Personal Fall Protection Systems

A worker at risk of falling certain distances (see Guardrails) must be protected by guardrails or, if guardrails are not practical, by a travel-restraint system, fall-restricting system, fall-arrest system, or safety net. This document covers personal fall protection systems. The fall protection equipment document covers the components of a fall protection system. If your workplace uses fall protection systems, please also see the documents on fall arrest planning and anchor systems.

Employers are to adequately protect workers with the highest ranked fall protection method that is practicable. If it is not practical to install a guardrail system, workers must be adequately protected by the highest ranked method possible of the following fall protection methods:

  1. Travel restraint system
  2. Fall restricting system
  3. Fall arrest system
  4. Safety net

Before any fall arrest system or safety net is used, the employer must develop written procedures for rescuing the worker after the fall has been arrested. Employers must also make sure:

  • that a worker using a fall protection system is adequately trained in its use and given oral (spoken) and written instructions by a competent person,
  • that a worker using a fall protection system is meets the working at heights training requirements of Ontario Regulation 297/13,
  • the person providing the training and instruction prepared a written training and instruction record for each worker and signs the record,
  • the training and instruction record includes the worker's name and the dates of training or instruction, and
  • these records are available to an inspector on request.

1. Travel Restraint System

A travel restraint system must be made of a full body harness with adequate attachment points or a safety belt. The full body harness or safety belt must be attached to by lifeline or lanyard to a fixed support. The system must be inspected by a competent worker before each use. If any component is found to be defective, the component must immediately be taken out of service.

2. Fall Restricting System

A fall restricting system is made of an assembly of components that are attached to a fixed support, and are used according to the manufacturer's instructions so that a worker does not free fall more than 0.6 metres. If the fall restricting system is designed for wood pole climbing, is made of an assembly of components, used according to the manufacturer's instructions, and does not allow the pole slippage to be in excess of that set out in the National Standards of Canada standard.

All fall restricting systems must be inspected by a competent worker before each use. If any component is found to be defective, the component must immediately be taken out of service. If a worker using the system falls or slips more than 0.6 metres (or the distance specified for wood pole climbing), the system must be taken out of service immediately and not be used again until all the components have been certified by the manufacturer as being safe to reuse.

3. Fall Arrest System

A fall arrest system must include a full body harness with adequate attachment points, and a lanyard equipped with a shock absorber (if appropriate) or similar device. The system is attached by a lifeline or lanyard to a fixed support. The system must be arranged so that a worker cannot hit the ground, an object, or a level below the work. If the worker falls, the worker must not experience a force greater than 8 kilonewtons (1,800 pounds). Although the regulations states a maximum force on a worker of 1,800 pounds, this level of force is considered very high. The CSA Standard Z259.11-05: Energy Absorbers and Lanyards limits the force a worker would see in a fall to 900 pounds.

All fall arrest systems must be inspected by a competent worker before each use. If any component is found to be defective, the component must immediately be taken out of service. If a worker falls while using the system, the system must be taken out of service immediately and not be used again until all the components have been certified by the manufacturer as being safe to reuse.

4. Safety Net

A safety net must be designed, tested, and installed according to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) Standard A10.11-2010, Safety Requirements for Personnel and Debris Nets.

A safety net must be installed by a competent worker. The net must be inspected and the installation tested by a professional engineer or competent person under the engineer's supervision before it is put into service. The engineer shall document the inspection and testing. A copy of the documentation will be kept at the project site while the safety net is in service.

Use the information in the resources tab to learn about other components of fall protection and fall prevention.

Construction Projects
O. Reg. 213/91

Part II GENERAL CONSTRUCTION

Section 26.1

26.1 (1) A worker shall be adequately protected by a guardrail system that meets the requirements of subsections 26.3(2) to (8).

(2) Despite subsection (1), if it is not practicable to install a guardrail system as that subsection requires, a worker shall be adequately protected by the highest ranked method that is practicable from the following ranking of fall protection methods:

1. A travel restraint system that meets the requirements of section 26.4.

2. A fall restricting system that meets the requirements of section 26.5.

3. A fall arrest system, other than a fall restricting system designed for use in wood pole climbing, that meets the requirements of section 26.6.

4. A safety net that meets the requirements of section 26.8.

(3) The components of any system listed in subsection (2) shall be designed by a professional engineer in accordance with good engineering practice, and shall meet the requirements of any of the following National Standards of Canada standards that are applicable:

1. CAN/CSA-Z259.1-05 : Body Belts and Saddles for Work Positioning and Travel Restraint.

2. CAN/CSA-Z259.2.5-12 : Fall Arresters and Vertical Lifelines

3. CAN/CSA-Z259.2.2-98 (R2004) : Self-Retracting Devices for Personal Fall-Arrest Systems.

4. CAN/CSA-Z259.2.3-99 (R2004) : Descent Control Devices.

5. CAN/CSA-Z259.10-06 : Full Body Harnesses.

6. CAN/CSA-Z259.11-05 : Energy Absorbers and Lanyards.

7. CAN/CSA-Z259.12-01 (R2006) : Connecting Components for Personal Fall Arrest Systems (PFAS).

8. CAN/CSA-Z259.14-01 (R2007) : Fall Restrict Equipment for Wood Pole Climbing.

(4) Before any use of a fall arrest system or a safety net by a worker at a project, the worker's employer shall develop written procedures for rescuing the worker after his or her fall has been arrested.

[O. Reg. 145/00, s. 12; 85/04, s. 5; 443/09, s. 1; 345/15, s. 5]

Section 26.2

26.2 (1) An employer shall ensure that a worker who may use a fall protection system is adequately trained in its use and given adequate oral and written instructions by a competent person.

(1.1) In addition to the requirements of subsection (1), an employer shall ensure that a worker who may use a fall protection system meets the working at heights training requirements of Ontario Regulation 297/13 (Occupational Health and Safety Awareness and Training).

(2) The employer shall ensure that the person who provides the training and instruction referred to in subsection (1) prepares a written training and instruction record for each worker and signs the record.

(3) The training and instruction record shall include the worker's name and the dates on which training and instruction took place.

(4) The employer shall make the training and instruction record for each worker available to an inspector on request.

[O. Reg. 145/00, s. 13; 252/14, s. 1]

Section 26.4

26.4 (1) A travel restraint system shall consist of a full body harness with adequate attachment points or a safety belt.

(2) The full body harness or safety belt shall be attached by a lifeline or lanyard to a fixed support that meets the requirements of section 26.7.

(3) The travel restraint system shall be inspected by a competent worker before each use.

(4) If a component of the travel restraint system is found to be defective on inspection, the defective component shall immediately be taken out of service.

[O. Reg. 145/00, s. 14]

Section 26.5

26.5 (1) A fall restricting system that is not designed for use in wood pole climbing shall consist of an assembly of components that is,

(a) attached to an independent fixed support that meets the requirements of section 26.7; and

(b) designed and arranged in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions and so that a worker's free fall distance does not exceed 0.6 metres.

(2) A fall restricting system that is designed for use in wood pole climbing,

(a) shall consist of an assembly of components that is designed and arranged in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions; and

(b) shall not allow pole slippage in excess of the distances set out in the applicable National Standards of Canada standard referred to in subsection 26.1 (3).

(3) A fall restricting system shall be inspected by a competent worker before each use.

(4) If a component of the fall restricting system is found to be defective on inspection, the component shall be taken out of service immediately.

(5) If a worker who is using the fall restricting system falls or slips more than the distance determined under clause (1)(b) or (2)(b), as the case may be, the system shall be taken out of service immediately and shall not be used again by a worker unless all components of the system have been certified by the manufacturer as being safe for reuse.

[O. Reg. 145/00, s. 14; 85/04, s. 6]

Section 26.6

26.6 (1) A fall arrest system shall consist of a full body harness with adequate attachment points and a lanyard equipped with a shock absorber or similar device.

(2) The fall arrest system shall be attached by a lifeline or by the lanyard to an independent fixed support that meets the requirements of section 26.7.

(3) The fall arrest system shall be arranged so that a worker cannot hit the ground or an object or level below the work.

(4) Despite subsection (1), the fall arrest system shall not include a shock absorber if wearing or using one could cause a worker to hit the ground or an object or level below the work.

(5) The fall arrest system shall not subject a worker who falls to a peak fall arrest force greater than 8 kilonewtons.

(6) The fall arrest system shall be inspected by a competent worker before each use.

(7) If a component of the fall arrest system is found to be defective on inspection, the defective component shall immediately be taken out of service.

(8) If a worker who is using the fall arrest system falls, the system shall be immediately removed from service and shall not be used again by a worker unless all components of the system have been certified by the manufacturer as being safe for re-use.

(9) Subsections (1) to (8) do not apply to fall restricting systems designed for use in wood pole climbing.

[O. Reg. 145/00, s. 14; 85/04, s. 7]

Section 26.8

26.8 (1) A safety net shall be designed, tested and installed in accordance with ANSI/ASSE Standard A10.11-2010, Safety Requirements for Personnel and Debris Nets.

(2) The safety net shall be installed by a competent worker.

(3) A professional engineer or a competent person under the engineer's supervision shall inspect and test the installation of the safety net before it is put in service.

(4) The engineer shall document the inspection and testing of the safety net.

(5) A copy of the document shall be kept at the project while the safety net is in service.

[O. Reg. 145/00, s. 14; 85/04, s. 9; 345/15, s. 7]