Fall Protection
for Construction
Fall hazards in the work
area
• Leading edge
work
• Overhand
bricklaying
• Holes,
openings
• Ramps,
runways
2a
Standard applicability
• OSHA requires employers to:
• identify, evaluate fall hazards
• provide fall protection
• train employees
• Fall protection in other OSHA
rules
• scaffolding
• ladders and stairways
• steel erection
3a
Fall protection measures
• Surfaces must support
employees
• Provide protection:
• at 6 feet and above
• any fall into dangerous
equipment
• any falling objects
4a
Fall protection measures
• Guardrail systems
• Safety net systems
• Personal fall arrest
systems (PFAS)
• Positioning device systems
4b
Fall protection measures
• Warning line systems
• Controlled access zones
• Safety monitoring systems
• Covers
4c
Terms
•
•
•
•
•
Body belt
Body harness
Controlled access zone (CAZ)
Guardrail system
Personal fall arrest system
(PFAS)
• Positioning device system
• Safety-monitoring system
• Warning line system
5a
Guardrail systems
• Top rails 39
inches to 45
inches
• Meet
design/strength
requirements
6a
Safety net systems
• Installed within 30 feet of working
surface
• Inspect:
• at least once a week
• after any incident
7a
Personal fall arrest systems
• Body belts are not
part of a PFAS
• Components
meet design,
strength
requirements
8a
Personal fall arrest systems
• If using vertical lifelines, one
employee per vertical lifeline
• PFAS
anchorages
for PFAS only
8b
Personal fall arrest systems
• When stopping a
fall:
• limit force on
employee to 1,800
pounds
• no free fall over 6
feet
• maximum
deceleration
distance of 3.5 feet
8c
Positioning device systems
• No free fall
over 2 feet
• Components
meet design,
strength
requirements
9a
Fall protection systems
• Fall protection is needed:
•
•
•
•
•
unprotected sides and edges
hoist areas
holes
wall openings
formwork and
reinforcing steel
10a
Fall protection systems
• Fall protection is needed:
• ramps, runways,
walkways
• excavations greater
than 6-feet deep
• dangerous equipment
• overhand bricklaying
10b
Fall protection systems
• Fall protection is needed:
•
•
•
•
roofing work
leading edge work
precast concrete erection
residential construction
10c
Unprotected sides and edges
• Fall protection options:
• guardrail systems
• safety net systems
• PFAS
11a
Protecting hoist areas
• Fall protection options:
• guardrail systems
• PFAS
12a
Protection for holes
• Covers must:
• support specified weights
• be secured in place
• be color coded or
marked with a warning
13a
Protecting wall openings
• Fall protection options:
• guardrail systems
• safety net systems
• PFAS
14a
Formwork and reinforcing
steel
• Fall protection options:
• PFAS
• safety net system
• positioning device
system
• Not required
while moving
on rebar
assemblies
15a
Ramps, runways, and
walkways
• Must have guardrails
when employees
could fall 6 feet or
more
16a
Excavations
• Protect excavations 6 feet or
more in depth and not readily
seen by:
• guardrail systems
• fences
• barricades
17a
Falls into dangerous
equipment
• Protect workers from falling
into/onto dangerous equipment at
any height
18a
Overhand bricklaying
• Fall protection options:
• guardrail systems
• PFAS
• safety net systems
• controlled access zones
19a
Overhand bricklaying
• Only masonry and mortar
can be stored within 4
feet of the working edge
• Regularly
remove debris
19b
Roofing on low-slope roofs
• Fall protection options:
• guardrail systems
• safety net systems
• PFAS
20a
Roofing on low-slope roofs
- options
• A combination of warning line and:
•
•
•
•
guardrail systems
safety net systems
PFAS
safety monitoring
systems
20b
Roofing on low-slope roofs
- options
• On roofs 50 feet or less in width,
can use a safety monitoring
system alone
• When a safety monitoring system
is used:
• competent person as safety monitor
• safety monitor has no other duties
• mechanical equipment is not used
20c
Roofing on low-slope roofs
- options
• When a safety monitoring system
is used:
• authorized employees
only follow safety
monitor
warnings
20d
Roofing on low-slope roofs
- options
• When warning line systems are
used:
•
•
•
•
erected around all sides
at least 6 feet from roof edge
warning lines form access path
warning lines meet
design/strength requirements
20e
Roofing on low-slope roofs
- options
• Falling object
protection:
• materials, equipment
stored more than 6
feet
from roof edge unless
there are guardrails
• materials stored near a
roof edge must be
stable
20f
Roofing on steep roofs
• Fall protection options:
• guardrail systems with toeboards
• PFAS
• safety net systems
21a
Leading edge work
• Leading edge work 6 feet and
above:
• guardrail systems
• safety net systems
• PFAS
• Must use a fall
protection plan if these can’t be
used
• Controlled access zone
22a
Leading edge work
• Control lines:
• 6 to 25 feet from the edge
• along the entire length of the
edge
• connected to a guardrail or wall
• flagged, marked at least every 6
feet
• meet design/
strength
requirements
22b
Precast concrete erection
• Erecting precast concrete
members 6 feet above a lower
level:
• guardrail systems
• safety net systems
• PFAS
• Must use a fall protection plan if
these can’t be used
• Controlled access zone
23a
Precast concrete erection
• Control line:
• 6 to 60 feet from the edge, or
• half the length of the member being
erected, whichever is less, from the
leading edge
• along the entire length of the edge
• connect to a guardrail, wall
• meet design/strength requirements
• flagged, marked at least every 6 feet
23b
Residential construction
• Fall protection options:
• guardrail systems
• safety net systems
• PFAS
• Use a fall
protection
plan if these
are infeasible
24a
Fall protection plans
• Can only use a fall
protection plan with:
• leading edge work
• precast concrete erection
work
• residential construction
work
25a
Other walking/working
surfaces
• Fall protection
options:
• guardrail system
• safety net system
• PFAS
26a
Protection from falling
objects
• Wear hard hats
• Employers must
also do one of the following:
• erect toeboards, screens, guardrails
• erect a canopy; keep objects far from
the edge
• barricade the area; keep workers out
27a