NWS Safety Manual (PDF) - NEXRAD Radar Operations Center ...

NOTE:NWSM 50-1115 SEPTEMBER 14, 2011g. Vertical lifelines should be used by NWS personnel for fall arrest purposes, whenavailable. Each employee shall be attached to a separate lifeline. Horizontallifelines, when used, must be designed only by a Qualified Person. (ProfessionalEngineers are often used as qualified personnel).h. In the absence of vertical lifelines or ladder safety systems, NWS employees shalluse Y lanyards with integral shock absorbers connected to a back (dorsal) D-ringof a full body harnesses when climbing towers and similar structures.i. While working on elevated flat or sloped structures, NWS employees shall usefall restraint system. The length of the restraint system shall be adjusted to allowwork while preventing free fall from the structure (e.g., wind profiler).j. While climbing, NWS employees shall wear hard hats that provide top and sideimpact protection and have three-point chin straps.k. Requirements for guarding of walking/working surfaces (e.g., floors, platforms,wall openings, etc.) shall be followed in accordance with Section 14,Walking/Working Surfaces.1.3.3 Roof AccessComponents of the complete fall arrest system provided to NWS climbers wereselected by Qualified personnel and all components are compatible and should beused exclusively for fall arrest. Fall protection components made by differentmanufacturers or if not properly sized may not be compatible. Manufacturers,vendors or qualified personnel must be consulted to verify compatibility.a. A fall protection system is required for work performed on low-sloped roofs witha ground-to-eave height greater than six feet. This does not apply at points ofaccess such as stairways, ladders and ramps or when persons are on the roof onlyto inspect, investigate or estimate roof level conditions. A fall protection systemshall consist of one or more of the following:(1) Guardrails.(2) Safety nets.(3) Personal fall arrest system.(4) Warning lines.(5) Work-positioning or work-restraint devices such as locking rope grabs andstatic lanyards that are designed to restrict motion within or at the work area.b. On roofs that are 50 feet or less in width, a monitoring system alone (i.e., withouta warning line) can be used. OSHA allows the use of a safety monitoring systemalone because of the limited roof area in which work could be performed.c. For all work on steep roofs, a fall protection system shall be used as defined inparagraph 1.3.3a.1−6