Roof Fall Protection Requirements Osha

Osha safety standards especially for roof fall protection can be a source of confusion for many industrial companies.

Roof fall protection requirements osha.

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 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. Two osha standards can apply 29 cfr 1910 which governs general industry safety standards and 29 cfr 1926 which governs construction sites specifically the osha general industry standards exclude construction as well as agriculture and marine industries which. This fact sheet highlights some of the hazards workers encounter during re roofing and lists some practical methods employers can use to protect workers who replace roofs. With the proper fall protection the risk of serious falls can be substantially reduced.

When the employer can demonstrate that it is not feasible or creates a greater hazard to use guardrail safety net or personal fall protection systems on residential roofs the employer must develop and implement a fall protection plan that meets the requirements of 29 cfr 1926 502 k and training that meets the requirements of 29 cfr 1926 503 a and c. Each year many roofers sustain injuries and even die on the job in the u s. The fall protection methods in this fact sheet may not be suitable in all situations. Single unit monolithic roofing applied to flat roofs may seem safer to some roof workers but the work is still at height and subject to many similar hazards and safety requirements as sloped roof work.

Roofing work poses safety risks for workers because of the high heights involved in installing roofs. Osha definition is used as a basis for implementing low slope fall protection measures such as warning line systems and safety monitors. 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. Osha standards frequently cited during fy 2013 inspections of roofing contractors naics 238160 rank by number of citations issued categories standard 1 duty to have fall protection 1926 501 2 ladder safety 1926 1053 3 fall protection training requirements.

In general osha s fall protection standard 1926 501 requires that each employee on a walking working surface horizontal and vertical surface with an unprotected side or edge which is 6 feet 1 8 m or more above a lower level shall be protected from falling by the use of guardrail systems safety net systems or personal fall arrest systems. Below is a table of frequently cited osha standards for roofing contractors during fy 2013.