What's with all the flags on the roofs?

[kap91]

I've been meaning to ask this forever: all over WDW though mostly the magic kingdom there are ropes and flags running over all the rooflines. I'm assuming this is some new annoying safety thing. It looks like they're slowly in the process of adding metal railings to at least some of these buildings. But it looks terrible though I understand they may have no choice.

Does anyone know what is motivating this? It's been this way for probably at least a year-I'm sure it's been talked about here on some thread but I haven't seen it.

 

[Tom]

OSHA Fall Protection regulations. You have to provide visual indication of the leading edge of a roof or other surface from which you could fall while performing your job. Since CMs regularly work on the roofs of many buildings in the parks, and since Disney has been extremely lax in meeting OSHA regulations, they had to put up the ugly flags until they can get proper fall protection systems installed.

As much as we'd like to blame OSHA (especially me), this one's on Disney.

 

[Monty]

I know Disneyland was found to be in contravention of OSH requirements because rooftops didn't have appropriate safety precautions. Disney may be extending that to all their parks [or at least the domestic ones] having been fined in California.

 

[George Lucas on a Bench]

It's so the demolition crews know which buildings to take out for the impending Frozen attractions.

 

[kap91]

That's what I figured. Anyone know what prompted it though? I mean most of these buildings have been there for several decades without this being an issue or are the osha regulations just been ignored that long?

 

[Tom]

That's what I figured. Anyone know what prompted it though? I mean most of these buildings have been there for several decades without this being an issue or are the osha regulations just been ignored that long?

Like @Monty said, they got fined big time at DLR, which I think was part of a fall accident at Space Mountain.

The OSHA regulations for fall protection have been in effect for years, so I'm not sure why Disney is just now getting around to handling this properly. I assume they were just skating by, with no violations since they hadn't had any accidents related to falls from rooftops.

 

[marni1971]

If I recall it did come to a head in Disneyland. A snap inspection revealed lax protection and there were threats to enforce a closure there and then if things didn't happen.

Rules are rules but after decades you kind of think common sense would also help. The world of red tape and burocracy we live in.

 

[fugawe09]

To clarify, having a roof without a guardrail is not an OSHA violation, but work practices on such a roof could be. Any roof with a drop of 6' or more requires workers to have fall protection. This could be a railing system or parapet, using a safety harness tied off to the structure, or a visual flag line 6'-10' from the edge with a dedicated person on safety watch... that is a roof lifeguard that yells at anyone too close to an edge.

Most commercial roofers opt for the latter because it is not practical to build railings all the way around a huge building and safety harnesses require special training. And honestly many roofers disregard OSHA rules all together. At someplace like MK, you've got people other than roofers up on the roof all the time for maintenance, fireworks, etc. They were likely requiring use of a safety harness. When used properly, a harness will save your life. BUT, much like seat belts in cars, they don't help much when someone chooses not wear it or wears it improperly. When you factor in the human element, a railing system is inherently safer because it doesn't require action by the user.

 

[Tom]

To clarify, having a roof without a guardrail is not an OSHA violation, but work practices on such a roof could be. Any roof with a drop of 6' or more requires workers to have fall protection. This could be a railing system or parapet, using a safety harness tied off to the structure, or a visual flag line 6'-10' from the edge with a dedicated person on safety watch... that is a roof lifeguard that yells at anyone too close to an edge.

Most commercial roofers opt for the latter because it is not practical to build railings all the way around a huge building and safety harnesses require special training. And honestly many roofers disregard OSHA rules all together. At someplace like MK, you've got people other than roofers up on the roof all the time for maintenance, fireworks, etc. They were likely requiring use of a safety harness. When used properly, a harness will save your life. BUT, much like seat belts in cars, they don't help much when someone chooses not wear it or wears it improperly. When you factor in the human element, a railing system is inherently safer because it doesn't require action by the user.

Good clarification. An OSHA violation does not exist unless an actual employee is exposed to a hazard. Just like a tree falling in the woods cannot be heard unless there is an ear drum to hear it.

The tether/lifeline is the most common practice here in Indiana......for those who choose to do their jobs safely.

But as you said, and as I mentioned earlier, it's impractical to setup these systems every time someone gets on a Disney roof, since that's daily (or several times a day) for many buildings, especially in the MK. Disney does need to find a solution that does NOT include exposed barriers around the roofs of all their show buildings. It's absolutely pathetic that it's come to this.

 

[Gabe1]

If I recall it did come to a head in Disneyland. A snap inspection revealed lax protection and there were threats to enforce a closure there and then if things didn't happen.

Rules are rules but after decades you kind of think common sense would also help. The world of red tape and burocracy we live in.

It was not only DL that came into play it was death #2 on the Whirl at AK. That 2nd fall and second death for that attraction was enough for OSHA to end the practice of being patient especially on the heals of the Monorail accident full incident report being released. Only so many CMs can be lost before the hammer comes down.

 

[copcarguyp71]

To clarify, having a roof without a guardrail is not an OSHA violation, but work practices on such a roof could be. Any roof with a drop of 6' or more requires workers to have fall protection. This could be a railing system or parapet, using a safety harness tied off to the structure, or a visual flag line 6'-10' from the edge with a dedicated person on safety watch... that is a roof lifeguard that yells at anyone too close to an edge.

Most commercial roofers opt for the latter because it is not practical to build railings all the way around a huge building and safety harnesses require special training. And honestly many roofers disregard OSHA rules all together. At someplace like MK, you've got people other than roofers up on the roof all the time for maintenance, fireworks, etc. They were likely requiring use of a safety harness. When used properly, a harness will save your life. BUT, much like seat belts in cars, they don't help much when someone chooses not wear it or wears it improperly. When you factor in the human element, a railing system is inherently safer because it doesn't require action by the user.

Two quick notes...

1 - fall protection can be ignored if the amount of time to erect such safeguards takes longer than the actual work intended to be performed.

2 - the item or structure that is "snapped" onto for fall protection must be capable of withstanding a 1500# shock load (the load a 200lb man generates when as fall decelerator engages). This will require a good bit of modification and engineering on Disney's part to accomplish on every building so the flags are likely to be up for some time. But the good news is that employees can schedule their injury 180 days out or 90 days out using a kiosk located in the utilidors.

3 - (this is a personal point of interest) I have always chuckled to myself at the 6' requirement because the decelerator only begins working at 6' and extends roughly another 6' as it deploys so in theory your ankles are probably broken or ribs busted up before it even begins to do anything at say 10'...

 

[Alektronic]

Yes, it was a knee jerk reaction on part of WDW because of the outside contractor injury at Space Mountain. It wasn't due to any CM injury or accidents. Every Maintenance CM has to go yearly Fall Protection training and is issued their own full body harness and lanyards and most with SRL's.
There is tie off points on every roof top and that same roof access guideline has been effect for at least 30 years, Any work within 6' of the roof edge needs fall protection. CM's follow the rules, contractors don't.