WAC 296-155-55405   Lifting personnel using a boatswain's chair.  (1) The boatswain's chair must not be loaded in excess of its rated load capacity.

     (2) The boatswain's chair must only be used for employees, their tools, and the materials necessary to do their work. Do not use the chair to hoist materials or tools without hoisting employees.

     (3) Materials and tools must be secured during lift.

     (4) A signal person must be assigned any time the lift will take the employee out of the direct sight of the crane operator.

     (5) The employee being lifted must use personal fall protection equipment, including a full body harness with the lanyard attached independent of the chair. The lanyard must be secured to the lift line above the headache ball or to the crane hook itself.

     (6) Only one employee can be lifted at a time.

     (7) The operator must:

     (a) Lift the chair in a slow, controlled manner with no sudden movements;

     (b) Remain at the crane/derrick controls at all times when the chair is occupied.

     (8) All brakes and locking features must be engaged when the occupied chair is in a stationary working position.

     (9) Operations must be stopped if any safety device quits working properly during the use of the boatswain's chair.

     (10) The safety device must be repaired before resuming operations. Alternative measures are not permitted.

     (11) Any other lifting on the crane/derrick's load lines is prohibited while personnel are suspended in a chair.



[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, 49.17.440, 49.17.060, and 29 C.F.R. 1926, Subpart CC. 12-01-086, § 296-155-55405, filed 12/20/11, effective 2/1/12.]