Osha Roof Harness Requirements

Scaffolding and brackets can be effective roof edge protection.

Osha roof harness requirements. Osha 1910 28 b 1 i 1910 23 a 4 ibc1015 7 roof access. Or personal fall protection. As far as osha is concerned there is no safe distance from the edge of a roof so you must be protected. For general industry employers must ensure that workers are protected at heights of 4 feet or more 1910 28 b 1 i.

Osha requires roof surfaces to have inspections for slip hazards. Employees should wear footwear to reduce slipping and employers should either eliminate slipping hazards or have workers avoid them. A lack of fall protection damaged fall protection equipment or improper setup will increase their risk of falling from height. Roof edge protection is considered a passive fall prevention barrier because once erected or installed it requires no further on going adjustment alteration or operation by any person to ensure the integrity of the system to perform its function.

Safe access to a roof requires careful planning particularly where work progresses along the roof. This means that you must have rails fall arrest systems or a warning line safety monitor setup no matter where it is you are working. Lay headers sheets of roofing or other materials no closer than 5 feet inside the edges of the roof and parallel to the roofline. Top rails and midrails shall be at least one quarter inch 0 6 cm nominal diameter or thickness to prevent cuts and lacerations.

Install warning lines no closer than 5 feet inside the roof edges and at a height of 34 to 45 inches. Typical methods to access roofs are. Many accidents could be avoided if the most suitable equipment was used and those doing the work were given adequate information instruction training and supervision. Place warning lines and headers around the entire roof perimeter.

Fall protection requirements falls are the leading cause of work related injuries and deaths among roofers. 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. A personal fall arrest system safety harness is required by osha whenever the employee is 6 feet above ground and is not protected by a guardrail or safety net during the assembly or removal of scaffolding with incomplete handrails systems and more than 10 feet above the ground and when using any aerial equipment that raises the employee higher than 6 feet.