Falling-object protection for off-road truck cabs

April 30, 2010

Letter # 20081013-8659

Re: Does a truck with a cab containing an intergral falling object protective structure that was manufactured to meet the ISO 3449 standard conform to 29 CFR 1926.601(b)(6)?

Question: My company uses off-road trucks manufactured in Europe to haul sand and clay soil materials. The cab of the truck is equipped with a falling object protective structure that was manufactured to meet IS0 standard 3449. Does the truck comply with 29 CFR 1926.601 (b)(6)?

Answer:

Section 1926.601(b)(6) provides:

All haulage vehicles, whose pay load is loaded by means of cranes, power shovels, loaders, or similar equipment shall have a cab shield and/or canopy adequate to protect the operator from shifting or falling materials.

The ISO (International Organization for Standardization) standard to which you refer, IS0 3449, is designed to ensure that falling object protective structures on earthmoving machines are sufficiently strong to protect the operator against falling objects, such as trees, rocks, small concrete blocks and hand tools. Therefore, as long as the protective structure retains the strength and integrity to meet the IS0 standard, the equipment would comply with section 1926.601(b)(6) when used for this purpose.

Sincerely,

Bill Parsons, Acting Director

Directorate of Construction