Codes and Standards

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PART 1926 -- Safety and Health Regulations for Construction

1926.959 - Lineman's body belts, safety straps, and lanyards

(a)

General requirements. The requirements of paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section shall be complied with for all lineman's body belts, safety straps and lanyards acquired for use after the effective date of this subpart.

(a)(1)

Hardware for lineman's body belts, safety straps, and lanyards shall be drop forged or pressed steel and have a corrosive resistive finish tested to American Society for Testing and Materials B117-64 (50-hour test). Surfaces shall be smooth and free of sharp edges.

(a)(2)

All buckles shall withstand a 2,000-pound tensile test with a maximum permanent deformation no greater than one sixty-fourth inch.

(a)(3)

D rings shall withstand a 5,000-pound tensile test without failure. Failure of a D ring shall be considered cracking or breaking.

(a)(4)

Snaphooks shall withstand a 5,000-pound tensile test without failure. Failure of a snaphook shall be distortion sufficient to release the keeper.

..1926.959(b)

(b)

Specific requirements.

(b)(1)

(b)(1)(i)

All fabric used for safety straps shall withstand an A.C. dielectric test of not less than 25,000 volts per foot "dry" for 3 minutes, without visible deterioration.

(b)(1)(ii)

All fabric and leather used shall be tested for leakage current and shall not exceed 1 milliampere when a potention of 3,000 volts is applied to the electrodes positioned 12 inches apart.

(b)(1)(iii)

Direct current tests may be permitted in lieu of alternating current tests.

(b)(2)

The cushion part of the body belt shall:

(b)(2)(i)

Contain no exposed rivets on the inside;

(b)(2)(ii)

Be at least three (3) inches in width;

(b)(2)(iii)

Be at least five thirty-seconds (5/32) inch thick, if made of leather; and

(b)(2)(iv)

Have pocket tabs that extended at least 1 1/2 inches down and three (3) inches back of the inside of circle of each D ring for riveting on plier or tool pockets. On shifting D belts, this measurement for pocket tabs shall be taken when the D ring section is centered.

..1926.959(b)(3)

(b)(3)

A maximum of four (4) tool loops shall be so situated on the body belt that four (4) inches of the body belt in the center of the back, measuring from D ring to D ring, shall be free of tool loops, and any other attachments.

(b)(4)

Suitable copper, steel, or equivalent liners shall be used around bar of D rings to prevent wear between these members and the leather or fabric enclosing them.

(b)(5)

All stitching shall be of a minimum 42-pound weight nylon or equivalent thread and shall be lock stitched. Stitching parallel to an edge shall not be less than three-sixteenths (3/16) inch from edge of narrowest member caught by the thread. The use of cross stitching on leather is prohibited.

(b)(6)

The keeper of snaphooks shall have a spring tension that will not allow the keeper to begin to open with a weight of 2 1/2 pounds or less, but the keeper of snaphooks shall begin to open with a weight of four (4) pounds, when the weight is supported on the keeper against the end of the nose.

(b)(7)

Testing of lineman's safety straps, body belts and lanyards shall be in accordance with the following procedure:

(b)(7)(i)

Attach one end of the safety strap or lanyard to a rigid support, the other end shall be attached to a 250-pound canvas bag of sand:

..1926.959(b)(7)(ii)

(b)(7)(ii)

Allow the 250-pound canvas bag of sand to free fall 4 feet for (safety strap test) and 6 feet for (lanyard test); in each case stopping the fall of the 250-pound bag:

(b)(7)(iii)

Failure of the strap or lanyard shall be indicated by any breakage, or slippage sufficient to permit the bag to fall free of the strap or lanyard. The entire "body belt assembly" shall be tested using one D ring. A safety strap or lanyard shall be used that is capable of passing the "impact loading test" and attached as required in paragraph (b)(7)(i) of this section. The body belt shall be secured to the 250-pound bag of sand at a point to simulate the waist of a man and allowed to drop as stated in paragraph (b)(7)(ii) of this section. Failure of the body belt shall be indicated by any breakage, or slippage sufficient to permit the bag to fall free of the body belt.

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