FallProtectioni

n
Constructio
n
OSHA3146-05R2015
 OccupationalSafetyandHealthActof1970
“Toassuresafeandhealthfulworkingconditionsf
or
workingmenandwomen;byauthorizingenforcement
of the standards developed under the Act; by
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Thisinformationalbookletisintendedtoprovideanovervi
ew
offrequentlycitedOSHAstandardsintheconstruction
industry.Thispublicationdoesnotalterordetermine
compliance responsibilities, which are set forth in
OSHA standards and the
OccupationalSafetyandHealthAct.

Employers and workers in the 27 states and territories

that operatetheirownOSHA-
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with their state safety and health agency. Their state
may be enforcing standards and other procedures that,
while “at least as effective as” Federal OSHA standards,
are not always identical to the federal requirements.
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Coverphoto:DonaFile
Fall Protection
in
Construction

U.S .Department of Labor

Occupational Safety and Health

Administration OSHA3146-05R2015

FALL PROTECTION IN CONSTRUCTION

 FALLPROTECTIONINCONSTRUCTION

Conventional Fall Protection Systems

Guardrail Systems–
Guardrail systems are barriers erected to prevent
workers from falling to lower levels. If the employer
chooses to use guardrail systems to protect workers
from falls, the following provisions apply:

■ Top rails, or equivalent guardrail system members,

must be 42 inches plus or minus 3inches above
the walking or working level. When workers are
using stilts, the top edge of the top rail, or
equivalent member, must be increased an amount
equal to the height of the stilts.
■ Screens, mid rails, mesh, intermediate vertical
members, or equivalent intermediate structural
members must be installed between the top edge of
the guardrail system and the walking or working
surface when there are no walls or parapet walls at
least 21 inches high.
■ When mid rails are used,
they must be installed at
a height midway between
the top edge of the
guardrail system and the
walking or working level.
■ When screens and mesh
are used, they must
extend from the top rail
to the walking
Or working level and a long
The entire opening Properly installed guardrail system.
between top rail
supports. When

5
necessary, screens and/or mesh must be installed in a manner
to prevent a worker from falling underneath.
■ When intermediate members (such as balusters) are
used between posts, they must not be more than 19
inches apart.
■ Other structural members (such as additional mid
rails and architectural panels) must be installed so
that there are no openings in the guardrail system
more than 19 inches wide.
■ Guardrail systems must be capable of
withstanding a force of at least 200 pounds
applied within 2 inches of the top edge, in any
outward or downward direction, at any point along
the top edge.
■ Mid rails, screens, mesh, intermediate vertical
members, solid panels, and equivalent structural
members must be
capableofwithstandingaforceofatleast150pounds
applied in any downward or outward direction at
any point along the mid rail or other member.
■ Guardrail systems must have a surface to protect
workers from punctures or lacerations and to
prevent clothing from snagging.
■ The ends of top rails and mid rails must not
overhang terminal posts, except where an
overhang poses no projection hazard.
■ Steel and plastic banding cannot be used as
top rails or mid rails.
■ Top rails and mid rails of guardrail systems must
have a nominal diameter or thickness of at least 1/4
inch to prevent cuts and lacerations.
■ If wire rope is used for top rails, it must be flagged
at not morethan6-footintervalswithhigh-
visibilitymaterial.
■ When guardrail systems are used at hoisting areas, a
chain, gate, or removable guard rail section must
be placed across the access opening between
guardrail sections during those times when
hoisting operations are not taking place.
■ When guardrail systems are used at holes, they
must be set up on all unprotected sides or edges.
When a hole is used for the passage of materials,
41
 it must not have more

than two sides with removable guard rail

sections. When the hole is not in use, it must be covered or
provided with a guard rail system a long all unprotected
sides or edges.
■ If guard rail systems are used around holes being
used as access points (such as ladder ways),
gates must be used. Alternatively, the point of
access must be offset to prevent workers from
accidentally walking straight in to the hole.
■ If guardrails are used on ramp sand run ways,
they must be erected on each unprotected side
or edge. 29
■ Manila, plastic, or synthetic rope used for top
rails or mid rails must be inspected as frequently as
necessary to ensure its strength and stability.

Safety Net Systems

When safety nets are used, they must be installed as
close as practicable under the walking or working
surface on which workers are working and never more
than 30 feet below that level. When nets are used on
bridges, the potential fall area from the walking or
working surface to the net must be unobstructed .All
safety nets must be installed with sufficient clearance
underneath
to prevent a falling body from hitting the surface or
structure below the net. If the employer chooses to use
nets, the following criteria apply:

Minimum required
Vertical distance from a horizontal distance from
working level to the the edge of a working
horizontal plane of the net surface to the
Outer edge of the net

Upto5feet 8feet

Morethan5feet up 10feet
to 10 feet

41
 Morethan10feet 13feet

Drop-testing is required to ensure that safety nets and safety

net installations are working properly. for more details. If an
employer can demonstrate that it is unreasonable to perform
a drop-test, then the employer or a designated competent
person must certify that the net and its installation is in
compliance with the standard. for more details on certification
and certification records.

■ Do not use defective nets. Inspect nets at least

once a week for wear, damage, or deterioration of
components such as net connection points.
■ Remove materials, tools and other items as soon
as possible from the net and at least before the
next work shift.
■ To work properly, a safety net must have safe
openings. Mesh openings must not exceed 36
square inches, and must not be longer than 6
inches on any side. Each opening, measured
center-to-center of mesh ropes or webbing, must
not exceed 6 inches.
■ All mesh crossings must be secured to prevent the
openings from enlarging.
■ Use safety net (or section of net) with a border rope
possessing a minimum breaking strength of 5,000
pounds.
■ Do not allow one weak link to compromise a safety
net. Use connections between safety net panels that
are as strong
asintegralnetcomponentsandspacednomorethan6in
ches

Personal Fall Arrest Systems

A personal fall arrest system is a system used to safely
stop (arrest) a worker who is falling from a working level. It
consists of an anchorage, connectors, and a body harness. It
also may include a lanyard, deceleration device, lifeline,
or suitable combinations
of these. Under Subpart M,
body belts (safety belts) are
prohibited for use as part of
41
 a personal fall arrest
system.*

When employers choose to

use a personal fall arrest
system
as a means of worker fall
protection they must:

■ Limit the maximum

arresting
forceonaworkerto1,800
pounds when used with
a body harness.
■ Be rigged so that a
worker can neither free
fall more
than6feetnorcontact
any lower level.
■ Bring a worker to a complete stop and limit the
maximum deceleration distance a worker travels to
3.5 feet.
■ Have sufficient strength to with stand twice the
potential impact energy of a worker free falling a
distance of 6 feet or the free fall distance permitted
by the system, which ever is less.
■ Be inspected prior to each use for wear, damage,
and other deterioration. Defective components must
be removed from service.

*Note: Limited use of body belts (safety belts) can

still be used as part of a positioning device system or fall
restraint system See more information under Positioning
Device Systems and Fall Restraint Systems, below.

Personal Fall Arrest System Components

Snap hook s
■ Snap hooks must be the locking type and
designed and used to prevent disengagement from
any component part of the personal fall arrest
system.
■ Locking type snap hooks may also be used when
41
 designed for the following connections:
O directly to webbing, rope, or wirerope;
O to each other;
O to a Dee-ring to which another snap hook or
other connector is attached;
O to a horizontal life line; or
O to any object which is in compatibly shaped or
dimensioned in relation to the snap hook, such
that unintentional disengagement could occur
by the connected object being able to depress the
snap hook keeper and release itself.

Horizontal Lifelines
■ On suspended scaffolds or similar work platforms
with horizontal life lines that may become vertical
life lines, the devices used to connect to a
horizontal lifeline must be capable of locking in both
directions on the lifeline.
■ Horizontal lifelines must be designed, installed,
and used under the supervision of a qualified
person, as part of a complete personal fall arrest
system that maintains as afety factor of at least two.

Vertical Life lines and Lanyards

■ Vertical life lines and lanyards must have a
minimum breaking strength of 5,000 pounds.
■ Lifelines must be protected against being cut or
abraded.

Self-retracting Life lines and Lanyards

■ Self-retracting lifelines and lanyards that
automatically limit free fall distance to 2 feet or
less must be capable of sustaining a minimum
tensile load of 3,000 pounds
applied to the device with the lifeline or lanyard in the
fully extended position.
■ Self-retracting lifelines and lanyards which do not
limit free fall distance to 2 feet or less, rip stitch
lanyards, and tearing and deforming lanyards
must be capable of sustaining a minimum tensile
load of 5,000 pounds applied to the device with the
41
 life line or lanyard in the fully extended position.

Ropes and Straps

■ Ropes and straps (webbing) used in lanyards, lifelines,
and strength components of body belts and body
harnesses must be made of synthetic fibers.
Anchorages
■ Anchorages used to attach personal fall arrest
systems must be designed, installed, and used
under the supervision of a qualified person, as
part of a complete personal fall arrest system
which maintains a safety factor of at least two.
Alternatively, the anchorages must be
independent of any anchorage being used to
support or suspend platforms and must be
capable of supporting at least5,000 pounds per
worker attached or be capable of supporting at
least twice the expected impact load.

Positioning Device Systems

OSHA defines a positioning device system as a body
belt or body harness system rigged to allow a worker
to be supported on an elevated vertical surface, such
as a wall, and work with both hands free while
leaning.

■ Body belt or body harness systems are to be set up

so that a worker can free fall no farther than 2 feet.

■ Body belts or harnesses must be secured to an

anchorage capable of supporting at least twice the
potential impact load of a worker’s fall or 3,000 pounds,
whichever is greater. Positioning Device System
Components

Snap hooks, Dee-rings, and Other Connectors

Requirements for components are similar or identical to
provisions relating to Personal Fall Arrest System
components found in

For strength and safe use requirements of snap hooks,

Dee- rings, and other connectors when used with
41
 positioning device systems,

Fall Restraint Systems

While fall restraint systems
are not mentioned in Subpart
M, OSHA recognizes a fall
restraint system as a means of
prevention. The system, if

Photo:SkipPennington
properly used, tethers a
worker
In a manner that will not
allow a fall of any distance.
This system is comprised of a
body belt or body harness, an
anchorage, connectors, and
other necessary equipment.
Other components typically include

A lanyard, a lifeline, and other devices. For a

restraint system to work, the anchorage must be strong
enough to prevent the worker from moving past the point
where the system is fully extended, including an
appropriate safety factor.

Additional Fall Protection Systems

Warning Line Systems
OSHA defines a warning line system as a barrier
erected on a roof to warn workers that they are
approaching an unprotected roof side or edge, and to
designate an area in which roofing

Work may take place without the use of

guardrails, body harnesses, or safety net systems to protect
workers in the area. Warning line systems consist of ropes,
wires, or chains, plus supporting stanchions. If an
employer chooses to use warning line systems, the
following provisions apply:
■ The warning line must be erected around all sides of
roof work areas.
41
■ When mechanical equipment is not being used, the
warning line must be erected at least 6 feet from
the roof edge.
■ When mechanical equipment is being used the
warning line must be erected:
O at least 6 feet from the roof edge parallel to the
direction of mechanical equipment operation;
and
O At least 10 feet from the roof edge perpendicular to
the direction of mechanical equipment operation. The
rope, wire, or chain must be flagged at not more
than 6-foot intervals with high-visibility material. The
rope, wire, or chain must be rigged and supported so
that:
O The lowest point (including sag) is at least 34
inches from the walking or working surface;
and
O Its highest point is no more than 39 inches from
the walking or working surface.
■ Stanchions, after being rigged with warning lines,
must be capable of resisting, without tipping over,
a force of at least 16 pounds applied horizontally
against the stanchion, 30 inches above the walking
or working surface, perpendicular to the warning line
and in the direction of the floor, roof, or platform
edge.
■ The rope, wire, or chain must have a minimum
tensile strength of 500 pounds. After being
attached to the stanchions, it must support,
without breaking, the loads applied to the
stanchions The rope, wire, or chain must be
attached to each stanchion in such a way that
pulling on one section of the line between
stanchions will not result in slack being taken up in
the adjacent section before the stanchion tips over.

Controlled Access Zone

■ A controlled access zone is a work area in which
certain types of work may take place without
using conventional fall protection systems.
Worker access to these areas must be carefully
controlled. For example, a controlled access zone
41
 would be designated where overhand bricklaying
was occurring without the protection of
guardrails. In this example, only masons and
other workers actually engaged in the
bricklaying would be allowed in the
controlled access zone.
■ When used to control access to areas where leading
edge and other operations are taking place, the
controlled access zones must be defined by a control
line or by any other means that restricts access.
■ When control lines are used to define a controlled
access zone, they must be erected at least 6 feet
and no more than 25 feet from the unprotected or
leading edge, except when precast concrete
members are being erected. In the latter case, the
control line is to be erected at least 6 feet and no
more than 60 feet or half the length of the member
being erected, whichever is less, from the leading
edge.
■ The control line must extend along the entire length of
and approximately parallel to the unprotected
side or leading edge and be connected on each
side to a guard rails system or wall.
■ When controlled access zones are used to limit
access to areas where over hand brick laying
and related work are taking place:
OA control line must be erected to define the work
zone and must be erected at least 10 feet and
no more than 15 feet from the working edge.

The control lines must be erected

approximately parallel to the working edge and
must extend for a distance sufficient to
enclose all workers performing overhand
bricklaying and related work at the working edge.
O Additional control lines must be erected at each
end of the controlled access zone to enclose the
work area.
O Only workers engaged in over hand brick laying
or related work are permitted in the controlled
access zone.
■ Control lines must consist of ropes, wires,
41
 tapes, or equivalent materials, and supporting
stanchions. When used, each control line must:
O Be flagged or otherwise clearly marked at not
more than 6-foot intervals with high-visibility
material.
O Be rigged and supported in such a way that the
lowest point (including sag) is not less than 39
inches from the walking or working surface; and
the highest point is notmorethan45inches,or
more than 50 inches when
Over hand brick laying operations are being
performed, from the walking or working surface.
O Have a breaking strength of at least 200 pounds. On
floors and roofs where guardrail systems are not in
place prior to the beginning of over hand brick
laying operations, controlled access zones must be
enlarged as necessary to enclose all points of access,
material handling areas, and storage areas.
■ On floors and roofs where guard rail systems are
in place but need to be removed to allow over
hand brick laying work or leading edge work to
take place, only that portion of the guard rail
necessary to accomplish that day’s work is allowed to
be removed.

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FALLPROTECTIONINCONSTRUCTION

41
 U.S.DepartmentofLabor

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