Subpart E provides the requirements for scaffolds and staging, ladders, guarding deck openings and edges, access to vessels, access to and guarding of dry docks and marine railways, access to cargo spaces and confined spaces, and other working surfaces.
To learn if Subpart E applies to you, go to Does "Subpart E - Scaffolds, Ladders and Other Working Surfaces" Apply to You?
Special Requirements
Scope: This standard provides the requirements for scaffolds and staging.
Special Requirements: Designed, safety factor, supervision, competent person, examined, determining, specifications, safety belts, life lines, references other standards
1915.71(b)(1) - All scaffolds and their supports whether of lumber, steel or other material, shall be capable of supporting the load they are designed to carry with a safety factor of not less than four (4).
1915.71(b)(7) - No scaffold shall be erected, moved, dismantled or altered except under the supervision of competent persons.
1915.71(c)(7) - Minimum dimensions and spacing of members shall be in accordance with Table E-1 in § 1915.118 - tables.
1915.71(f)(3) - Manila and wire ropes shall be carefully examined before each operation and thereafter as frequently as may be necessary to ensure their safe condition.
1915.71(f)(11)(ii) - The side rails of ladders in ladder-type platforms shall be equivalent in strength to a beam of clear straight-grained spruce of the dimensions contained in Table E-2 in § 1915.118 - tables.
1915.71(h)(1) - Scaffolds of a type for which specifications are not contained in this section shall meet the general requirements of paragraphs (b), (i), and (j) of this section, shall be in accordance with recognized principles of design and shall be constructed in accordance with accepted standards covering such equipment.
1915.71(i)(4) - Table E-4 in § 1915.118 - tables shall be used as a guide in determining safe loads for scaffold planks.
1915.71(j)(3) - Rails may be omitted where the structure of the vessel prevents their use. When rails are omitted, employees working more than 5 feet above solid surfaces shall be protected by safety belts and life lines meeting the requirements of §§ 1915.159 - PFAS, and 1915.160 - positioning device systems, and employees working over water shall be protected by buoyant work vests meeting the requirements of § 1915.158(a) - lifesaving equipment.
1915.71(k)(1) - Access from below to staging more than 5 feet above a floor, deck or the ground shall consist of well secured stairways, cleated ramps, fixed or portable ladders meeting the applicable requirements of § 1915.72 or rigid type non-collapsible trestles with parallel and level rungs.
1915.71(k)(5) - Access from above to staging more than 3 feet below the point of access shall consist of a straight, portable ladder meeting the applicable requirements of § 1915.72 - ladders or a Jacob's ladder properly secured, meeting the requirements of § 1915.74(d) - access to vessels.
Scope: This standard provides the requirements
Special Requirements: Inspections, references other standards
1915.72(a)(1) - The use of ladders with broken or missing rungs or steps, broken or split side rails, or other faulty or defective construction is prohibited. When ladders with such defects are discovered, they shall be immediately withdrawn from service. Inspection of metal ladders shall include checking for corrosion of interiors of open end, hollow rungs.
1915.72(a)(4) - Portable metal ladders shall be of strength equivalent to that of wood ladders. Manufactured portable metal ladders provided by the employer shall be in accordance with the provisions of ANSI Standard A14.2-1972: Safety Requirements for Portable Metal Ladders (incorporated by reference, see § 1915.5).
Scope: This standard provides the requirements guarding of deck openings and edges.
Special Requirements: Personal flotation devices, references other standards
1915.73(e) - When employees are working near the unguarded edges of decks of vessels afloat, they shall be protected by personal flotation devices, meeting the requirements of § 1915.158(a) - lifesaving equipment.
Scope: This standard provides the requirements for vessel access.
Special Requirements: Certificated, US Coast Guard, inspected
1915.74(a)(3) - Gangways on vessels inspected and certificated by the U.S. Coast Guard are deemed to meet the foregoing requirements, except in cases where the vessel's regular gangway is not being used.
Scope: This standard provides the requirements for access to and guarding of dry docks and marine railways.
Special Requirements: References other standards
1915.75(f) - Access to wing walls from floors of dry docks shall be by ramps, permanent stairways or ladders meeting the applicable requirements of § 1915.72 - ladders.
1915.75(g) - Catwalks on stiles of marine railways shall be no less than 20 inches wide and shall have on at least one side a guardrail and midrail meeting the requirements of § 1915.71(j)(1) and (2) - scaffolds or staging.
Scope: This standard provides the requirements for access to cargo spaces and confined spaces.
Special Requirements: Inform, winchman, crane signalman, references other standards
1915.76(a)(3) - Straight ladders of adequate strength and suitably secured against shifting or slipping shall be provided as necessary when fixed ladders in cargo spaces do not meet the requirements of paragraph (a)(1) of this section. When conditions are such that a straight ladder cannot be used, a Jacob's ladder meeting the requirements of § 1915.74(d) - access to vessels, may be used.
1915.76(a)(5) - Fixed ladders or straight ladders provided for access to cargo spaces shall not be used at the same time that cargo drafts, equipment, materials, scrap or other loads are entering or leaving the hold. Before using these ladders to enter or leave the hold, the employee shall be required to inform the winchman or crane signalman of his intention.
Scope: This standard provides the requirements for working surfaces.
Special Requirements: PPE (i.e., Safety belts, lifelines), references other standards
1915.77(c) - When employees are working aloft, or elsewhere at elevations more than 5 feet above a solid surface, either scaffolds or a sloping ladder, meeting the requirements of this subpart, shall be used to afford safe footing, or the employees shall be protected by safety belts and lifelines meeting the requirements of §§ 1915.159 - PFAS, and 1915.160 - positioning device system. Employees visually restricted by blasting hoods, welding helmets, and burning goggles shall work from scaffolds, not from ladders, except for the initial and final welding or burning operation to start or complete a job, such as the erection and dismantling of hung scaffolding, or other similar, nonrepetitive jobs of brief duration.
1915.77(d) - For work performed in restricted quarters, such as behind boilers and in between congested machinery units and piping, work platforms at least 20 inches wide meeting the requirements of § 1915.71(i)(1) - scaffolds or staging, shall be used. Backrails may be omitted if bulkheading, boilers, machinery units, or piping afford proper protection against falling.
1915.77(e) - When employees are boarding, leaving, or working from small boats or floats, they shall be protected by personal flotation devices meeting the requirements of § 1915.158(a) - lifesaving equipment.