can be found in references 13-1 and 13-4.
(4) Personal Fall Arrest System. A system used to arrest a person in a fall from
a working level. It consists of an anchorage system, connecting means, and full body harness and
may include a lanyard, deceleration device, lifeline, or suitable combination of these. The specifics
on personal fall arrest systems can be found in references 13-1 through 13-5. A personal fall arrest
system must be rigged so that employees will not free-fall more than six feet, nor contact a lower
level. See paragraph 1311 below for the requirements for tie-off points (anchorages) used for fall
arrest systems. Safety belts (body belts) shall not be used in a personal fall arrest system.
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a fall occur, the device is designed to lock by inertia or cam-action to arrest the fall. Ladder-climbing
safety devices must permit the worker to ascend or descend without continually having to hold,
push, or pull any part of the device, leaving both hands free for climbing. These safety devices must
be activated within two feet after a fall occurs. Ladder-climbing safety devices shall be attached to a
frontal D-ring on the climber's full-body harness.
(8) Covers. Covers for floor holes or floor openings shall be capable of
supporting, without failure, at least twice the weight of employee(s), equipment, and materials that
may be imposed on the cover at any one time. When covers are removed, a guardrail, attendant, or
other system shall be provided to protect floor holes or openings.
NOTE:
For fall protection solutions to specific work situations or unique military work applications see
reference 13-1.
Navy activities shall only use fall arrest equipment where the manufacturer can substantiate through
third party certification that the equipment meets the requirements addressed in reference 13-5,
and/or fall arrest equipment is designed, selected, and approved by a Qualified Person for fall
protection. Any equipment that has previously met ANSI A10.14 Standards, and is in proper
working condition, will be deemed to be usable until January 1, 2007. After January 1, 2007,
requirements of reference 13-5 are recommended. See appendix B for the fall arrest equipment
selection criteria.
1310. Training
a. Training. Navy civilians and military personnel should be trained to recognize fall
hazards. Navy civilians and military personnel who use fall protection equipment shall be
trained in accordance with appendix A. Other Navy civilians and military personnel involved in
the fall protection program should also be trained in accordance with appendix A.
b. Retraining. Retraining in relevant topics shall be provided to the end user when:
(1) The end user has been observed using fall protection equipment in an
unsafe manner,
(2) The end user has been involved in a mishap or a near-miss incident,
(3) The end user has received an evaluation that reveals that he or she is not
using the fall protection equipment properly,
(4) The end user is assigned a different type of fall protection equipment;
and/or
(5) A condition in the workplace changes in a manner that could affect the
safe use of the fall protection equipment that the end user is to utilize.
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1311. Anchorages for Fall Arrest Equipment
(3) Restraint Anchorages shall have the capacity to withstand at least twice the
maximum expected force that is needed to restrain a person from exposure to the fall hazard.
b. Fall arrest anchorages in new facilities, buildings and structures. During the design
of new facilities, buildings, and structures, fall hazards should be considered and eliminated
whenever possible. When elimination of fall hazards is not feasible, the design should include
certified and labeled anchorages.
When personal fall arrest systems are used, the Navy activity must ensure that the mishap
victim can self-rescue or can be rescued promptly should a fall occur. A rescue plan for an
employee suspended in a body harness after a fall shall be prepared in writing by the Navy
activity and include a detailed discussion of the following: methods of rescue; methods of self-
rescue, equipment used; training requirements, specialized training for the rescuers, procedures
for requesting rescue and medical assistance; transportation routes to a medical facility; and
pre-incident planning with jurisdictional public and Government-emergency response agencies.
Specific guidance on rescue procedures can be found in reference 13-1. A rescue plan for an
employee suspended in a body harness after a fall shall be site-specific.
Before each use of fall protection equipment, the user shall carefully inspect the equipment following
the inspection steps recommended by the fall protection equipment manufacturer to ensure that it is
in good working condition. A fall protection Competent Person, other than the user, must inspect fall
protection equipment at least annually. Inspection of the equipment by the fall protection competent
person shall be documented. Guidance on storage, care, and maintenance of fall protection
equipment can be found in the Navy Fall Protection Guide for Ashore Facilities, reference 13-1,
Chapter 7 and in literature furnished by the fall protection equipment manufacturer.
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Falls from heights mishaps under this section shall be reported if they meet the reporting criteria of
reference 13-6. When fall arrest equipment is impacted or activated during a fall, it should also be
reported as a near-miss using the Hazard Report in reference 13-6.
Fall protection programs shall be evaluated in accordance with Chapter 2 of this instruction.
Chapter 13
References
13-1. Department of the Navy Fall Protection Guide for Ashore Facilities
http://www.safetycenter.navy.mil/osh/downloads/AshoreFallProtectionGuide.pdf
13-2. 29 CFR PART 1910, Occupational Safety and Health Standards; 1910.21 thru 1910.24;
1910.27 thru 1910.30; 1910.66-Appendices C & D; 1910.67; 1910.68; 1910.176; 1910.178;
1910.179; 1910.180; 1910.268; and 1910.269.
http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owastand.display_standard_group?p_toc_level=1&p_part_nu
mber=1910.
13-3. 29 CFR PART 1915, Occupational Safety and Health Standards for Shipyard
Employment; 1915.5; 1015.71 thru 1915.77; 1915.151 thru 1915.152; 1915.159 thru 1915.160.
http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owastand.display_standard_group?p_toc_level=1&p_part_nu
mber=1915.
13-5. American National Standard Institute (ANSI) Z359.1 (latest revision), Safety
Requirements for Personal Fall Arrest Systems, Subsystems and Components (NOTAL)
http://www.ansi.org/.
13-6. OPNAVINST 5102.1D/MCO P5102, of 7 Jan 05, “Navy and Marine Corps Mishap and
Safety Investigation, Reporting, and Record Keeping,
http://www.safetycenter.navy.mil/instructions/ashore/5102/default.htm
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OPNAVINST 5100.23G
30 Dec 05
Appendix 13-A
evacuation plans
- Applicable fall protection regulations
- Plan and specification review and
approval
Qualified Person - Design, select, analyze, and certify fall Formal Classroom
protection systems and equipment
- Preparation, update, review, and approval (40 hours or as
of fall protection and prevention plans, and appropriate)
rescue and evacuation plans
- Fall protection regulations and standards
- Plan and specification review and
approval
Architects and - Understand various fall protection and Formal Classroom
Engineers prevention planning and design Interactive CD-ROM
considerations during construction and
maintenance phases
- Recognize fall-hazard deficiencies (Awareness Training)
- Recognize fall risks assessment and
control measures at worksites
- Basic systems identification and proper
use
Fall Protection Program - Recognize and identify fall hazards at Course Number CIN A-
Managers/ workplaces 493-0084
Administrators - Risk assessment and hazard ranking (Minimum 32 hours)
- Selection, safe use, and limitation of fall Fall Protection
protection systems and equipment Competent Person and
- Storage, care, and maintenance of the Program Manager (CIN
equipment A-493-0084)
- Applicable fall protection regulations
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OPNAVINST 5100.23G
30 Dec 05
Appendix 13- B
Personal Fall Arrest Equipment Criteria
Elements of a Personal Fall Arrest System (PFAS) consist of an anchorage, connectors, and a full
body harness and may include a deceleration device, lifeline, or suitable combinations. The PFAS
must be capable of arresting a free fall safely, suspend the victim vertically while awaiting rescue,
and allow rescue personnel to accomplish identified tasks in a fall hazard situation. All components
and subcomponents of a PFAS must be compatible.
a. Harness (Full Body) A full body harness is the fundamental component of every
PFAS. A wide variety of body harnesses are available that meet the requirements of ANSI Z359.1.
There are two basic types of full body harnesses. The Type I harness is the H style harness with a
chest strap that horizontally connects two vertical shoulder straps. The Type II harness consists of
shoulder straps that cross at the chest. Full body harnesses used in fall arrest may also be
integrally designed into coveralls or vests. Fundamentally, full body harnesses meeting the
requirements of ANSI Z359.1 have the following common characteristics:
(1) A dorsal “D” ring located along the centerline of the back approximately at
the lower shoulder blade height.
(3) Leg straps, shoulder straps, and buttocks strapping, which is fastened about
the person and is used in a variety of combinations to distribute the fall arrest forces to over at least
the upper thighs, pelvis, chest, and shoulders to reduce the potential of injury from impact forces.
In addition to these common characteristics, the design of a full body harness may incorporate the
following additional features:
(1) A frontal “D” ring for use with ladder climbing systems (notched rail or
vertical wire rope systems).
(2) Side “D” rings located at the side near the hip region, permitting the harness
to be used in a work positioning system, which allows personnel to work with their hands free (Note:
The side “D” rings are not to be used to arrest a fall).
(3) Shoulder “D” rings that can be used to lower or recover personnel from
confined spaces. These “D” rings are located at the top of each shoulder strap and are usually
smaller in size than the dorsal “D” ring.
OPNAVINST 5100.23G
30 Dec 05
(4) Waist belts, depending upon the design, may be integral to the full body
harness and necessary for proper use; or simply a convenience for attaching tools, carrying
pouches, or providing lower back support.
(5) Shoulder pads, leg padding, integral elastic webbing, and a wide variety of
other features that add commercial viability to products.
Full body harnesses designed as part of a PFAS may be used in a fall restraint system. A fall
restraint system is used to keep personnel from a location that exposes them to the hazards of a
fall.
Consideration must be given to the following items when selecting the appropriate full body harness:
(1) Expected duration that personnel will be wearing the body harness.
(2) Body stature and size of personnel assigned (one size does not fit all).
(4) Additional features that are task specific. These features must be carefully
selected. For example, if a harness is used with a ladder-climbing device, a frontal “D” ring must be
provided.
b. Lanyards. The lanyard as part of a PFAS connects the full body harness to an
anchorage and reduces the forces of a fall through an integral shock absorber (deceleration device).
Lanyards are available in three-, four-, or six-feet lengths, although longer safety lanyards are
available. Lanyards must have self-locking snap hooks or carabineers and be designed for a PFAS.
Commercial variations include adjustable lanyards that allow the lanyard to be shortened, reducing
potential free fall distance. Variations also include lanyards with built-in chaffing protection and may
include a “D” ring connector that allows a lanyard to be used to wrap around an anchorage. Double
“Y” lanyards allow for 100% tie-off (i.e., one lanyard can always be connected to an anchorage).
When selecting a lanyard consideration must be given to the availability and location of the
anchorage point, free fall and total fall distance, potential chaffing and weight and bulk of the person,
and equipment.
c. Tie-off Adapters. The tie-off adapter is a common component of a PFAS. The tie-off-
adapter is, in essence, two “D” rings connected together by synthetic webbing or wire rope, typically
with built-in chaffing protection. The tie-off adapter allows personnel to improvise an anchorage by
wrapping the adapter around a structural member of suitable strength. A lanyard or other
components of the PFAS can then be attached to the tie-off adapter. Tie-off adapters can be found
in three-, four-, and six-feet lengths. Additional lengths can be purchased.
When selecting a tie-off adapter as part of a PFAS, consideration must be given to potential misuse
and inappropriate use. Anchorages have failed when the tie-off adapters were not attached to
sufficiently strong structural members.
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OPNAVINST 5100.23G
30 Dec 05
A rope grab is a device that travels on a rope or cable and automatically engages the line and locks
to arrest the fall of a worker. The rope grab is a very useful component of a PFAS when vertical
mobility is required. When the rope grab is designed to manually lock, it may be used in a horizontal
mode as part of a fall restraint system.
g. Horizontal Lifeline. A horizontal lifeline is any flexible line commonly made of wire,
wire rope, strapping, or rope strung horizontally between two anchorages. A horizontal lifeline can
be a part of a PFAS. A horizontal lifeline can be either a permanent or a temporary system. A
horizontal lifeline shall be designed, installed, and used under the supervision of a qualified person
as part of a complete fall arrest system that maintains a safety factor of two.
Horizontal lifelines are available in kit forms and in a variety of lengths and styles. A properly
designed kit contains specialized components to maintain proper tension of the lifeline, and to
prevent the attachment points of the lifeline from exceeding designed strength requirements.
13-B-3