Facade Access Equipment: Is Your Building OSHA Compliant?

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that building owners certify to users of facade access equipment (such as window washers) that the equipment meets all applicable OSHA requirements, one component of which is meeting minimum structural requirements to be able to safely support workers and work platforms/scaffolds.

This WJE webinar is focused on providing you with additional insight into OSHA requirements and how you can ensure that workers on your buildings have structurally adequate supports. WJE facade access experts Richard Dethlefs, Gwenyth Searer, and host Jon Lewis will explain OSHA's requirements in lay terms, discuss some common options available to verify structural compliance, and answer your questions about all things related to facade access.  During the webinar, you will learn: more about the details of OSHA requirements; what you need to do if your equipment was never tested or for which no documentation can be found; some guidelines on what constitutes adequate or inadequate load testing; and how the governing regulations are changing.

A WJE Advisory: Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Rope Access Techniques
On November 17, 2016, OSHA issued a final rule updating the fall protection requirements of the General Industry Rules 29 CFR 1910, known as Subpart D, Walking-Working Surfaces. OSHA’s General Industry Rules apply to maintenance work performed on or in existing structures and facilities. The new rules cover a wide array of conditions and hazards.

Notably, effective January 17, 2017, the use of rope descent systems for maintenance activities is now restricted to locations no higher than 300 feet above ground level unless it is not feasible to access such heights by any other means or if those means pose a greater hazard than rope descent. The burden for proving that no other safe and feasible method exists rests with the entity whose employees are performing the work via rope descent.

A new WJE Advisory shares the advantages and disadvantages of using rope access techniques to access the facades of buildings based upon our project experience in this area as well as discussions with building owners and window washing contractors.

You can download and read it now.

* This webinar recording is made available for educational purposes. While we hope you will watch and learn something useful, please note that viewers aren't eligible for AIA credit.