OSHA's Rules on Rooftop Fall Protection and Horizontal Lifelines Explained

It's your legal obligation to protect your employees from workplace hazards that could cause them harm. This is especially important when workers are required to perform their duties at height, such as on a rooftop. Understanding OSHA's rules regarding horizontal lifelines, guardrails, or any other roof fall protection system is essential to providing a safe work environment, staying productive, and remaining in compliance.

OSHA Rooftop Fall Protection Rules

Falls are among the most common causes of injury in the workplace—making it easy to see why rooftops are a particular concern. Whether employees are performing repairs, maintenance, or construction on a rooftop, it's your job to provide them with adequate protection to prevent them from falling off the leading edge or through a rooftop opening.

According to OSHA fall protection standard 1910.28(b)(1)(i), employers are required to provide fall protection for employees who are on a walking or working surface with an unprotected edge that is 4 feet (1.2 m) or higher than the lower level. If your employees will be performing any of their duties on the roof, guardrails, safety harnesses and horizontal lifelines, safety nets, or other OSHA approved roof fall protection system aren’t optional. They’re mandatory. 

Which Roof Fall Protection System Is Right?

Staying in compliance with OSHA fall protection guidelines seems complicated, but in reality, it’s fairly straightforward. While there are specific rules in place for each type of fall protection device, it is up to you to decide which is the most appropriate for your rooftop, the work being done, and your employees. The two types of protection are:

• Passive Fall Protection: these systems prevent workers from falling by creating a boundary around the perimeter of the roof, and/or around skylights, hatches, holes, and other rooftop openings. These systems require no action from the user and include guardrails, skylight guards, and hatch railings.
• Active Fall Protection: these systems prevent workers from making impact should a fall occur and require active participation from the user. They include safety harnesses, lanyards, lifelines, and anchor points.

Rooftop Fall Protection Device Specifics

Every situation is unique, and the types of rooftop fall protection devices that should be used depend upon the type of roof, the slope, and the work that will be performed. Whether you're incorporating a metal guardrail, horizontal lifelines, or another type of roof fall protection system, it's vital that the devices are OSHA compliant.

> Guardrails

The use of permanent or portable guardrails as a rooftop fall protection device is very common and reliable. This type of roof fall protection must be capable of providing adequate protection for workers on the leading edge and around rooftop openings. Whether you're using a temporary or permanent metal guardrail, it must satisfy the following criteria:

• The top rail must be 42" (plus or minus 3") above the walking or working level.
• Midrails must be installed halfway between the top and working level.
• Structural and intermediate members cannot leave an opening of more than 19"
• Guardrails and systems must be able to withstand a minimum force of 200 lbs applied downward from the top edge.
• Midrails and other parts of guardrails must be able to withstand a minimum force of 150 lbs.
• Guardrails must be protected, so they don't snag, puncture, or grab worker's clothing and equipment.

While a metal guardrail is a universal choice for many instances (particularly if your employees are frequently on the roof for maintenance or if there is risk of unauthorized access), it won’t always work for every situation. Factors like roof slope and the individual worksite might make guardrail a less ideal (or altogether unfeasible) option.

> Personal Fall Arrest Systems

A personal fall arrest system is a smart choice for when a guardrail proves inadequate. They also can serve as back up protection even if a guardrail is present. As mentioned above, these systems include safety harnesses, lanyards, and anchor points and must adhere to the following requirements:

• Connectors must be made of drop forged, pressed, or formed steel or the equivalent.
• Connectors must be non-corrosive with smooth edges to prevent damage to other parts of the system.
• D-rings and snap hooks must be the proper size and have a minimum tensile strength of 5,000 pounds (2.27 t).
• Anchorages must be able to suspend a weight of at least 5,000 pounds (2.27 t).
• Personal fall arrest systems must be inspected and removed from use if damaged or weakened.

> Horizontal Lifelines

When workers using a personal fall arrest system need a broader reach beyond what a single anchor point can offer, horizontal lifelines are a fantastic option. They have their own set of distinct criteria:

• Horizontal lifelines must be designed, installed, and used under the supervision of a qualified person.
• When used as part of a personal fall arrest system, it must maintain a minimum safety factor of two.
• Lanyards and lifelines are required to have a minimum breaking strength of 5,000 pounds (2.27 t).
• The horizontal lifeline must be thoroughly inspected before and after each use to maintain its integrity.
• The horizontal lifeline must be securely attached to the rooftop via an independent anchor.
• Lifelines must be protected against cuts and abrasions.

Protect Your Workers and Your Company

You understand that safety is a main priority and that you have a duty to provide adequate roof fall protection for your employees. You also understand that it's up to you to decide which protective devices are appropriate for your application. Guardrails, horizontal lifelines, and personal fall arrest systems must, however, be compliant with OSHA rules in order to keep your workers safe and your company compliant. If your roof fall protection system isn’t, don’t wait until you receive a violation—or worse, an accident. Upgrades are easy, turning back time isn’t. If you need help getting your worksite up to code, give us a call today.