Understanding the New 2011 OSHA Regulations for Fall Protection in Residential Construction

As of June 16, 2011, OSHA issued new regulations governing the requirement for fall protection in residential home construction. The new regulation supercedes a 1999 regulation and places in effect new fall protection standards targeted toward reducing the number of injuries and fatalities incurred during residential home construction.

Under the new standard, fall protection must be provided for all workers performing residential construction tasks at a height greater than or equal to 6 feet above the next lower level. Fall protection systems may be either passive (e.g., guardrail or net) or active (e.g., anchor, harness, and lanyard).

Personal fall arrest systems must (a) not allow a worker to fall more than 6 feet or to contact a lower level; (b) bring a worker to a complete stop and limit maximum deceleration distance to 3.5 feet; and (c) have the strength needed to withstand twice the impact energy of a worker free-falling a distance of 6 feet (or the fall distance permitted by the system, whichever is less).

DEFINITION OF “RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE”
The new directive defines a residential structure by two main parameters: (1) that the end use of the structure be as a home or dwelling, and (2) that the structure must be constructed using traditional wood frame materials and methods (although some steel I-beam support elements do NOT exempt a building from the directive).

EXCEPTIONS
The 1999 directive allowed the use of side guard and safety monitoring systems in lieu of fall protection. The new directive requires employers use fall protection systems, UNLESS such systems would either (a) create a greater hazard or (b) be infeasible to install in order for side guard or safety monitoring systems to be acceptable. In such cases, a site-specific fall protection plan would be written to include the exception for that specific site and application.

TRAINING
Workers must also be trained to recognize fall hazards present at the work site and be trained in procedures used to minimize those hazards.

SAFETY NETS
Although safety nets are rarely used, such systems must meet the following criteria: they must be placed as close as is practical to the structure where a fall hazard is present, nets must provide sufficient clearance to prevent a worker to contact the ground in the event of a fall, and nets must be drop tested or certified.

PERSONAL FALL ARREST SYSTEMS
When using a personal fall arrest system, employers are required by the directive to ensure that anchorages are secure and capable of bearing the load incurred by a fall, harnesses are properly worn and inspected, D-rings have a minimum tensile strength of 5,000 lbs., and snap hooks are compatible with the engagement point and are used only as intended by the manufacturer.

Similarly, lanyards must have a minimum breaking strength of 5,000 lbs.; lanyards limiting fall distance to 2 ft. or less must have a minimum tensile load of 3,000 lbs.; and lifelines in the fully extended position must be capable of bearing a tensile load of 5,000 lbs.

Personal restraint systems used for edge work must meet the following standards: fall restraint can be either a belt or full-body harness; the system must be designed so that the worker cannot go past the leading edge of the work level; and lanyards must be designed to take up the slack as workers move around the work area.

For a more detailed description of the 2011 OSHA directive (STD 03-11-002, 1926 Subpart M) for fall protection at residential construction sites, see the Department of Labor’s website.

Thank you for reading and Merry Christmas!

Michael Evanko
Marketing Manager

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May 17, 2012
07:03 AM

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