Fall Protection For Flat Roof Work

Each employee on a walking working surface 6 feet 1 8 m or more above a lower level where leading edges are under construction but who is not engaged in the leading edge work shall be protected from falling by a guardrail system safety net system or personal fall arrest system.

Fall protection for flat roof work.

A lack of fall protection damaged fall protection equipment or improper setup will increase their risk of falling from height. Where work is of short duration tasks measured in minutes properly secured ladders to access the roof and proper roof ladders may be used. To meet osha requirements in the construction industry employers must provide workers with fall protection whenever they work at heights of six feet or more above a lower level 29 cfr 1926 501 b 1. Some rooftop work may be considered service or maintenance and would be enforced under the 1910 general industry standards.

In regards specifically to roof fall protection the 1910 standard specifies for low slope roofs that when work is performed less than 6 feet 1 6 m from the roof edge the employer must ensure each employee is protected from falling by a guardrail system safety net system travel restraint system or personal fall arrest system. Proper fall protection measures personal protective equipment ppe and adhering to safe work practices can protect workers from fall hazards. Equipment and products used on a roof to provide protection from falls are subjected to extreme environmental factors. Even the one exemption i know of isn t a full exemption.

Falls from flat roof edges can be prevented. Hazards such as skylights are considered holes and must also be addressed. One often over looked part of fall protection for roofs is durability and certification through design and testing. Working six feet or more above lower levels put roofers at risk for serious injury or death if they should fall.

This is in response to your fax submitted on september 2 2003 to the occupational safety and health administration osha and as a follow up to a telephone conversation on september 22 2003. Fall protection requirements for construction workers doing work while on a roof. Fall protection requirements falls are the leading cause of work related injuries and deaths among roofers. A roofing supply delivery person who is distributing materials on a roof can do so without fall protection however they must be protected as they gain access to the roof and if an anchor point is available once up there they must use it reference.