513 EM 385-1-1 Chapters 23-29

Sections

24-8. General Requirements.

General Accessway Requirements

Ensure a safe access to all work areas, with fall protection where necessary, avoiding metal construction near electrical conductors, and inspecting accessways daily.
Provide stairs, ladders, ramps, or other solutions where there's a break of 19 inches or more in accessways and use self-closing gates or offsets at entrance points.
Design accessways to support the maximum intended load, ensure a minimum width of 18 inches, and provide overhead protection where there's a risk from falling objects.

Safe Roof Access

Install level, guarded platforms at roof landing areas.
Utilize crawling boards that are adequately sized, secured, and have proper cleats and lifelines for safety during roof work.
Construct clear access paths connected to work areas, handling, and storage areas, ensuring paths meet safety requirements and are properly marked or offset.

Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.

24-5. Accessways should be designed to support _____.

the maximum intended load

at least two persons on the same level

the most likely number of workers

120% of the anticipated load

You forgot to answer the question!

EM 385-1-1 Paragraph 24-8 (a.–b.).

24-8. General Requirements. (a.–b.).

a.  General Accessway Requirements.  (24-8.a)

(1)  Provide a safe means of access to all work areas.  Where danger exists of persons falling through floor, roof, wall openings, or holes, or from means of access (for example, platforms, runways, ramps, stairs, ladders) protect persons as detailed in this chapter or through use of fall protection.  (See chapter 21)

(2)  Where there is a break of 19 inches (48.3 cm) or more in a means of access, provide a stairway, ladder, ramp, runway, or personnel hoist.

(3)  At entrance points to a means of access, use a self-closing gate or offset to prevent persons from walking directly into the opening.

(4)  For additional means of access requirements, refer to chapter 19 for access on vessels and chapter 22 for access on work platforms and scaffolding.

(5)  Do not use means of access constructed of metal for electrical work or where the potential exists to contact electrical conductors.  Do not use portable or conductive ladders near energized lines or equipment.

(6)  Inspect means of access daily.

(a)  Keep means of access clean, clear, and free from hazards (for example, sharp or protruding objects, spills, ice) to allow free passage of workers.

(b)  If work is performed in an area that free passage is restricted, provide another means of access (see para 24-5.a).

(c)  Remove or conspicuously mark all obstructions or projections into a means of access.  Cover obstructions or projections that are sharp, pointed, or that may cause lacerations, contusions, or abrasions with protective material.

(d)  Where means of access are slippery, apply abrasive material to assure safe footing.

(e)  Correct or repair hazardous conditions on means of access, to include physical hazards or damaged or weakened components before persons use the means of access.  If the hazard cannot be eliminated or repair cannot be made immediately, guard the hazard to prevent persons from using the means of access until correction or repair is made.  If correction or repair involves the structural integrity of the means of access, a QP or CP must perform or supervise the correction or repair.

(7)  Design means of access to support the maximum intended load.  Do not load above the design load or beyond the manufacturer’s rated capacity.

(8)  Determine the width of means of access by the purpose for which they are built and make them wide enough to provide safe passage for materials and movement of personnel.  The width, except for ladders, must not be less than 18 inches (45.7 cm).

(9)  Means of access must have overhead protection equal to 2 inches (5.1 cm) solid planking whenever work is performed over them, or if personnel are exposed to hazards from falling objects.

b.  Safe Roof Access. (24-8.b)

(1)  Provide level and guarded platforms at all roof landing areas.

(2)  Crawling Boards.

(a)  Crawling boards must at least 10 inches (25.4 cm) wide and 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick and have cleats 1 inch x 1.5 inches (2.5 cm x 3.8 cm).

(b)  Cleats must be equal in length to the width of the board and spaced at equal intervals not to exceed 24 inches (61 cm).

(d)  When used with roof construction repairs, or maintenance, secure crawling boards and extend them from the ridge pole to the eaves.

(e)  String a firmly fasted lifeline of at least three-quarter (¾) inch (2 cm) diameter rope, or equivalent, beside each crawling board for use as a handhold.

(3)  Access Paths.  Erect access paths as follows:

(a)  Connect points of access, material handling areas, and storage areas to the work area by a clear access path formed by two warning lines according to chapter 21.

(b)  When the path to a point of access is not being used, do one of the following:

(b-1)  Place a rope, wire, or chain, equal in strength and height to the warning line     across the path at the point where the path intersects the warning line erected around the work area.

(b-2)  Offset the path so that a person cannot walk directly into the work area.