WAC 296-32-270
Personal climbing equipment. (1) General. Safety belts and straps shall be provided and the employer shall
ensure their use when work is performed at positions more than 4
feet above ground, on poles, and on towers, except as provided in
WAC 296-32-340 (7)(8) of this chapter. No safety belts, safety
straps or lanyards acquired after January 1, 1976, may be used
unless they meet the tests set forth in chapter 296-45 WAC. The
employer shall ensure that all safety belts and straps are
inspected by a competent person prior to each day's use to
determine that they are in safe working condition.
(2) Telecommunication lineman's body belts, safety straps
and lanyards, general requirements. Hardware for lineman's body
belts, safety straps and lanyards shall be drop forged or pressed
steel and shall have a corrosion resistant finish tested to meet
the requirements of the American Society for Testing and
Materials B117-64 (50-hour test).
Exception:
Lineman's body belts shall be at least four inches in width.
(3) Pole climbers.
(a) 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.
(b) The gaffs of pole climbers shall be covered with safety
caps when not being used for their intended use.
(c) 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.
(d) Pole climbers shall be inspected as required in this
subsection before each day's use and a gaff cut-out test
performed at least weekly when in use.
(e) Pole climbers shall not be worn when:
(i) Working in trees (specifically designed tree climbers
shall be used for tree climbing),
(ii) Working on ladders,
(iii) Working in an aerial lift,
(iv) Driving a vehicle,
(v) Walking on rocky, hard, frozen, brushy or hilly terrain.