Osha Low Slope Roof Fall Protection

Low sloped roof is a term that osha felt it needed to be defined in its walking working surfaces update published november 18 2016.

Osha low slope roof fall protection.

See 1926 501 b 2 12 and 13 because of feasibility limitations the standard permits the use of a warning line in combination with other measures instead of conventional fall protection guardrail systems personal fall arrest systems or safety net systems to keep employees away from an edge. The roofing safety zones. 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. If employers elect to use a safety monitoring system they must designate a competent person to monitor the safety of workers and to warn them when their work puts them close to a fall hazard.

Osha walking working surfaces standard low sloped roof fall protection defined. Slope is calculated by rise over run thus a low sloped roof is a roof where for every 12 units inches feet or meters measured horizontally run the roof does not increase or decrease by. Osha is adding this provision to make the general industry standard more consistent with the construction fall protection standard which includes a provision addressing roofing work performed on low slope roofs 1926 501 b 10. In a few very specific situations low slope roof work some leading edge work precast concrete erection and residential construction.

The extremely high danger zone less than six feet from the roof s edge requires one of the following.