OSHA 1926.501: Duty to Have Fall Protection

January 3, 2023|Compliance, Fall, PPE, Safety

“Complying with OSHA Fall Protection 1926.501 doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Gorbel has trained experts to help you develop a comprehensive fall protection plan. Gorbel and your local dealer can help you define your fall protection program, identify fall hazards and determine whether eliminating, preventing or controlling falls is your best solution. After installing a solution, your dealer can train your employees, inspect and maintain all fall arrest equipment and continuously audit the program for compliance.”

Gorbel, 800-821-8066, info@gorbel.com.

Year after year, OSHA’s fall protection standard makes the top ten most-cited-standards list. The agency’s focus on this regulation stems from the fact that falls are one of the most common causes of work-related injuries and deaths. Falls that send employees to the hospital – or the morgue – can occur from overhead platforms, elevated workstations or through holes in floors and walls.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)^[1], there were 645 fatal occupational injuries involving falls to a lower level in 2020; 63 falls through a surface or an existing opening and 36 falls from a collapsing structure or from equipment.

OSHA requires that fall protection be provided at elevations of four feet in general industry workplaces, five feet in shipyards, six feet in the construction industry and eight feet in longshoring operations. In addition, the agency requires that fall protection be provided when working over dangerous equipment and machinery, regardless of the fall distance.

Key Provisions

To prevent employees from being injured from falls, employers must:

Guard every floor hole into which a worker can accidentally walk (using a railing and toe-board or a floor hole cover).
Provide a guard rail and toe-board around every elevated open sided platform, floor or runway.
Regardless of height, if a worker can fall into or onto dangerous machines or equipment (such as a vat of acid or a conveyor belt) employers must provide guardrails and toe-boards to prevent workers from falling and getting injured.
Other means of fall protection that may be required on certain jobs include safety harness and line, safety nets, stair railings and handrails.

The use of warning lines, designated areas, control zones and similar systems are permitted by OSHA in some situations and can provide protection by limiting the number of workers exposed. Whether conducting a hazard assessment or developing a comprehensive fall protection plan, thinking about fall hazards before the work begins will help the employer to manage fall hazards and focus attention on prevention efforts. If personal fall protection systems are used, particular attention should be given to identifying attachment points and to ensuring that employees know how to properly use and inspect the equipment.

For More Information

A Fall Protection Training Guide^[2] from The Labor Occupational Health Program (LOHP) at UC Berkeley is available via Electronic Library of Construction and Occupational Safety and Health (ELCOSH). The guide to fall protection training includes questions to ask, subjects to cover and a sign-off form.