This section applies to all persons, firms, corporations, or others engaged in the operation of organized ski areas and facilities under the scope of chapter 296-59 WAC, Safety standards for ski area facilities and operations.

(1) Personal protective equipment, general requirements.

(a) Personal fall arrest systems or personal fall restraint systems must be provided and used whenever employees are working in locations which expose them to a fall hazard of four feet or more.

(b) Employees will not be required to wear personal fall protection systems while riding on a standard lift chair while seated in the normal riding position.

(2) Ski lift facilities and structures. Personal fall arrest systems or personal fall restraint systems must be used when working at unprotected elevated locations. Exception to this requirement must only be permitted for emergency rescue or emergency inspection if a personal fall arrest system is not immediately available. Required personal protective equipment must be made available as quickly as possible.

(3) Guardrails on ski lift aerial work platforms.

(a) The platform must be equipped with standard height and strength guardrails where such guardrails will pass through the configuration of all lifts on which it is intended to be used.

(b) Where guardrails must be less than 39 inches high in order to clear carriages, guidage, etc., guardrails must be as high as will clear the obstructions but never less than 12 inches high.

(c) If the work platform is equipped with an upper work level, the upper level platform must be equipped with a toeboard at least four inches high.

(d) Each platform must be equipped with a lanyard attachment ring for each permissible occupant to attach a personal fall arrest system or personal fall restraint system.

(e) Each lanyard attachment ring must be of such strength as to sustain 5,400 pounds of static loading for each occupant permitted to be attached to a specific ring.

(f) Attachment rings must be permanently located as close to the center balance point of the platform as is practical.

(g) The rings may be movable, for instance, up and down a central suspension rod, but must not be completely removable.

(4) Work platform use.

(a) Passengers must be provided with and must use the correct personal fall arrest system or personal fall restraint system for the intended work.

(b) Any time a passenger's position is not protected by a standard guardrail at least 39 inches high, the individual must be protected by a personal fall restraint system, which will not permit free-fall over the platform edge.

(c) When personnel are passengers on a work platform and their work position requires the use of a personal fall arrest or personal fall restraint system, the lanyard must be attached to the work platform, not to the haulrope or tower.

All specifications would be in accordance with WAC 296-880-400.

Additional requirements for ski area facilities and operations can be found in chapter 296-59 WAC, Safety standard for ski area facilities and operations.