newsworthy
New standard for safety restraints on
man-up lift trucks takes effect
FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE WEIGHT OF A LIFT TRUCK
operator will determine the type of safety lanyards and harnesses that workers may use to prevent and limit falls from
man-up lift trucks, according to a new standard that went
into effect Feb. 23.
The standard, developed by the Industrial Truck
Standards Development Foundation (ITSDF) and accepted
by the American National Standards Institute
All man-up trucks, whether new or
already in service, must comply with
the new standard, which is outlined in
clause 4.17 of the ANSI/ITSDF B56.1
standard (Safety Standard for Low-Lift
and High-Lift Trucks).
As of Feb. 23, an operator weighing
less than 220 pounds may use:
▪ A body belt with a self-retracting lanyard
▪ A full-body harness with an energy-absorbing lanyard (maximum six feet in length)
▪ A full-body harness with a self-retracting lanyard.
An operator weighing between 220 and 310 pounds may
use:
▪ A full-body harness with an energy-absorbing lanyard
(maximum six feet)
▪ A full-body harness with a self-retracting lanyard.
An operator weighing between 311 and 400 pounds may
use:
▪ A full-body harness with a self-retracting lanyard.
The new standard states that lift trucks’ capacity must be
reduced by the weight of any operator weighing more than
220 pounds, and that self-retracting lanyards used by an
operator weighing more than 310 pounds must be rated for
that operator’s weight.
The language was included to address concerns that an
operator’s average weight has been on the rise in recent
years, said Ron Grisez, manager of product safety for
Crown Equipment Corp. Grisez served on the subcommittee task group that updated the standard.
Until now, operators of man-up trucks like order pickers
and turret trucks were allowed to use a fixed-length lanyard
to anchor themselves to the operator compartment. But,
unlike the self-retracting and energy-absorbing lanyards
available today, fixed-length lanyards cannot absorb the
force of the body weight in a fall, said Grisez.
OSHA WEIGHS IN
Some safety experts question whether
body belts are appropriate for use on
elevated industrial trucks, saying that
the belts will limit but may not prevent
falls. It appears that the Occupational
In a Dec. 12, 2002, letter of interpreta-
tion, the agency noted that it considers a
body belt and lanyard to be the minimum pro-
tection required to protect employees from falling
from elevated powered industrial truck platforms.
However, the letter went on to say, “OSHA’s newer stan-
dards which address fall hazards call for the use of body
harnesses rather than body belts when used as part of a
personal fall arrest system. OSHA has determined in these
rulemakings that there are hazards associated with body
belts that are greatly reduced by the substitution of body
harnesses. Accordingly, we believe that body harnesses
rather than body belts are the appropriate form of fall
protection for employees working on elevated powered
industrial truck platforms.”
And in a June 28, 2004, letter of interpretation, the
agency reiterated that although industry standards allow
the use of a body belt with a lanyard, “OSHA strongly
encourages employers to use body harnesses in place of
body belts.”
More information about the ANSI/ITSDF standard is
available at www.itsdf.org/pB56.asp or from the appropri-
ate lift truck dealer. ;
—Toby Gooley
