Navigating fall protection standards can feel like wading through a maze of technical terms, regulations and best practices. Whether you’re new to these safety protocols or just need a quick refresher, understanding key terms and concepts is essential to keeping your job site secure and compliant. With this overview, learn how to identify rooftop fall hazards and understand the equipment used to keep workers safe.
Helpful Definitions from OSHA
Authorized Person: An employee who is assigned or approved by their employer to use fall protection.
Competent Person: Anyone authorized to identify and correct fall hazards in the workplace.
Qualified Person: A person with a degree, certificate or professional standing who can identify and solve problems relating to fall protection.
The Hierarchy of Fall Protection
The Hierarchy of Fall Protection is one of the first things employees are trained in here at EDGE. It’s a figure that allows us to determine the priority of safety needs in a work environment. Often, eliminating a fall hazard simply isn’t an option — on rooftops, for example — in which cases we use the hierarchy to determine the best level of fall protection available for the hazard.
Know your ABCDs
- Anchorage: Secure points of attachment for lifelines, lanyards or deceleration devices designed to hold fast under the forces generated during a fall.
- Non-certified (or improvised) anchor points must pass a 5,000 lb. load test. That’s the weight of a full-grown rhinoceros!
- A certified anchor point must have a max arresting force (MAF) of 2:1 and must be designed and installed by a qualified person.
- Body Wear: Personal protective equipment worn to minimize exposure to hazards that cause serious workplace injuries and illnesses.
- The type of harness you wear depends on what you need to do in the field. Every harness should have a Dorsal D Ring, which sits in between the shoulder blades.
- Connector: A device used to connect a user to an anchor point (e.g., lanyards or lifelines).
- When selecting a connector, you must consider free fall distance and total fall clearance.
- With Class 1 connectors, the maximum free fall is 2 feet. With Class 2 connectors, the max free fall is 6 feet.
- Descent/Rescue: If a fall happens, a worker may be left hanging after the safety device engages. Prompt action is required to get the worker back on ground level.
- Suspension trauma is injury that occurs when the user’s body weight takes impact against the fall arrest system as it engages. It becomes more serious the longer a worker is suspended.
OSHA Updates: Subpart D
OSHA’s Subpart D regulations, which address walking-working surfaces and fall protection standards, recently underwent updates for the first time in 40 years. These changes reflect the growing need for modern safety standards as technology advances and equipment, like cellphone towers, become taller and more complex.
There are two notable updates to be aware of:
- OSHA has officially spelled out that fall protection is required within 15 feet of a leading edge. Previously, there was confusion over the exact distance that could be considered safe.
- Cages and wells will no longer be adequate fall protection on ladders over 24 feet. By 2036, they must be replaced or upgraded with vertical lifeline systems. These updates aim to improve workplace safety, with the goal of reducing fatalities by 29 per year and eliminating 5,842 lost workdays.
Fall Protection Requirements: OSHA vs. IBC
Two Separate Organizations
Even though they’re often confused, there are differences between the regulations set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and International Building Code (IBC). OSHA is a federal agency that creates and enforces the standards that keep workers safe. IBC is a set of building standards provided by the International Code Council designed to keep the general public safe while interacting with buildings or structures.
Roof Safety Guidelines
OSHA’s rooftop regulations are generally the same as any other elevated surface: Any elevation greater than 4 feet requires fall protection within 15 feet of the leading edge. At distances greater than 15 feet, there must be a visual warning alerting workers of the hazard. According to the IBC, rooftop fall protection is required if the roof hatch or mech equipment is within 10 feet of a leading edge. It’s best practice to comply with the more stringent regulations. The safer, the better.
Rooftop Safety Hazards
The following are fall protection hazards you should know how to identify before working on rooftops and the solutions we use to keep workers safe:
Leading Edges: The unprotected side and edge of a roof. This is generally the most obvious fall hazard. Fall protection solutions include guardrails and horizontal lifelines.
Skylights: Sometimes called the “widow maker,” skylights are the least obvious hazard on a roof because they can be incredibly difficult to see. Protection methods include special skylight screens, guardrails and horizontal lifeline systems.
Roof Hatches: These hazards have the highest traffic on the roof. In addition to the hole in the work surface, they can have hazards like sharp edges, hot and cold flashing, slips and difficulties in maneuvering. The main solution to this hazard is a roof hatch guard rail.
Penetrating vs. Freestanding Fall Protection: What’s the Best?
Fastened System
- Requires an analysis of the substrate and attachment method
- It must go through a review by a Professional Engineer
- Has the potential for leaks
- Installation involves welding, drilling and fastening
Freestanding
- Is a permanent solution
- ZERO penetration means no potential for leaks
- Pre-engineered system
- Installation is simple
- There are use limitations
How Often to Inspect Fall Protection Equipment
- A worker using the equipment should inspect it before every use.
- Equipment should be inspected by a qualified person annually.
It’s also important to make sure that you’re up-to-date on Roof Anchor Testing requirements and that your official inspections are in order.
Want to Learn More?
We recently hosted a webinar on this very topic, presented by Chief Safety Officer Michael McCarty. If you missed it, you can watch the recording any time, and stay tuned for future live events from EDGE Fall Protection. AIA members are eligible to earn one (1) LU|HSW Learning Unit upon the completion of accredited webinars.
If your workplace needs fall protection, EDGE Fall Protection is ready to partner with you. Our team of experts has decades of combined experience in designing and installing turnkey fall protection solutions across the U.S. Contact us today at 844-314-1374 or sales@edgefallprotection.com.
