The 6-Foot Rule

OSHA requires employers to provide fall protection to construction workers working at a height of 6 feet above level.

In addition, employers must provide fall protection to employees who work over/above dangerous equipment and machinery, even when the distance is less than 6 feet. Examples include working over machinery with open drive belts, pulleys, or gears or open vats of degreasing agents or acid.

What Does Fall Protection Refer To?

The three generally acceptable methods of protection for workers on a construction site who are exposed to vertical drops of 6 feet or more are guardrails, safety net systems, and personal fall arrest systems:

• Guardrails are considered prevention systems, as they stop you from having a fall in the first place.
• Safety nets are designed to catch you and break your fall. They must be placed as close as practicable under your working surface, but never more than 30 feet below.
• A personal fall arrest system (PFAS) consists of an anchorage, connectors, and a full-body harness, which work together to break your fall. It is better to prevent falls before they happen, but in the event of a fall, fall arrest systems can prevent falls from causing dire injury or death.

OSHA refers to these systems as conventional fall protection. Other systems and methods may be used depending on the activity. For example, a positioning device system can be used when working on formwork.

To learn more about Fall Protection visit our Construction Fall Protection Online Training web page.