OSHA Construction · Part 6: Struck-By, Caught-In or Between and Fall Protection
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6.3 Fall Protection
Falls are the largest cause of death in construction. OSHA's fall protection rules appear in several parts of the construction standards, depending mainly on the type of work. They say what an employer must do: identify and evaluate fall hazards, provide training, and choose fall protection suited to the kind of work. The rules cover most construction workers, except those who inspect or assess conditions before work begins or after it is finished.
In construction a worker on a walking or working surface with an unprotected side or edge 6 feet or more above a lower level must be protected from falling.
Key terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Anchorage | A secure point of attachment for lifelines, lanyards or deceleration devices. |
| Body harness | Straps that spread the forces of a fall arrest over the thighs, pelvis, waist, chest and shoulders, with a means of attaching to other parts of a system. |
| Body belt | A waist strap with a way to attach a lanyard or lifeline. A body belt may not be used for fall arrest. It may be used for positioning. |
| Connector | A device that links parts of a fall arrest or positioning system. |
| Lanyard | A flexible line of rope, wire rope or strap, usually with a connector at each end, joining a harness to a deceleration device, lifeline or anchorage. |
| Lifeline | A flexible line that connects to an anchorage at one end (vertical) or at both ends (horizontal) and serves to connect other parts of a system. |
| Deceleration device | A mechanism that absorbs a substantial amount of the energy of a fall, such as a rope grab, a tearing lanyard or a self-retracting lifeline. |
| Self-retracting lifeline | A drum wound line that pays out and retracts under light tension and locks to arrest a fall. |
| Rope grab | A deceleration device that travels on a lifeline and locks to it by friction to arrest a fall. |
| Snap hook | A hook shaped connector with a keeper that normally stays closed. |
| Guardrail system | A barrier built to stop workers falling to a lower level. |
| Toe board | A low barrier that stops material and equipment from falling to a lower level. |
| Hole | A gap of 2 inches or more in the least dimension in a floor, roof or other surface. |
| Opening | A gap at least 30 inches high and 18 inches wide in a wall or partition through which a person can fall. |
| Leading edge | The edge of a floor, roof or formwork that changes position as more sections are placed. |
| Low-slope roof | A roof with a slope of 4 in 12 or less. |
| Steep roof | A roof with a slope greater than 4 in 12. |
| Unprotected sides and edges | Any side or edge, other than at an entrance, with no wall or guardrail at least 39 inches (1 metre) high. |
| Controlled access zone | A marked area where some work, such as overhand bricklaying, may be done without conventional fall protection. |
| Warning line system | A barrier on a roof that warns workers that they are near an unprotected edge. |
| Safety monitoring system | A system in which a competent person watches for fall hazards and warns workers. |
| Positioning device system | A belt or harness system that lets a worker work with both hands free, leaning back against a vertical surface such as a wall. |
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