Hello Gents,

This is Zayed, new member, working currently in Algeria,,, needs your assistance here if possible, we are at the commissioning stage of big gas process plant, and as commissioning team taking over the plant system by system to start the pre-commissioning,,, I just had discussion couple of our Mechanical & Testing Managers wither its mandatory to use fall protection devices (safety harness) above 1.8 meters where the permanent guardrails on the vessels are installed or not specially during reading gages & other testing activities, giving the fact that some of them stands 20 feet above ground level & higher... During construction, safety harness was mandatory while working above 1.8 m. with 100% tie-off.

I was going through BS & OSHA but no clear answer there & they leave it to the company judgment after conducting RA,,, I'm with using harness &100% tie-off even with the permanent guardrails in place giving the human factor & their tenancy to take shortcuts & leaning off the edge to overreach...Etc.

I appreciate any advice or link to the clear procedure related to this matter.


Cheers

Are you referring to climbing to the required location using permanenetly fixed vertical ladders with hoops to locations where is can be a landing with handrails or sometinmes no handrails? or are you referring to industrial stairs with handrails?

In our case, the global corporate requirement is that we require the use of fall arrest protection for caged ladder > 30 ft (9 m) if climbing or workin and for fixed ladder, not caged > 20 ft (6 m) if climbing or working, but locak regulation can take precedence.