Is there such a osha safety law that says an employee has to be less than 270 ils incl. climbing belt in the cable industry??? in North Carolina

The attached link may take you to the information you request. However, for safety reasons, you may want to talk to OSHA. http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=10667

I would think so. I just revieved training in the medical aspect of OSHA, so I really only know that. What OSHA really does is protect the employee, not the empolyer.

I am not saying that there isn't a regulation that says that. There could be. But I have never read any OSHA regulation that dictates a person's specific physical chararcteristics, for anything.

The manufacturer of the fall protection usually dictates the weight limit. If memory serves me correctly, 270 lbs. was about the limit of all of the fall protection when I last purchased. I really don't think it is a legal limit, I think that it's more along the lines that there is not any fall protection manufactured that goes above that. You might could shop around on the Internet for some that approaches the 300+ range, but I have never come accross any.

Good luck.

I work at a large power plant. We have a mechanic that weighs 325 lbs in his birthday suit.

As stated before, all of the safety harnesses have a weight limit of 300 lbs. (most ladders too)

However, under the General Duty Clause our employer must provide a workplace free from recognized hazards. So our employer had a special harness made for this mechanic that was rated for his weight. And the employee was trained on the increased anchorage needed too.

If you are too big for standard harness, it is your employers responsibility to purchase and provide you with a harness that will keep you safe. If he won't, then call your area OSHA consultation representitive. The rep will be able to assist you and your employer.

If your employer still won't help you, you might have to file a charge with OSHA. The consultation officer will help you here too.

Rog; you do realize, don't you, that the original question was asked back in April?

We have a mechanic that weighs 325 lbs in his birthday suit. Actually, I was thinking Rog must have a pretty interesting workplace if employees get weighed in their birthday suits. That's not usually the kind of thing you want to see in a power plant. :D