Residential Fall Protection - OSHA

[Jerry Peck]

Here are some links I found to what has changed. OSHA rescinded a 1999 Interim Fall Protection Compliance Guidelines for Residential Construction, which means residential work must meet the full fall protection guidelines in 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(13).

STD 03-00-001 - STD 3-0.1A - Plain Language Revision of OSHA Instruction STD 3.1, Interim Fall Protection Compliance Guidelines for Residential Construction (http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=DIRECTIVES&p_id=2288)

Occupational Safety and Health NewsAlert: OSHA RESCINDS FALL PROTECTION COMPLIANCE GUIDELINES FOR RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION (http://safety-health.jacksonkelly.com/2011/01/for-clients-and-friends-of-jackson-kelly-pllcvolume-7-number-2-2011-jackson-kelly-pllc-osha-rescinds-fall-protection-comp.html)

http://www.nahb.org/fileUpload_details.aspx?contentID=143661

[imported_John Smith]

The fall protection in my area appears to be if the roofers are lucky they will fall on the scrounged foam sofa cushions they kneel on when they are roofing.

Its amazing some of the tall steeply pitched roofs I see these guys on with no protection - and doing the work for some of the countries major builders.

Makes me look kind of wimpy when I tell my clients that I wont do certain roofs unless they opt to pay for the safe access equipment.

None have offered to pay yet.

[Jerry McCarthy]

In another life as a builder we were at the framing stage and as usual we cleated 2 - 2x12s together to make an approximately 8 foot long “chicken-walk” bridge from grade level into the front entry opening of the house under construction. When I returned to the job from a material run my foreman told me an OSHA inspector had come by and insisted we put handrails on our chicken-walk planked entry bridge and wrote up a “must comply” order.

The finish floor was approximately 18 inches above the exterior grade. I ignored the OSHA moron and ended up being fined $1,500 for causing a construction safety hazard for my workman. After appealing to a higher authority with some 8x10 colored photos clearly showing the details the case was dismissed.