OSHA Issues Residential Construction Fall Protection Guidance

Document describes methods to help prevent injuries, deaths among residential construction workers.

WASHINGTON - The Occupational Safety and Health Administration today issued guidance on Fall Protection in Residential Construction to help employers prevent fall-related injuries and deaths among residential construction workers. Data shows that falls are the leading cause of death for workers involved in residential construction.

OSHA issued the Compliance Guidance for Residential Construction in December 2010 to require that residential construction employers provide workers with fall protection according to OSHA's Fall Protection in Construction standard. This new document demonstrates work methods employers may use to comply with the standard's requirements.

Directed primarily to those working on new construction, the document describes safety methods employers can implement during stages of construction. Methods for preventing fall-related injuries and deaths include using anchors for personal fall arrest systems and fall restraints, safety net systems, guardrails, ladders, and scaffolds for activities such as installing roof sheathing, weatherproofing a roof, and installing walls and subfloors, among others.

OSHA's Residential Fall Protection Web page includes a fact sheet, and questions and answers about requirements for protecting workers from fall hazards. Additionally, the Safety and Health Topics Web page on Fall Protection - Construction provides a list of references to help employers identify fall hazards and possible solutions for eliminating such hazards. OSHA is continuing to develop additional resources to help employers protect residential workers' safety and health.

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