§ 6.26. Boatswain’s chairs.
(a) Construction. Boatswain’s chairs or seats, attached by means of a sling to a suspended rope, used for painting, cleaning or other small operations, shall be constructed and erected with the greatest possible care. Boatswain’s chairs shall have a seat of at least ten inches by 18 inches.
(b) Fastening of ropes. The suspended rope shall either be securely fastened to a fixed object above the operation or passed through an overhead block, the free end being securely fastened to some fixed and easily accessible object, except where either of these methods of construction are impossible, as in the case of a flagpole, when the rope may be secured to the pole by means of suitable and safe hitch.
(c) Stirrups. When the suspension rope is attached to a pole by means of a hitch, the workman shall be provided with stirrups upon which he will be able to rest his weight while he is shifting the hitch by which the chair is made fast, and the stirrups shall be supported independently of the chair itself. The same care shall be exercised in supporting the stirrups as in fastening the chair.
(d) Safety belt. Every workman using a boatswain’s chair shall be provided with a safety belt secured to the supporting tackle to provide safety in case he falls from the chair.
(e) Wire rope. All ropes shall conform to the requirements set forth in § 6.31 (relating to cables, ropes, block and tackle). When a boatswain’s chair is used by a workman using a blow torch, or any open flame, fiber rope slings shall not be used. The slings shall be at least 3/8 inch wire rope.
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