This section applies to any and all waterfront operations under the scope of chapter 296-56 WAC, Safety standards—Longshore, stevedore, and waterfront related operations.

(1) The employer must ensure employees doing maintenance work on cranes, spouts or similar types of equipment, eight feet or more above the ground or surface and not in an area that is protected by any standard safeguards such as walkways with standard railings, or ladders with protective cages, wear a full body harness and lanyard which can be attached to the structure.

(2) Guarding of edges. The employer must meet the following requirements for employee protection:

(a) Guardrails must be provided at locations where employees are exposed to falls of more than four feet from floor or wall openings or waterside edges, including bridges or gangway-like structures leading to pilings, vessel mooring or berthing installations.

(b) Guardrails are not required:

(i) At loading platforms and docks;

(ii) At waterside edges used for cargo or mooring line handling;

(iii) On the working sides of work platforms, skids, or similar workplaces which abut the work area; or

(iv) On railroad rolling stock, highway vehicles, intermodal containers, or similar equipment.

(c) Where guardrails are impractical due to machinery requirements or work processes, an alternate means of fall protection, such as nets, must be used.

(3) The employer must ensure guardrails meet the following criteria:

(a) Guardrails must be capable of withstanding a force of at least two hundred pounds (890 N) applied in any direction at mid-span of the top rail (when used), or at the uppermost point if there is no guardrail.

(b) If not of solid baluster, grillwork, slatted, or similar construction, guardrails must consist of top rails and midrails. Midrails, when used, must be positioned at approximately half the height of the top rail.

(c) The top surface of guardrails installed before October 3, 1983, must be at least thirty-six inches (.091 m) high. Those installed after October 3, 1983, must be forty-two inches (1.07 m) high, plus or minus two inches (5.1 cm), high.

(d) Any nonrigid railing such as chain or wire rope must have a maximum sag, at the mid-point between posts, of not more than six inches (15.24 cm).

(e) Top rails must be free of sharp edges and maintained in good repair.

(f) Rail ends must not overhang. This does not prohibit scrollwork, boxed ends or similar nonhazardous projections.

(4) The employer must provide toeboards when employees below could be exposed to falling objects such as tools. Toeboards must be at least three and one-half inches (8.9 cm) in height from top edge to floor level, and be capable of withstanding a force of fifty pounds (222 N) applied in any direction. Drainage clearance not in excess of one-eighth inch under toeboards is permitted.

(5) Stair railings must be capable of withstanding a force of at least two hundred pounds (890 N) applied in any direction, and must not be more than thirty-six inches (0.91 m) nor less than thirty-two inches (0.81 m) in height from the upper top rail surface to the tread surface in line with the leading edge of the tread. Railings and midrails must be provided at any stairway having four or more risers, as follows:

(a) For stairways less than forty-four inches (1.12 m) wide, at least one railing; and

(b) For stairways more than forty-four inches (1.12 m) but less than eighty-eight inches (2.24 m) wide, a stair rail or handrail on each side, and if eighty-eight or more inches wide, an additional intermediate handrail.

(6) The employer must maintain railings in good repair and free of sharp edges.

Additional requirements for longshore, stevedore and waterfront related operations can be found in chapter 296-56 WAC, Safety standards for longshore, stevedore and waterfront related operations.