SAF101-A06

SAFETY MANAGEMENT
LECTURE 5
Working with Heights

ENGR. REYNALDO S. SITJAR

CIVIL ENGINEER

July 12, 2023

 LEARNING OBJECTIVE
▪ To know the safety requirement for workmen working
in unguarded surface above open pits or tanks, steep
slopes, moving machinery and similar locations.

▪ To protect workmen entering a sewer, flue, or other

similarly confined places.

▪ To learn the general house keeping rules in the

workplace.

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 INTRODUCTION

Presidential Decree no. 442, s. 1974 (as amended and renumbered):

Labor Code of the Philippines - A Decree Instituting a Labor Code Thereby Revising
and Consolidating Labor and Social Laws to Afford Protection to Labor, Promote
Employment and Human Resources Development and Insure Industrial Peace Based
on Social Justice. (pursuant to DOLE Department Advisory no. 1, s. 2015)
PD 442, Book IV, Title I, Chapter II “Occupational Safety and Health” - The human
action that departs from a standard or written job procedure or common practice,
safety rules, regulations, or instructions.
Article 168. Safety and Health Standards. The Secretary of DOLE shall set and
enforce mandatory OSH standards to eliminate or reduce occupational safety and
health hazards in all workplaces.
Article 169. Research. DOLE is responsible to conduct continuing studies and
research to develop innovative methods, techniques, and approaches for dealing
with occupational safety and health problems.
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 Terminologies
OSH standards- set of rules issued by DOLE which mandates the
adoption and use of appropriate practices, means, methods
operations or processes, and working conditions reasonably necessary
to ensure safe and healthful employment.
Accident - An occurrence or event that is unexpected, unforeseen,
unplanned and unwanted that may or may not cause damage, injury,
fatality, loss or work stoppage.
Unsafe Act - The human action that departs from a standard or
written job procedure or common practice, safety rules, regulations,
or instructions.
Unsafe Condition - The physical or chemical property of a material,
machine or the environment which could result in injury to a person,
damage or destruction to property or other forms of losses.

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 Safety Belts, Life Lines & Safety Nets
(General Requirements)
▪ Workmen working in unguarded surface above open pits or tanks, steep slopes, moving
machinery and similar locations, or working from unguarded surfaces six (6) meters (20ft) or
more above water or ground, temporary or permanent floor platform, scaffold construction
or where otherwise exposed to the possibility of falls hazardous to life or limb, shall be
secured by safety belts and life lines. In situation here safety belts and life lines in guarded
platforms and scaffolds or temporary floors are not feasible; safety nets shall be provided
and installed.

▪ Window washers or cleaners working outside building six (6) meters (20 ft.) or more above
the ground or other surfaces unless protected from falling by other means, shall use safety
belts attached to suitable anchors.

▪ Workmen entering a sewer, flue, or other similarly confined places shall be provided and
required to wear safety belts with life lines attached and held by another person stationed at
the opening ready to respond to agreed signals.

▪ Workers who are required to climb and work on top of poles six (6) meters or more shall use
safety belts. On top of structures where there is no place to strap a safety belt, a messenger
line shall be installed for strapping the safety belt or life line. 5
 Safety Belts, Life Lines & Safety Nets
(Work on Steep or Shallow Slope Roofs & Chimneys)

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 Safety Belts, Life Lines & Safety Nets
(Requirements)
(1) Safety belts shall be made of chromed tanned leather, linen, or
cotton webbing or other suitable material at least 11.5 cm. (4 ½ in.)
wide and 0.65 cm. (1/4 in.) thick and of sufficient strength to support
a weight of 114 kgs. (250 lbs.) without breaking.
(2) Hardware used for safety belts shall have a strength of
approximately equal to the full strength of the waist band. Buckles
shall hold securely without slippage or other failure. This holding
power should be achieved by only a single insertion of the strap
through the buckle in the normal or usual way.

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Safety Belts, Life Lines & Safety Nets
(Work on Beams & Constructions with
Low or High Anchor Point)
 Safety Belts, Life Lines & Safety Nets
(Requirements)

(3) Belts anchors shall be made or metal machined from the bar stock, forged or
heat treated capable of supporting a pull of 2730 kgs. (6,000 lbs.) without fracture
applied in the direction which the anchor must withstand should a man fall. All
anchors and fastening shall be provided with means to prevent turning, backing off
or becoming loose. Anchor fittings with single thread section which is merely
screwed into reinforcing plates shall not be used. Metal recommended for belt
anchors are nickel copper alloy and stainless steel.
(4) Life lines shall be made of good quality manila rope of at least 1.9 cm. (3/4 in.)
diameter or equivalent material such as nylon rope of at least 1.27 cm. (1/2 in.)
diameter and shall be of sufficient strength to support a weight of 1140 kgs. (2,500
lbs.) without breaking.

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Safety Belts, Life Lines & Safety Nets
(Work on Ladders and Scaffoldings)

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 Safety Belts, Life Lines & Safety Nets
(Requirements)

(5) Safety nets shall not be less than 0.94 cm. (3/8 in.) diameter mesh and not less than 1.9
cm. (3/4 in.) diameter border ropes (perimeter) made of manila rope or other materials
than can absorb the impact of falling body equally as nets fabricated from manila rope of
the dimensions specified. The mesh shall be arranged not to exceed 15.25 cm. (6 in.) on
centers positively and securely attached to avoid water at each crossing point and at points
of contact with the border.
(6) Safety nets shall be equipped with adequately padded thimble sockets or equivalent
means of attachment. Supports and anchorage shall be of sufficient size and strength to
catch any falling worker. The nets shall be attached to sufficient supports outside and
beyond the area of possible fall and supported at sufficient heights to prevent sagging to
any solid object beneath when cushioning the fall of a worker.
(7) Safety belts, life lines and safety nets shall be inspected before use and at least once a
week thereafter. Defective belts, life lines or nets shall be immediately discarded and
replaced or repaired before reuse.
 General Requirements in Housekeeping
• Workplaces must be kept clean,
orderly, and sanitary
• Workroom floors must be
maintained as clean and dry as
possible

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 Good House Keeping
Shall be maintained at all times through
cleanliness of building, yards, machines,
equipment, regular waste disposal, and
orderly arrangement of processes,
operations, storage and filing of materials.

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 General Requirements in
Aisles and Passageways

▪ Keep clear and move

obstructions that could
create a hazard
▪ Mark permanent aisles and
passageways
▪ Aisles must be sufficiently
wide where mechanical
handling equipment is used

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 General Requirements for
Covers and Guardrails

Provide covers and/or

guardrails to protect
workers from the hazards
of open pits, tanks, vats,
ditches, and the like.

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 General Requirements
Floor Loading Protection

▪ Load ratings must be marked

on plates and be
conspicuously posted
▪ Do not exceed the load rating
limit
 Floor Opening

An opening measuring 12 inches or more in its

least dimension in a floor, platform, pavement,
or yard, through which persons may fall.

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 Guarding Floor Openings

▪ Standard railing. Consists

of top rail, mid rail, and
posts. Height from the
upper surface of top rail to
floor level is 42 inches. Mid
rail height is 21 inches.
▪ Standard toeboards. 4
inches high, with not more
than ¼-inch clearance above
the floor.

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 Stairway Floor Openings
Must be guarded by a standard railing on
all exposed sides (except at entrance).

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 Ladderway Floor Openings
▪ Guard with a standard railing
with toe boards on all exposed
sides (except entrance)
▪ Guard the passage through the
railing with a swinging gate or
offset it to prevent someone
from walking into the opening

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 Floor Hole
▪ An opening measuring less
than 12 in. but more than 1
in. in its least dimension, in a
floor, platform, pavement or
yard, through which materials
but not persons may fall
▪ Every floor hole into which
persons can accidentally walk
must be guarded by either:
▪ standard railing with toe board
▪ cover

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 Wall Openings

▪ Opening at least 30 in.

high and 18 in. wide, in a
wall or partition, through
which persons may fall
▪ Wall openings from which
there is a drop of more
than 4 feet must be
guarded

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 Open-Sided Floors and Platforms
▪ Open-sided floors or platforms 4 feet or
more above adjacent floor or ground level
must be guarded by a standard railing (or
equivalent) on all open sides, except
where there is an entrance to a ramp,
stairway, or fixed ladder
▪ A toeboard is required when, beneath the
open sides:
 persons can pass,
Unguarded Platform
 there is moving machinery, or
 there is equipment with which falling
materials could create a hazard

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 Open-Sided Floors, Walkways,
Platforms, & Runways

Regardless of height, a standard railing and

toe board must be used to guard:
▪ open-sided floors
▪ walkways
▪ platforms, or
▪ runways
above or adjacent to dangerous equipment,
pickling or galvanizing tanks, degreasing
units, and similar hazards.

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 Stairways

Flights of stairs with four

or more risers must have
standard stair railings or
handrails.

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 Fixed Industrial Stairs

▪ Treads must be slip resistant with

uniform rise height and tread width
▪ Must be able to carry 5 times expected
load; minimum of 490kg/sq.m. (100
pounds/sq.ft.)
▪ Minimum width:
Width =1.10 meters (43“ with handrails)
Width = 0.90 meters (35“ no handrails) Violation here – several
steps bent and damaged
▪ Headroom (vertical clearance) 2.0 meters min.
(6 feet7 inches)

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 Portable Ladders
▪ Ladders used to gain access to a roof
or other area must extend at least 3
feet above the point of support
▪ Withdraw defective ladders from
service and tag or mark "Dangerous,
Do Not Use“
▪ Never use ladders in a horizontal
position as scaffolds or work
platforms
▪ Never use metal ladders near
electrical equipment

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 Ladder Angle
Portable Rung and Cleat Ladders

Use at angle where the

horizontal distance from the
top support to the foot of the
ladder is ¼ the working length
of the ladder (length along
ladder between the foot and
top support).

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 Fixed Ladders
▪ Permanently attached to a
structure, building or
equipment
▪ Cages or wells required if
longer than 20 ft. to a
maximum unbroken length of
30 ft.
▪ Ladder safety devices may be
used on tower, water tank and
chimney ladders over 20 ft. in
unbroken length instead of
cage protection

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 Scaffolding Safety
General Requirements

▪ Must be capable of supporting four

times the maximum intended load
▪ Do not alter or move while in use
▪ Protect workers on scaffolds from
overhead hazards
▪ If higher than 10 ft., use guardrails,
mid-rails and toe-boards
▪ Use wire mesh between the toe-
boards and guardrail if people work
or pass underneath
▪ Must be equipped with access ladder
or equivalent

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Types of Suspended Scaffolds
 “Scaffolds”
A temporary structure of timber or metal work with a platform used in the
construction, alteration, or demolition of a building, or other maintenance work
used to support workers or to allow the hoisting and lowering of workers, their
tools and materials.

Not properly fixed.

 “Fall Protection and Fall Arrest”

Fall protection system -

prevents you from falling.
(e.g. guardrails, covers,
restraints)

Fall arrest system - protect you after you fall: they

stop the fall before you hit the surface. (e.g. safety
net/mesh, body harness)

Not properly fixed.

 SUMMARY

▪ Slips, trips, and falls constitute the majority of general industry

accidents
▪ OSHA’s standards for walking and working surfaces include
requirements for housekeeping, guarding floor and wall openings
and holes, industrial stairs and ladders
▪ Keeping working surfaces clean, dry, and uncluttered can prevent
many workplace accidents

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THANK YOU!
Q&A
What did we learn?
How will you use this information?

What’s next? Lecture 6 - Industrial Hygiene