CSA Group Selection and use of active fall-protection equipment and systems Z259.17-16

Overview
Falls from heights are among the most common causes of serious work-related injuries and deaths. Falls can not only occur from rooftops or scaling tall buildings, but can also occur from overhead platforms, elevated workstations, or even into holes in walls, floors or the ground. A fall protection system becomes a critical component of occupational health and safety (OHS) practices and procedures and it is mandatory for workers who are at risk of falling to have and make use of proper fall protection equipment.
CSA Group's Z259 series of standards help with the selection and proper use of current fall protection equipment - updated regularly in response to technological change and evolving safety concerns. It also tests and certifies fall protection equipment components to the applicable Z259 standards in Canada and the corresponding ANSI/ASME standards in the US. CSA Z259.17 is the first standard of its kind and provides criteria for the safe selection and use of fall- protection equipment and systems. It serves as a guide for managers and supervisors to help ensure that the right fall protection equipment is selected, taking into consideration critical factors such as type of work, frequency of access, and knowledge of workers. A solution that is effective in one situation may be wrong for another.
CSA Group gratefully acknowledges the financial and in-kind support from the Canadian government departments responsible for occupational health and safety for the development of this edition.
Highlights of Z259.17

• Provides information, methods, and criteria to assess how equipment and assembled systems behave, and how solutions should be selected and implemented
• Includes selection and use elements intended to minimize risks such as hazard assessment, work methods, purchasing, practices, training, maintenance, and inspection
• Includes clauses that are intended to reduce risks, which are inherent in all active fall-protection systems
• References personal fall-protection system (PFPS) components that conform to the requirements of the CSA Z259 Series of Standards or an equivalent

Overview
Falls from heights are among the most common causes of serious work-related injuries and deaths. Falls can not only occur from rooftops or scaling tall buildings, but can also occur from overhead platforms, elevated workstations, or even into holes in walls, floors or the ground. A fall protection system becomes a critical component of occupational health and safety (OHS) practices and procedures and it is mandatory for workers who are at risk of falling to have and make use of proper fall protection equipment.
CSA Group's Z259 series of standards help with the selection and proper use of current fall protection equipment - updated regularly in response to technological change and evolving safety concerns. It also tests and certifies fall protection equipment components to the applicable Z259 standards in Canada and the corresponding ANSI/ASME standards in the US. CSA Z259.17 is the first standard of its kind and provides criteria for the safe selection and use of fall- protection equipment and systems. It serves as a guide for managers and supervisors to help ensure that the right fall protection equipment is selected, taking into consideration critical factors such as type of work, frequency of access, and knowledge of workers. A solution that is effective in one situation may be wrong for another.
CSA Group gratefully acknowledges the financial and in-kind support from the Canadian government departments responsible for occupational health and safety for the development of this edition.
Highlights of Z259.17
Provides information, methods, and criteria to assess how equipment and assembled systems behave, and how solutions should be selected and implemented
Includes selection and use elements intended to minimize risks such as hazard assessment, work methods, purchasing, practices, training, maintenance, and inspection
Includes clauses that are intended to reduce risks, which are inherent in all active fall-protection systems
References personal fall-protection system (PFPS) components that conform to the requirements of the CSA Z259 Series of Standards or an equivalent