requirements for climbing trees

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Division 2 Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division - (1) General. A positioning system or a personal fall arrest system shall be provided and the employer shall ensure their use when work is performed at positions more than 4 feet (1.2 m) above the ground, on poles, and on towers, except as provided in paragraphs (n)(7) and (8) of this section. These systems shall meet the applicable requirements in subpart I of this part. The employer shall ensure that all climbing equipment is inspected before each day's use to determine that it is in safe working condition. - (2) Pole climbers. - (i) Pole climbers may not be used if the gaffs are less than 1-1/4 inches in length as measured on the underside of the gaff. The gaffs of pole climbers shall be covered with safety caps when not being used for their intended use. - (ii) The employer shall ensure that pole climbers are inspected by a competent person for the following conditions: Fractured or cracked gaffs or leg irons, loose or dull gaffs, broken straps or buckles. If any of these conditions exist, the defect shall be corrected before the climbers are used. - (iii) Pole climbers shall be inspected as required in this paragraph (g)(3) before each day's use and a gaff cut-out test performed at least weekly when in use. - (iv) Pole climbers may not be worn when: - (A) Working in trees (specifically designed tree climbers shall be used for tree climbing), - (B) Working on ladders, - (C) Working in an aerial lift, - (D) Driving a vehicle, nor - (E) Walking on rocky, hard, frozen, brushy or hilly terrain. - (h) Ladders. Ladders, step bolts, and manhole steps shall meet the applicable requirements in Subpart D of this part. - [redacted phone] (6) Equipment - (a) Ladder hooks. When ladder hooks are engaged the safety straps shall be lashed around the top rung and strand or otherwise secured to the strand. - 1910.268 (i) Other tools and personal protective equipment.

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Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division ## 1910.30 Training requirements - (a) Fall hazards. - (1) Before any employee is exposed to a fall hazard, the employer must provide training for each employee who uses personal fall protection systems or who is required to be trained as specified elsewhere in this subpart. Employers must ensure employees are trained in the requirements of this paragraph on or before May 17, 2017. - Note to 1910.30(a)(1): The above referenced date does not apply in Oregon. Instead, in accordance with OAR [redacted phone](7)(a), the Oregon delayed effective date is May 1, 2018. - (2) The employer must ensure that each employee is trained by a qualified person. - (3) The employer must train each employee in at least the following topics: - (i) The nature of the fall hazards in the work area and how to recognize them; - (ii) The procedures to be followed to minimize those hazards; - (iii) The correct procedures for installing, inspecting, operating, maintaining, and disassembling the personal fall protection systems that the employee uses; and - (iv) The correct use of personal fall protection systems and equipment specified in paragraph (a)(1) of this section, including, but not limited to, proper hook-up, anchoring, and tie-off techniques, and methods of equipment inspection and storage, as specified by the manufacturer. - (b) Equipment hazards. - (1) The employer must train each employee on or before May 17, 2017 in the proper care, inspection, storage, and use of equipment covered by this subpart before an employee uses the equipment. - Note to 1910.30(b)(1): The above referenced date does not apply in Oregon. Instead, in accordance with OAR [redacted phone](7)(b), the Oregon delayed effective date is May 1, 2018. - (2) The employer must train each employee who uses a dockboard to properly place and secure it to prevent unintentional movement. - (3) The employer must train each employee who uses a rope descent system in proper riggi…

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Division 2 Oregon Administrative Rules ## [redacted phone] Work Procedures ## (1) Climbing. - (a) A tree worker shall be tied in with an approved type of climbing rope and safety saddle when working 4 feet above the ground. A safety strap or rope with snaps may be used for additional protection. - (A) When working from a ladder more than 10 feet above the adjacent ground line, the worker must be tied in with an approved type of climbing rope and safety saddle. - (B) When working from a scaffold more than 10 feet above the adjacent ground line, and an exposure to a fall hazard exists, the employee shall be tied in with the climbing rope and safety saddle. - (b) Limbs shall be inspected, while climbing, before applying weight. The climber shall not trust the capability of a dead branch to support his/her weight. Dead branches shall be broken off on the way up, if possible. Hands and feet shall be placed on separate limbs, if possible. - (c) The climbing rope shall be passed around the trunk of the tree as high as possible using branches with a wide crotch to prevent any binding of the safety rope. The crotch selected for tying in shall be over the work area as much as possible, but located in such a way that a slip or fall would swing the worker away from any electrical conductor. The rope shall also be passed around the main leader or an upright branch, using the limb as a stop. Feet, hands, and ropes shall be kept out of tight V-shaped crotches. - (d) The location of all electrical conductors shall be noted in relation to work procedures. The worker shall climb on the side of the tree that is away from electrical conductors, if possible. - (e) A figure-eight knot shall be tied in the end of the rope, particularly in the case of high trees. This will prevent pulling the rope accidentally through the taut line-hitch and possible serious injury from a fall. - (f) The climbing line shall be crotched as soon as practical after the worker is aloft, and a taut line-hit…

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Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division Oregon Administrative Rules AO 2-2017 Division 2 ## Appendix F to Subdivision RR - Work-Positioning Equipment Inspection Guidelines ## I. Body Belts ## Inspect body belts to ensure that: - A. The hardware has no cracks, nicks, distortion, or corrosion; - B. No loose or worn rivets are present; - C. The waist strap has no loose grommets; - D. The fastening straps are not 100-percent leather; and - E. No worn materials that could affect the safety of the user are present. ## II. Positioning Straps Inspect positioning straps to ensure that: - A. The warning center of the strap material is not exposed; - B. No cuts, burns, extra holes, or fraying of strap material is present; - C. Rivets are properly secured; - D. Straps are not 100-percent leather; and - E. Snaphooks do not have cracks, burns, or corrosion. ## III. Climbers Inspect pole and tree climbers to ensure that: - A. Gaffs are at least as long as the manufacturer's recommended minimums (generally 32 and 51 millimeters (1.25 and 2.0 inches) for pole and tree climbers, respectively, measured on the underside of the gaff); Note: Gauges are available to assist in determining whether gaffs are long enough and shaped to easily penetrate poles or trees. - B. Gaffs and leg irons are not fractured or cracked; - C. Stirrups and leg irons are free of excessive wear; - D. Gaffs are not loose; - E. Gaffs are free of deformation that could adversely affect use; - F. Gaffs are properly sharpened; and - G. There are no broken straps or buckles.

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Division 2 Oregon Administrative Rules Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division ## (3) Backpack power units. - (a) The manufacturer's operating safety instructions shall be followed unless modified by these rules. - (b) No one except the operator shall be within ten feet of the cutting head of a brush saw. - (c) The power unit shall be equipped with a quick shutoff switch readily accessible to the operator. - (d) The operator shall observe the position of all personnel while the unit is running. - (e) The engine shall be stopped for all cleaning, refueling, adjustments, and repair to the saw or motor where practical, except where manufacturer's procedures require otherwise. Stat. Auth.: ORS 654.025(2) and 656.726(4). Stats. Implemented: ORS 654.001 to 654.295. Hist: OR-OSHA Admin. Order 27-1990, f. 12/12/90, ef. 2/1/91. ## [redacted phone] Hand Tools ## (1) General. - (a) The correct tool shall be selected for the job. - (b) Tools that have been made unsafe by damage or defect shall not be used. - (c) When climbing a tree, workers shall not carry tools in their hands other than tools that are used to assist them in climbing. - (d) Workers shall maintain a safe working distance from other workers when using hand tools. - (e) Tools shall be properly stored or placed in plain sight out of the immediate work area when not in use. - (f) Workers shall not throw or drop tools from trees unless warning has been given and the ground area is clear, and the act of dropping will not endanger personnel. ## (2) Pruners and hand saws. - (a) Pole pruners, pole saws, and other similar tools shall be equipped with wood or nonmetallic poles. Actuating cord shall be of nonconducting material.

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## Part 39 Tree Care Operations ## Application 792 This Part applies to arboriculture activities that involve pruning, repairing, maintaining or removing trees or cutting brush if a worker works at height and depends on the tree for support. ## Safe work practices 793 (1) An employer must develop and implement safe work practices and procedures that include - (a) the assessment of hazards at the work site, - (b) worker training, including hazard recognition, - (c) the selection, limitation, operation and maintenance of equipment and personal protective equipment, - (d) the use of work positioning systems and fall protection systems, and - (e) emergency rescue. 793 (2) If reasonably practicable, an employer must involve affected workers in the development and implementation of the safe work practices and procedures. ## Fall protection and work positioning 794 (1) If it is not reasonably practicable to comply with the fall protection requirements of section 139, an employer must ensure that a worker uses a work positioning system. 794 (2) A worker must use or wear the work positioning or fall protection system the employer requires the worker to use or wear. ## Harness standards 795 (1) An employer must ensure that a harness manufactured on or after March 31, 2023 and used as part of a work positioning system is approved to - (a) NFPA Standard 1983, Standard on Fire Service Life Safety Rope and System Components , 2006 Edition, as a Class II or Class III life safety harness, - (b) CEN Standard EN 813: 1997, Personal protective equipment for prevention of falls from a height - Sit harnesses , - (c) CSA Standard Z259.10-18, Full body harnesses , - (d) ANSI/ASSE Standard Z359.1-2007, Safety requirements for personal fall arrest systems, subsystems and components , or - (e) CEN Standard EN 361: 2007, Personal protective equipment against falls from a height Full body harnesses . 795 (2) Subsection (1) does not apply to harnesses in use before April 30, 2004. …

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Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division Division 2 - (h) The worker shall remain tied in until the work is completed and the worker has returned to the ground. If it is necessary to recrotch the rope in the tree, the worker shall retie the rope or use the safety strap before releasing the previous tie. - (2) Pruning and Trimming. - (a) Pole pruners and pole saws shall be hung securely in a vertical position to prevent dislodging. Pole pruners or pole saws shall not be hung on utility wires or cables, or left in the tree overnight. Pole saws shall be hung so that the sharp edge is away from the worker. - (b) A scabbard or sheath shall be hooked to the belt or safety saddle to carry the handsaw when not in use. - (c) Warnings, when necessary, shall be given by the worker in the tree before a limb is dropped. - (d) A separate line shall be attached to limbs which cannot be dropped or are too heavy to be controlled by hand. The line shall be held by workers on the ground end of the rope. Use of the same crotch for both safety rope and work rope shall be avoided. - (e) Cut branches shall not be left in trees overnight. - (f) A climbing rope shall never be left in a tree overnight. A service line shall be put up for overnight or longer. - (g) The climber shall inspect the rope for cuts or abrasions before starting work. If any cuts or serious abrasions are found, the rope shall be discarded, used for some other purpose, or the defective section cut off. - (h) During all tree working operations aloft, there shall be a second worker in the vicinity. This shall not apply to utility workers engaged in tree trimming incidental to their normal occupation, or to one-man service crews. ## (3) Cabling. - (a) In cabling operations, branches which are to be cabled shall be brought together to the proper distanced by means of a block and tackle, a hand winch, a rope, or a rope with a come-along. - (b) Not more than two persons shall be in the tree working at opposite ends …

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Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division Oregon Administrative Rules Division 2 ## (11) Ladders. - (a) When using portable ladders to climb trees, the ladder shall be tied to the tree or supported by another worker. When working from a ladder during cutting operations, the ladder shall be securely tied or braced, and the worker tied in as required by OAR [redacted phone](1)(a)(A). - (b) Ladders, platforms, and aerial devices, including insulated aerial devices, shall not be placed in a position where they could contact an electrical conductor. Reliance shall not be placed on their dielectric capabilities. - (c) Ladders made of metal or other conductive material shall not be used where an electrical hazard exists. Only approved wood ladders (constructed in accordance with ANSI A14.1-1982, Safety Requirements for Portable Wood Ladders, or nonconductive ladders made of synthetic material equal to or exceeding the strength of approved wood ladders, shall be used. - (d) Metal ladders used where no electrical hazard exists shall conform to ANSI A14.2-1982, Safety Requirements for Portable Metal Ladders. - (e) All ladders shall be inspected daily before use. Unsafe ladders shall not be used. - (f) The attaching of cleats, metal points, and safety feet; lashing; or other effective means of securing the ladder shall be used if there is danger of its slipping. - (g) Ladders shall be supported while in storage so they will not sag. Except when on mobile equipment, ladders shall be stored under suitable cover, protected from the weather, and kept in a dry location away from excessive heat. - (h) Ladders shall not be used as bridges or inclined planes to load or handle logs or other material. - (12) Climbing spurs. Climbing spurs shall be of the tree-climbing type and have gaffs suitable for the tree being climbed. Stat. Auth.: ORS 654.025(2) and 656.726(4). Stats. Implemented: ORS 654.001 to 654.295. Hist: OR-OSHA Admin. Order 27-1990, f. 12/12/90, ef. 2/1/91. OR-O…

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Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division Division 2 - (3) Electrical Safety-Related Work Practices. The employer shall assure that 29 CFR 1910.331 through 1910.335, Electrical Safety-Related Work Practices, in Division 2/S, are complied with for all electrical hazards, EXCEPT as provided for in 29 CFR 1910.331(c). - (4) Notification to Power Company. The power company shall be notified when working within 10 feet of a power line or when a tree may fall within 10 feet of a power line. Stat. Auth.: ORS 654.025(2) and 656.726(4). Stats. Implemented: ORS 654.001 to 654.295. Hist: OR-OSHA Admin. Order 27-1990, f. 12/12/90, ef. 2/1/91. OR-OSHA Admin. Order 1-1996, f. 2/16/96, ef. 2/16/96. ## [redacted phone] Personal Protective Equipment - (1) Personal protective equipment shall be provided and used as required by OAR 437, Division 2/I, Personal Protective Equipment. - (2) Safety belts or tree-trimming saddle belts shall conform to ANSI A10.141975, Requirements for Safety Belts, Harnesses, Lanyards, Lifelines, and Drop Lines for Construction and Industrial Use. Safety belts, tree trimming saddles, or a saddle formed by a double bowline shall be worn to protect workers when working aloft. - (3) Saddle belts or safety belts used for climbing operations shall have forged support rings. Snaps used in climbing ropes or in safety straps, for attachment to the forged support ring, shall be of a self-closing safety type. Forged support rings shall be designed so that the snaps will not become disengaged (roll off) accidentally. - (4) Saddle belts or safety belts shall not be spliced or weakened by punching extra holes in them. - (5) All employees using chain saws shall wear flexible ballistic nylon pads or other equivalent protection sewn or otherwise fastened to the trousers, which will protect the legs from the thigh to below the knee. - (6) Eye or face protection shall be provided and used where chips, sawdust or flying particles present a hazard. - (7) When opera…

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Division 2 AO 6-2017 Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division - (a) Wedges, chisels, and gouges shall be inspected for cracks and flaws before use. - (b) Wedges and chisels shall be properly pointed and tempered. Tools with mushroomed heads shall not be used. - (c) Only wood, plastic, or soft-metal wedges shall be used with power saws. - (d) Wood-handled chisels shall be protected with a ferrule on the striking end. - (8) Hammers, mauls, and sledges. Wood, rubber or high-impact plastic mauls, sledges, or hammers shall be used when striking wood-handled chisels or gouges. ## (9) Ropes. - (a) Climbing ropes shall be used when working aloft in trees. Climbing ropes shall have a minimum diameter of 1/2-inch and be a 3- or 4-strand firstgrade manila with a nominal breaking strength of 2385 pounds or its equivalent in strength and durability. Synthetic rope shall have a maximum elasticity of not more than 7 percent. - (b) Rope made unsafe by damage or defect, or for any other reason, shall not be used. - (c) Rope shall be stored away from all cutting edges and sharp tools. Corrosive chemicals, gas, and oil shall be kept away from rope. - (d) Climbing ropes and safety lines shall not be used to lower limbs or other parts of trees or to raise or lower equipment. - (e) When stored, rope shall be coiled and piled, or suspended, so that air can circulate through the coils. - (f) Rope ends shall be secured to prevent unraveling. - (g) Climbing and safety rope shall not be spliced to effect repair. - (h) Safety snaps shall be rotated from one end of the rope to the other, as needed, and the worn end cut off. - (i) A handline shall be used for raising or lowering tools and limbs. - (10) Tackle blocks and pulleys. Tackle blocks and pulleys shall be inspected immediately before use and shall be condemned if defective, in accordance with procedures given in ANSI/ASME B30.9-1984, B30.9a-1985, and B30.9b1987, Safety Standard for Slings.