The UW Fall Protection Program Manual and five additional fall protection resources were updated to reflect revisions to Washington state fall protection regulations that went into effect on October 1, 2020. University units and departments with personnel who may be exposed to fall hazards are required to update their Fall Protection Work Plans to align with the updated regulations.
The regulation changes include:
- Revised fall protection training requirements
- Updated “trigger heights” table clarifies settings and conditions when fall protection is required for a fall hazard - at any height, at 4 feet, and at 10 feet
- Updated definition of a "hole” and fall protection requirements near holes
In addition to updating the UW Fall Protection Program Manual, EH&S updated the following forms and guidance documents:
- Walking-working surfaces inspection form
- Portable Ladder inspection form
- Using Alternative Fall Protection on Roofs
- Ladder Safety focus sheet
Washington state created a new standard, Unified Safety Standards for Fall Protection (Washington Administrative Code 296-880) to unify fall protection standards across multiple industries and eliminate confusion among employers as to which standard may apply to their work. Existing requirements were also changed and updated to ensure alignment and consistency with standards established by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Contact EH&S Occupational Safety and Health team at 206.543.7388 or ehsdept@uw.edu for more information and assistance with updating your fall protection work plan.
