Fall Protection

Hazard Overview

What is fall protection?

Fall protection is any equipment, device or system that prevents an employee from falling from an elevation or mitigates the effect of such a fall.

What is a fall hazard?

Any condition on a walking-working surface that exposes an employee to a risk of harm from a fall on the same level or to a lower level.

What are the hazards associated with fall protection?

In the absence of fall protection, employees can become seriously injured resulting in broken bones, strains and sprains, or death.

Solutions

What can I do to protect myself?

Whenever employees are provided with personal fall protection equipment, they must examine it prior to beginning work from an elevation. Employers are required to ensure that employees have been trained and have the proper equipment to prevent a fall to a lower surface and have implemented a fall protection plan.

What resources are available to assist employers?

Safety and Health Programs

An example fall protection training certificate can be used to document employer's training. The fall protection plan for residential construction can be downloaded and customized to fit an individual work setting. This example program is based on information found in 29 CFR 1926 Subpart M (Fall protection), in particular 29 CFR 1926.501 and 1926.502. 

Training and Outreach Services

A fall protection in construction presentation is available for workplaces to assist in training their staff. The presentation should be modified to address site-specific conditions and hazards. 

The education, training and technical assistance bureau provides free online safety and health training and outreach services (i.e., speaker's bureau requests, safety booths) upon request. In addition, the pre-recorded webinar on fall protection in construction can be used to assist with employee training.

Lastly, the NCDOL Library offers free safety and health videos (including streaming video service) and related research assistance on consensus standards (i.e., ANSI, NFPA, NEC).

A-Z Safety and Health Topic Pages

The A-Z topic pages on recording and reporting, personal protective equipment and walking and working surfaces provides additional related resource information, 

Consultation Services

The consultative services bureau provides free and confidential onsite consultation regarding worksite safety and health hazards.

Regulations

Which standards apply?

OSH has adopted the following standards which are applicable to fall protection in North Carolina. Note: Please also check the standards information and activity webpage to see if there has been any recent or upcoming regulatory activity on this topic. 

Construction

• 29 CFR 1926 Subpart M - Fall Protection

  • 29 CFR 1926.500 - scope, application and definitions

  • 29 CFR 1926.501  - duty to have fall protection

  • 29 CFR 1926.502 - fall protection systems criteria and practices

  • 29 CFR 1926.503  - training requirements

Other OSH standards that may apply to fall protection in construction include:

• 29 CFR 1926.104 - safety belts, lifelines, and lanyards

• 29 CFR 1904.7  - recordkeeping, general recording criteria

• 29 CFR 1904.39 - recordkeeping, reporting fatalities, hospitalizations, amputations, and losses of an eye as a result of work-related incidents to OSHA

Maritime, Shipyard Employment

• 29 CFR 1915.159 - personal fall arrest systems (PFAS)

• 29 CFR 1915.160 - positioning device systems

Other Applicable Standards

The Which OSHA Standards Apply webpage can also help identify other standards that may be applicable to your worksite.

Learn More

Where can I learn more?

Compliance Documents

• Standards Notice (SN) 65 discusses the conditions in which the use of warning lines on low-slope roofs qualifies as fall protection.

• SN 74 addresses fall protection requirements when employees are engaged in the installation of dry laid masonry retaining walls.

• Standards directive STD 03-11-002 addresses fall protection requirements when employees are engaged in residential construction.

Fact Sheets

• NCDOL Investigates: Fall From Ladder provides an overview of the investigation process used for falls from ladders.

• NCDOL Investigates: Fall From Roof provides an overview of the investigation process associated with falls from roofs.

Industry Guides

• Industry Guide 48 - OSHA Construction Industry Standards Requiring Programs, Inspections, Procedures, Records and/or Training provides requirements for standards related to falls in construction.

• Industry Guide 53 - OSHA Shipyard Employment Standards Requiring Programs, Inspections, Procedures, Records and/or Training highlights the requirements of standards related to falls in shipyard employment.

Technical Assistance

If you would like to receive interpretive guidance on this or any other OSH standard or topic, you can submit your questions using the Ask OSH web form, by e-mail to ask.osh@labor.nc.gov or by calling 919-707-7876.