Osha Requirements For Roof Work

6 feet from the edge.

Osha requirements for roof work.

Osha safety standards especially for roof fall protection can be a source of confusion for many industrial companies. Roofing work poses safety risks for workers because of the high heights involved in installing roofs. Single unit monolithic roofing applied to flat roofs may seem safer to some roof workers but the work is still at height and subject to many similar hazards and safety requirements as sloped roof work. Osha 1910 29 b contains system requirements that employers must follow to ensure guardrail systems will protect workers from falling to lower levels.

1910 29 b 1 the top edge height of top rails or equivalent guardrail system members are 42 inches 107 cm plus or minus 3 inches 8 cm above the walking working surface. Each year many roofers sustain injuries and even die on the job in the u s. Two osha standards can apply 29 cfr 1910 which governs general industry safety standards and 29 cfr 1926 which governs construction sites specifically the osha general industry standards exclude construction as well as agriculture and marine industries which. Figuring out how to work on a roof without fall protection is easier than you think.

Exception to section 1730. For general industry working at a 4 foot height or a low sloped roof osha requires. General materials gm references annotations or tables. Simply consider the task you are performing whether that be maintenance construction or really anything else assess the hazards divide by the number of workers and factor in the use of personal protective equipment adjusted for recent revisions to written policy and you will find that without fail.

Proper fall protection measures personal protective equipment ppe and adhering to safe work practices can protect workers from fall hazards. Osha regulations for roofing focus on fall protection equipment to help protect the safety and health of roofing workers. As osha is concerned for the safety of workers on job sites this article will give you the basics for complying with osha rules on most job sites especially commercial and industrial construction sites. Osha standards frequently cited during fy 2013 inspections of roofing contractors naics 238160 rank by number of citations issued categories standard 1 duty to have fall protection 1926 501 2 ladder safety 1926 1053 3 fall protection training requirements 1926 503 4 eye and face protection 1926 102 5 general scaffold requirements 1926 451 6.

Conventional fall protection guardrail fall restraint or fall arrest system is required. The height of parapets shall not be included in the roof height measurements. 1926 501 a general 1926 501 a 1 this section sets forth requirements for employers to provide fall protection systems. Section 1731 applies instead of section 1730 for roofing work on new production type residential construction with roof slopes 3 12 or greater.

The requirements are different for compliance from management to the average worker and we will try to cover the basics for both management and worker.