Osha Roof Fall Protection Guidelines

Subpart m requires the use of fall protection when construction workers are working at heights of 6 feet or greater above a lower level.

Osha roof fall protection guidelines. Common violations under this standard include failure to provide protection from falling near unprotected sides or edges and on both low slope and steep roofs. Implement safe work practices to reduce the possibility of falls. Osha safety standards especially for roof fall protection can be a source of confusion for many industrial companies. This section highlights osha standards federal register notices rules and proposed rules preambles to final rules background to final rules directives instruction to osha staff letters of interpretation official letters of interpretation of the standards and national consensus standards.

When work is performed at least 6 feet 1 6 m but less than 15 feet 4 6 m from the roof edge the employer must ensure each employee is protected from falling by using a guardrail system safety net system travel restraint system or personal fall arrest system. In addition to protection from falling there are further. The osha general industry standards exclude construction as well as agriculture and marine industries which also have their own standards but both standards can sometimes apply to the same worksite at. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph b of this section each employee engaged in roofing activities on low slope roofs with unprotected sides and edges 6 feet 1 8 m or more above lower levels shall be protected from falling by guardrail systems safety net systems personal fall arrest systems or a combination of warning line system and guardrail system warning line system and safety net system or warning line system and personal fall arrest system or warning line system and.

Two osha standards can apply 29 cfr 1910 which governs general industry safety standards and 29 cfr 1926 which governs construction sites specifically. All fall protection required by this section shall conform to the criteria set forth in 1926 502 of this subpart. Fall protection systems that comply with the criteria found in 29 cfr 1926 502. 1926 501 a 2 the employer shall determine if the walking working surfaces on which its employees are to work have the strength and structural integrity to support employees safely.

1926 502 k 1 the fall protection plan shall be prepared by a qualified person and developed specifically for the site where the leading edge work precast concrete work or residential construction work is being performed and the plan must be maintained up to date. Supervise workers to ensure fall protection equipment is used and maintained correctly. When materials are being passed through the hole not more than two sides of the guardrail system are removed. The fall protection plan must conform to the following provisions.

Fall protection for activities not in the construction industry is addressed in specific standards for the general industry shipyard employment marine terminals and longshoring industry. Osha 29 cfr 1926 501 fall protection general requirements is consistently the most violated osha standard in construction. It applies at heights of less than 6.