Controlled Access Zones

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Controlled Access Zones
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Purpose for Controlled Access Zones

• Each year, on average, between 150 and 200
  workers are killed and more than 100,000 are
  injured as a result of falls at construction
  sites.

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Where fall protection is needed

• ramps, runways, and other walkways
• excavations
• hoist areas
• Holes and reinforcing steel
• leading edge work
• unprotected sides and edges

• overhand bricklaying and related work
• roofing work
• precast concrete erection
• wall openings
• other walking/working surfaces.

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Controlled Access Zones

• The rule sets a uniform threshold height of 6
  feet, thereby providing consistent protection.
• Construction employers must protect their
  employees from fall hazards and falling objects
  whenever an affected employee is 6 feet or more
  above a lower level.

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Controlled Access Zones

• Fall protection generally can be provided through
  the use of guardrail systems, safety net systems,
  personal fall arrest systems, positioning device
  systems, and warning line systems, among others.

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A clear definition

• A Controlled access zone is a work area
  designated and clearly marked in which certain
  types of work (such as overhand bricklaying) may
  take place without the use of conventional fall
  protection systemsguardrail, personal arrest or
  safety netto protect the employees working in
  the zone.

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• Controlled access zones are used to keep out
  workers other than those authorized to enter work
  areas from which guardrails have been removed.

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• The Controlled Access Zone is the area in which
  work may take place without the use of guardrail
  systems, personal fall arrest systems, or safety
  net systems and access to the zone is controlled
  by OSHA Subpart M, Fall Protection 1926.500 (b)
  Definitions.
• Controlled access zones shall be enlarged, as
  necessary, to enclose all points or access,
  material handling areas, and storage areas.

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• Control lines shall consist of ropes, wires,
  tapes or equivalent materials, and supporting
  stanchions, and each must be
• Flagged or otherwise clearly marked at not more
  than 6-foot intervals with high-visibility
  material
• Rigged and supported in such a way that the
  lowest point (including sag) is not less than 39
  inches from the walking/working surface and the
  highest point is not more than 45 inchesnor more
  than 50 inches when overhand bricklaying
  operations are being performedfrom the
  walking/working surface

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• Strong enough to sustain stress of not less than
  200 pounds.
• Control lines shall extend along the entire
  length of the unprotected or leading edge and
  shall be approximately parallel to the
  unprotected or leading edge.
• Control lines also must be connected on each side
  to a guardrail system or wall.

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• Controlled access zones when used to determine
  access to areas where work is taking place are to
  be defined by a control line erected not less
  than 10 feet nor more than 15 feet from the
  working edge.

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Controlled Access Zones

• When no other alternative fall protection has
  been implemented, the employer shall implement a
  safety monitoring system. Employers must appoint
  a competent person to monitor the safety of
  workers and the employer shall ensure that the
  safety monitor
• Is competent in the recognition of fall hazards
• Is capable of warning workers of fall hazard
  dangers and in detecting unsafe work practices

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Controlled Access Zones

• Is operating on the same walking/working surfaces
  of the workers and can see them
• Is close enough to work operations to communicate
  orally with workers and has no other duties to
  distract from the monitoring function.
• All workers in a controlled access zone shall be
  instructed to promptly comply with fall hazard
  warnings issued by safety monitors.

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Education and Training

• Employers must provide a training program that
  teaches employees who might be exposed to fall
  hazards how to recognize such hazards and how to
  minimize them.

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How serious is C.A.Z. taken?

• 5 million settlement for carpenter who was
  caused to fall during leading edge-work which
  resulted in knee replacement.
• A law firm settled a construction negligence case
  for a package in excess of 5.8 million dollars.
  Chicago, Illinois
• Their client was framing the staircase connecting
  the second and third floors of this project.

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The Scenario

• At the time he was tied off to a rebar column to
  the right of the stairwell opening. His
  retractable lanyard extended across the opening
  for the stairwell which was at least 6 feet wide.
  
• At the time he had at least 9 feet of payout on
  his lanyard. When he fell, he hit the landing in
  the stairwell opening.
• The distance from the top of the scaffolding to
  the landing was slightly less than his lanyard
  payout as a result of which his lanyard did not
  arrest his fall.

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Designating a C.A.Z.

• The Defendant contended that at the time of the
  injury the deck upon which Plaintiff was working
  was designated a "controlled access zone" by
  McHugh Construction, Plaintiff's employer.
• After designating this a controlled access zone
  McHugh Construction had deck monitors on the deck
  on a constant basis observing for dangerous
  conditions or work practices. Persons not
  employed by McHugh were not allowed up on the
  deck in the northwest corner of this controlled
  access zone.
• No OSHA violations and no OSHA citations to
  anyone.

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The Law Firms Case

• The firm contended that the fall protection
  provided by tying off to the subject rebar
  columns was inadequate.
• Alternatively, it was also argued that Bovis
  should have sequenced the pouring of concrete
  columns so that a strap could be embedded into
  the column to allow a proper point to anchor a
  tie off.
• It was also demonstrated that the tie off system
  provided absolutely no fall protection for
  interior falls.
• This system actually contributed to the fall as
  this retractable lanyard locked up causing our
  client to fall into the unprotected opening.

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Contractor to blame

• As a result of the fall, their sustained injury
  to his back, ligament tears in his left knee
  leading ultimately to a knee replacement.
• They were able to achieve this settlement even
  though an OSHA investigation found no safety
  violations.