universal requirements
Core OSHA fall protection requirements
at a glance,
enforced across industries.
Industry specific standards are listed below.
GUARDRAIL
OSHA 1910.29 · 1926.502
- Top rail height: ~42 in (±3 in)
- Midrail: halfway between top rail and surface
- Strength: withstand 200 lbs of force at top rail
PERSONAL FALL ARREST SYSTEMS - CORE REQUIREMENTS
OSHA 1910.140 · 1926.502
- Anchorage capacity: 5,000 lbs per worker (or engineered system)
- Harness: full-body harness required
- Free fall: limited to 6 ft max
ANCHORAGES
OSHA 1910.140 · 1926.502
- Strength: 5,000 lbs per attached worker or engineered to OSHA criteria
- Attachment: must be independent of guardrails or non-structural elements
- Location: positioned to limit free-fall and swing hazards
OPENINGS AND HOLES
OSHA 1910.29 · 1926.501
- Protection: guardrail or secured cover required
- Cover strength: support at least 2× the intended load
- Securement: covers must be fastened to prevent displacement
ELEVATED PLATFORMS AND EDGES
OSHA 1910.23 · 1926.1053
- Fall protection required: at 4 ft (General Industry) / 6 ft (Construction)
- Guardrail criteria: same height and strength requirements as other edges
- Toe boards: required where materials could fall to lower levels
LADDERS
OSHA 1910.28 · 1910.29 · 1926.501 · 1926.502
- Fixed ladders: over 24 ft require a ladder safety system or PFAS
- Side rails: must extend 42 in above landing surface (or have grab bars)
- Condition: damaged or unsafe ladders must be removed from service
general industry
Browse Fall Protection guidelines and codes relevant to General Industry.
construction
Browse Fall Protection guidelines and codes relevant to the construction industry.
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OSHA Guidelines
General Industry
Fixed Ladders (Cages & Safety Systems)
OSHA 1910.23
- Ladder cages are no longer accepted as the sole means of fall protection on new fixed ladders
- Fixed ladders over 24 ft must use ladder safety systems or PFAS
- Existing cages are subject to phase-out requirements
permanent anchorages
OSHA 1910.140
- Must support 5,000 lbs per attached worker or be engineered to OSHA criteria
- Must be independent of guardrails, ladders, and non-structural elements
Unprotected Edges & Openings
OSHA 1910.28-1910.29
- Trigger height: fall protection required at 4 ft above a lower level
- Edges: open sides without guardrails or parapets require protection
- Openings: floor and roof openings must be guarded or covered
- Skylights: treated as holes/openings unless protected
- Protection methods: guardrails, covers, or PFAS meeting OSHA criteria
housekeeping & surface conditions
Osha 1910.22
- Ongoing requirements for keeping floors and surfaces clean, dry, and free of hazards
- Poor housekeeping is a frequent General Industry citation tied to fall incidents
OSHA Guidelines
construction
leading edges
osha 1926.501(b)(2)
- Fall protection required at 6 ft, but controlled decking zones (CDZs) may be allowed during initial leading-edge work
- Conventional systems may be delayed only when infeasible, and only under defined conditions
- Work must follow strict sequencing and supervision requirements
residential construction
OSHA 1926.501(b)(13)
- Fall protection required at 6 ft, but controlled access zones may be used instead of guardrails or PFAS
- Employer must demonstrate infeasibility of conventional systems
- Alternative methods must be documented and supervised
formwork and reinforcing steel
osha 1926.501(b)(1) · 1926.701
- Fall protection required when working on formwork or rebar at height
- Rebar caps or covers required to prevent impalement
- Positioning and access rules apply during concrete placement
hoist areas
osha 1926.501(b)(3)
Construction work around hoist areas allows limited, task-specific edge exposure.
- Guardrails or chains may be temporarily removed for material handling
- Employees exposed to falls must be protected when removal is necessary
- Openings must be re-protected immediately after the operation
construction specific training
osha 1926.503
Construction explicitly requires formal fall protection training.
- Workers must be trained to recognize fall hazards and correct procedures
- Retraining required when conditions, hazards, or equipment change
- Training must be documented
scaffolding
osha 1926 Subpart L
- Fall protection required at: 10 ft above a lower level
- Guardrails required on platforms: top rail ~42 in, midrail required
- Personal fall arrest systems: required for certain scaffold types and activities
- Competent person: required for scaffold erection, modification, and inspection
