Design Criteria. A personnel platform and suspension system shall be designed by a qualified engineer or a qualified person competent in structural design. Before a rigid suspension system is used with a personnel platform, the suspension system shall be approved by a qualified engineer. The suspension system shall be designed to minimize tipping of the platform due to movement of employees occupying the platform. The personnel platform shall be capable of supporting, without failure, its own weight and at least five times the maximum intended load. Platform Specifications. Each personnel platform shall be equipped with a fall protection guardrail system which meets the requirements of 29 CFR §1910.23(e), and shall be enclosed at least from the toeboard to midrail with either solid construction or expanded metal, having openings no greater than 1/2 inch (1.27 centimeters). A grab rail shall be installed inside the entire perimeter of the personnel platform. A point of attachment for a lanyard shall be: Provided for each employee occupying the platform; and Appropriate for the hardware of the particular lanyard being used. Access gates, if installed, may not swing outward. Access gates, including sliding or folding gates, shall be equipped with a restraining device to prevent accidental opening. Headroom shall be provided which allows employees to stand upright in the platform. Except over water, when employees are exposed to falling objects, in addition to the use of head protection, employees shall be protected by an overhead structure on the personnel platform. All rough edges exposed to contact by employees shall be surfaced or smoothed in order to prevent injury to employees from punctures or lacerations. All welding of the personnel platform and its components shall be performed by a qualified welder familiar with the weld grades, types, and material specified in the platform design. Identification Plate. The personnel platform shall be conspicuously posted with a plate or other permanent marking which indicates the following: Occupancy is limited to four persons; Weight of the platform; Rated load capacity or maximum intended load; and Platform identifying number. The identification plate or marking shall remain legible. Safety Belts, Lifelines, and Lanyards. A lifeline, safety belt, and lanyard shall be used only for employee safeguarding. A lifeline, safety belt, or lanyard subjected to impact as a result of a full restraint of an employee's weight during a fall: Shall be immediately removed from service; and May not be used again for employee safeguarding. A lifeline or lanyard attached to a safety belt shall be secured to a structural member capable of supplying a sufficient safety factor of 5,400 pounds per person secured to that structural member. Safety Belt Lanyard. A safety belt lanyard shall be a minimum of 1/2 inch diameter nylon, or equivalent, with a maximum length to provide for a fall of no greater than 6 feet. The lanyard shall have a nominal breaking strength of 5,400 pounds. Safety Belt and Lanyard Hardware. All safety belt and lanyard hardware shall be drop-forged or pressed steel, and cadmium plated in a commercially accepted manner. Surfaces shall be smooth and free of sharp edges. All safety belt and lanyard hardware, except rivets, shall be capable of withstanding a tensile loading of 4,000 pounds without cracking, breaking, or becoming permanently deformed. A lanyard hook shall be: Of a self-closing design; and Used only in accordance with manufacturer specifications. Personnel Platform Loading. The personnel platform may not be loaded in excess of its rated load capacity. When a personnel platform does not have a rated load capacity, then the personnel platform may not be loaded in excess of its maximum intended load. The number of persons occupying the personnel platform shall be limited to: The number of employees required for the work being performed; and A maximum of four persons. A personnel platform: Shall be used only to move or transport the employees, tools, and materials necessary to perform the work; and When not hoisting employees, may not be used to hoist materials or tools. Personnel Lift. Before a personnel lift, materials and tools shall be: Evenly distributed within the confines of the platform to ensure the platform remains level while suspended; and Secured to prevent displacement. During a personnel lift, materials and tools shall remain secured.