1. Fall Protection for Construction
A Survival Guide
Georgia Tech

2. Statistics
• Falls are the number one cause of fatalities in the
construction industry.
• 150-200 workers are killed each year and more
than 100,000 injured as a result of falls.
• Overall (including general industry) falls are the
number two biggest cause of fatalities in the U.S.
(motor vehicle accidents are number one).

3. Statistics
• Falls 33%
• Struck By 18%
• Electrical 17%
• Caught In 18%

4. Statistics
• 40% of the fatalities were from heights over
40 feet
• Most falls occur on scaffolds or roofs
• 25% of fall fatalities were from heights of
11-20 feet
• 25% of fall fatalities were from heights of
20-30 feet

5. Most Frequently Cited
Unprotected sides & edges - Fall protection
1468
501(b)(1)
Fall hazards training program
609
503(a)(1)
Standard - 1926.
Fall protection - Residential construction 6’ m
or ore
552
501(b)(13)
Fall protection - Roofing w on low
ork -slope roofs
367
501(b)(10)
Fall protection - Steep roofs
231
501(b)(11)

6. Physics of a Fall
• A body in motion (free fall) can cover vast
distances in a short period of time. Consider
this:
– A body in free fall can travel 4 ft in 0.5 seconds
– A body in free fall can travel 16 ft. in 1 second
– A body in free fall can travel 64 ft. in 2 seconds

7. Application of Regulations
• Subpart M (1926.500) applies to fall
protection during construction activities.
• There are a few exceptions from this rule
for the following activities:
– Inspection
– Investigation
– Assessing conditions prior to or after the work
is performed

8. Application of Regulations
• Other existing standards for fall protection
are discussed in different standards (subpart
M would not cover the following items):
– Scaffolds (subpart L)
– Cranes (subpart N)
– Steel Erection (subpart R)
– Stairs and Ladders (subpart X)
– Power Transmission (Subpart V)

9. Contents of Subpart M
• 500: Scope, • Appendices
Application and – A: Roof widths
definitions – B: Guardrail systems
• 501: Duty to have fall – C: Fall arrest systems
protection – D: Positioning device
• 502: Fall protection systems
systems – E: Fall Protection Plan
• 503: Training
Requirements

10. Duty to Have Fall Protection
1926.501
• Fall protection is required when one or
more employees have exposure to falls of
six feet or greater to the lower level.
• Surfaces must be inspected before the work
begins.
• Employees are only permitted to be on
surfaces that are strong enough to support
them.

11. Duty to have Fall Protection
• The following areas – Unprotected sides and
require fall protection edges
when employees are – Above dangerous
equipment (any height)
exposed to falls (six feet
– Overhand brick laying
or greater):
– Steep or low slope roofs
– Leading edges
– Walking surfaces
– Ramps/runways
– Form work and reinforcing
– Residential construction steel
– Hoist areas – Excavations, wells, pits
– Wall and floor openings – Precast concrete

12. Duty to have Fall Protection
Low Slope Roofs
• Low slope roofs • Low slope roofs (50
(under 50 feet in feet width or greater):
width): – Fall protection systems
– Fall protection systems (safety nets,
or guardrails, PFAS) or
– Safety monitor (with combination of
elements required in – Warning lines and
this subpart) safety monitor or
– Warning lines and
guardrails or PFAS

13. Protection from Falling Objects
1926.501(c)
• Protection from falling objects is a
requirement.
• Employee working in an area where there is
a danger of falling objects must wear a hard
hat.
• Employer must take steps to protect
employees from hazards (establish
barricades or build canopies).

14. Types of Fall Protection
• Passive are protective systems that do not
involve the actions of employees.
• Active includes systems and components
that require manipulation by employees to
make them effective in providing
protection.

15. Examples of Fall Protection
• Passive system • Active systems
include: components (personal
– Guardrails fall arrest system-
– Safety nets PFAS) include:
– Covers – Anchorage points
– Fences – Lanyard
– Barricades – Snap hooks
– Life lines
– Body harness

16. Active Systems
• Designed to operate in free fall situations.
• Must be connected to other
systems/components or activated to provide
protection.
• Active systems are designed to protect
employees from the following items:
– Falls
– Forces that can cause injury

17. Guardrails 1926.502(b)
• Guardrails are the • Must have top rail,
most common form of mid rail, posts and toe
fall protection. board
• May be made of wood, • System must be strong
pipe, structural steel, enough to support 200
or wire rope. pounds of force
– Flags must be provided applied to the top rail
on wire rope to • Steel or plastic bands
increase visibility
are not acceptable

18. Guardrails-Design Criteria
1926.502(b)
• The top rail must be elevated above the surface
39-45 inches and must be free of jagged edges.
• The mid rail must be located between the top rail
and the walking surface.
• Posts must be spaced no greater than 8 feet.
• Toe boards must be made of a solid material with
no openings greater than one inch and be 3.5
inches high.
• Chains or movable rails must be used near hoists.

19. Safety Net Systems
1926.502(c)
• Placed beneath the working surface (not to exceed
30 feet) to catch personnel or falling material.
• Must be placed as close to the hazard as possible.
• Equipment must be drop tested and certified.
• Must be inspected weekly and after impact.
• Openings can not exceed six inches.
• Defective equipment can not be used.
• Safety nets must extend outward from the outer
most projection of the work surfaces.

20. PFAS 1926.502(d)
• PFAS shall not be tied to a guardrail system
or hoists
• All components of a fall arrest system must
be inspected before each use and after
impact.
• Action must be taken promptly to rescue
fallen employees.

21. PFAS 1926.502(d)
• When stopping a fall, a PFAS must:
– Limit the arresting force to 1800 pounds.
– Be rigid so that an employee can not fall more
than 6 feet of contact a lower level.
– Bring an employee to a complete stop and limit
maximum deceleration distance an employee
travels to 3.5 feet.
– Strength to withstand 2X potential impact of
employee falling 6 ft. or permitted fall distance.

22. Inspecting Equipment
1926.502(d)
• Equipment must be • The following items
inspected before each must be inspected:
use for: – Tears or other wear
– Degradation due to – Deformed eyelets, D
ultraviolet light rings or other parts
– Any other condition – Labels/placards
that is not normal – Dirt, grease, and oil

23. PFAS (Harness) 1926.502(d)
• Harness systems consist of either nylon or
polyester and the best system will
encompass the entire body (full body
harness).
• Body belts can not be used for fall
protection.
• A full body harness will evenly distribute
weight across the waist, pelvis, and thighs.

24. PFAS (Lanyard) 1926.502(d)
• Lanyards connect the harness to the anchorage
point.
• Must have a minimum breaking strength of 5000
pounds.
• Should be attached to a D ring between the
shoulder blades above the employee.
• There are several types of lanyards that include:
synthetic webbing, synthetic rope and shock
absorbing.

25. Types of Lanyards
• Self retracting
– Eliminates excess slack in the lanyard (cable, rope, or
web)
• Shock absorbing
– Device slows and eventually stops decent and absorbs
the forces (i.e.: rip stitch controlled tearing)
• Synthetic rope
– Absorbs some of the force by stretching
• Synthetic webbing
– Strong but not flexible (absorbs little force)

26. PFAS (life Lines) 1926.502(d)
• Life lines consist of flexible material connected at
one or both ends to an anchorage point.
• There are two types of life lines:
– Vertical:hangs vertically (5000 pound minimum
breaking strength)
– Horizontal: connects at both points to stretch
horizontally (serves as connection point for other
components of PFAS-total system must have safety
factor of two).

27. PFAS (Snap hooks) 1926.502(d)
• Used to connect lanyards to D rings on a body
harness.
• D rings must be compatible. Must be connected to
harness or anchorage point only.
• Snap hooks must have 5,000 tensile strength and
be proof tested to 3600 pounds.
• When using snap hooks:
– Use only one snap hook per D ring to prevent rollout
– All snap hooks must have a locking mechanism

28. PFAS (Anchorage Points)
1926.502(d)
• The anchorage point is most effective when
it is above the employee’s head. Located as
to not allow an employee fall more than 6
feet.
• All anchorage points must be a solid
immovable object that is capable of
supporting 5000 pounds.
• Must not be used to support anything else.

29. Positioning Device Systems
1926.502(e)
• Allows employee to be supported from a vertical
surface (i.e.: wall or telephone pole).
• Must be inspected before each use for defects.
• Must be rigid for no more than a 2 foot free fall.
• Not a fall arrest system!
• The anchorage point must be capable of
withstanding twice the potential impact of an
employee’s fall or 3000 pounds, whichever is
greater.

30. Warning Line System
1926.502(f)
• Rope, wire, or chains are used to warn employees
of an unprotected edge.
• Used mainly on roofs , where PFAS- impractical.
• Established not less than six feet from the edge.
• Materials must have sufficient strength and
complete structure must withstand 16 pound
tipping force.

31. Controlled Access Zones (CAZ)
1926.502(g)
• Only qualified personnel involved in the
operation are allowed to enter the zone.
• Ropes, wires, or chains are used to
designate the area.
• Must be erected not less than six feet nor
more than twenty five feet away from edge.
• Shall be connected on each side to wall.

32. Controlled Access Zones (CAZ)
1926.502(g)
• CAZ must be defined by a control line
(strength of 200 pounds) erected 10-15 feet
from the edge
• Lines must be flagged at six foot intervals.

33. Safety Monitoring System
1926.502(h)
• Uses a monitor (competent person) to patrol
the area and warn employees of the
dangers.
• All safety monitors must comply with the
following criteria:
– Be on the same level the work is being
performed
– Be close enough to orally communicate
– Have no other assigned duties

34. Safety Monitoring System
1926.502(h)
• Employees must comply with all instructions from
the monitor.
• The full attention of the monitor must focus on
protecting the employees.
• It is recommended that you have a written plan for
using the safety monitoring system to address:
– Identification of the monitor
– Roles of employees in a monitoring system
– Training for using the monitoring system.

35. Covers 1926.502(i)
• Used to protect personnel from falling through
holes in walking surfaces.
• Covers must be secured in place and the word
“Hole” must be written on the cover.
• Covers must have sufficient strength to support:
– Twice the weight to be imposed upon it for pedestrians
– Twice the largest axle weight of vehicle traffic

36. Falling Objects 1926.502(j)
• Employers are required to protect their
employees from falling objects.
• Some methods that might have to be used
(when necessary) consist of:
– Installation of toe boards (at least 3.5 inches
wide)
– Building barricade and restricting entrance
– Installation of screens

37. Fall Protection Plan 1926.502(k)
• Fall protection plans are allowed for the following
operations:
– Residential construction
– Leading edge construction
– Precast concrete erection
• The plan should be strictly enforced.
• The employer must demonstrate that it is
impractical to use fall protection before a fall
protection plan can be used as an alternative.

38. Fall Protection Plan 1926.502(k)
• Plan must be developed by qualified person
and made specific for each site (also must
be up to date).
• Only as qualified person can make changes
to a plan.
• A copy of the plan must be maintained at
the site.

39. Elements of a Fall Protection
Plan
• Statement of Policy • Accident Investigation
• Fall Protection • Changes to the Plan
Systems to be Used
• Implementation of
Plan
• Enforcement

40. Training 1926.503
• All employees exposed to fall hazards must
receive training by a competent person that
addresses:
– The nature of fall hazards in the work area
– Procedures for erecting, maintaining,
disassembling and inspecting fall arrest
equipment
– Use and operation of fall arrest equipment

41. Training 1926.503
• Training elements:
– Role of employee in a safety monitoring system
(when used)
– Limitations on the use of mechanical equipment
for low slope roofs
– Role of employees in fall protection plans
– Standards contained in 1926.500-503
– Procedure for handling and storage of
equipment

42. Training 1926.503
• Fall protection training must be certified by
the employer through a written record.
• The latest training certificate must be
maintained.
• Retraining is required when:
– There are changes in the work place
– Changes in the type of fall protection used
– There are inadequacies in employee’s skills