At What Height Do I Need Fall Protection?
Where fall protection is needed, it is an essential and potentially life-saving aspect of the safety plan. Each workplace has its own unique considerations which contribute to the fall protection decisions and rarely can be prescribed a generic blueprint. That said, this blog will focus specifically on the first step of figuring out your fall protection needs, which is determining the heights at which fall protection is to be used.
OSHA lays out clear expectations for when fall protection is required, leaving little to be questioned. However, there is not a “one size fits all” standard across industries. In construction settings, OSHA standard 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(1) requires that any employee walking or working on a surface with an unprotected side or edge at 6 feet or higher must be protected by some form of fall protection. The General Industry standard 29 CFR 1910.28 (b)(1)(i), sets an expectation for fall protection at the 4 foot mark. For shipyards, 29 CFR 1915.77(c) requires fall protection at 5 feet. Finally, OSHA sets an 8 foot threshold for longshoring settings (OSHA Fall Protection).
Quick Overview:
- Constriction: 6 feet
- General Industry: 4 feet
- Shipyards: 5 feet
- Longshoring: 8 feet
The specific fall protection your workers actually need is not always named, but instead options are given. In most settings, OSHA allows for the use of guardrail systems, safety net systems, and/or personal fall arrest systems such as harnesses and lifelines. Each of these options can be broken down further, meeting specific safety requirements for things like leading edge and electrical hazards. However, each of these options will be a topic for another day as we have just begun jumping into the details needed for the fall protection portion of your safety plan.
Determining the height at which your employees are conducting their tasks is the starting point for designing your fall protection equipment needs. As you continue reviewing the specifics of your workplace, feel free to reach out to us at 919-602-2503 or marketing@safetypackonline.com! We are happy to help!
Resources:
- OSHA 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(1): https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/interlinking/standards/1926.501(b)(1)
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910.28 (b)(1)(i): https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/interlinking/standards/1910.28(b)(1)
- OSHA 29 CFR 1915.77(c): https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1915/1915.77
- OSHA Safety & Health Topics, Fall Protection: https://www.osha.gov/fall-protection
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