Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations

12.10 (1) Subject to subsection (1.1), every employer shall provide a fall-protection system to any person, other than an employee who is installing or removing a fall-protection system in accordance with the instructions referred to in subsection (5), who works

• (a) from an unguarded structure or on a vehicle, at a height of more than 2.4 m above the nearest permanent safe level or above any moving parts of machinery or any other surface or thing that could cause injury to a person on contact;

• (b) from a temporary structure at a height of more than 6 m above a permanent safe level; or

• (c) from a ladder at a height of more than 2.4 m above the nearest permanent safe level where, because of the nature of the work, that person is unable to use at least one hand to hold onto the ladder.

(1.1) Where an employee is required to work on a vehicle on which it is not reasonably practicable to provide a fall-protection system, the employer shall

• (a) in consultation with the policy committee or, if there is no policy committee, the work place committee or the health and safety representative,

• (i) perform a job safety analysis to eliminate or minimize the need for the employee to climb onto the vehicle or its load, and

• (ii) provide every employee who is likely to climb onto the vehicle or its load with training and instruction on the safe method of climbing onto and working on the vehicle or its load;

• (b) make a report in writing to the regional health and safety officer setting out the reasons why it is not reasonably practicable to provide a fall-protection system and include the job safety analysis and a description of the training and instruction referred to in paragraph (a); and

• (c) provide a copy of the report referred to in paragraph (b) to the policy committee or, if there is no policy committee, the work place committee or the health and safety representative.

(1.2) The job safety analysis, training and instruction referred to in paragraph (1.1)(a) shall be reviewed every two years in consultation with the policy committee or, if there is no policy committee, the work place committee or the health and safety representative.

(2) The components of a fall-protection system shall meet the following standards:

• (a) CSA Standard Z259.1-1976, Fall-Arresting Safety Belts and Lanyards for the Construction and Mining Industries, the English version of which is dated November, 1976, as amended to May, 1979 and the French version of which is dated April, 1980;

• (b) CSA Standard Z259.2-M1979, Fall-Arresting Devices, Personnel Lowering Devices and Life Lines, the English version of which is dated November, 1979 and the French version of which is dated October, 1983; and

• (c) CSA Standard Z259.3-M1978, Lineman’s Body Belt and Lineman’s Safety Strap, the English version of which is dated September, 1978, as amended to April, 1981 and the French version of which is dated April, 1980, as amended to April, 1981.

(3) The anchor of a fall-protection system shall be capable of withstanding a force of 17.8 kN.

(4) A fall-protection system that is used to arrest the fall of a person shall prevent that person

• (a) from being subjected to a peak fall arrest force greater than 8 kN; and

• (b) from falling freely for more than 1.2 m.

(5) Where an employee is about to install or remove a fall-protection system, the employer shall

• (a) prepare written instructions for the safe installation or removal of the fall-protection system; and

• (b) keep a copy of the instructions readily available for the information of the employee.