The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), Des Plaines, Iowa, recently announced the approval of the new American National Standard Institute (ANSI) A10.22-2007 standard. The standard,Safety Requirements for Rope-Guided and Non-Guided Workers’ Hoists, recognizes the need for protection of personnel from injury when using rope-guided and non-guided worker’s hoists in construction and demolition operations.

ANSI A10.22-2007 is one of a series of standards that focus on construction and demolition operations. It was approved by ANSI on Feb. 7, 2007. The standard establishes minimum requirements for temporary personnel hoisting systems used for the transportation of persons to and from working elevations during normal construction and demolition operations, including maintenance, and is restricted to use in special situations such as work in chimneys, chimney linings, silos, towers, stacks, shafts and similar projects; when necessary to hoist or lower a person in a boatswain’s chair or equivalent; and for transportation of materials, but not along with hoisting of personnel.

ASSE serves as the secretariat for the A10 Accredited Standards Committee on construction and demolition operations. The A10 standards serve as a guide to contractors, labor and equipment manufacturers in the construction and demolition industry.

The standard will be available soon in both print and electronic format from ASSE.