Residential Roofs

The Final Rule requires that employers must provide guardrail, safety net, or personal fall protection systems to protect workers from falling off unprotected sides of residential roofs that are 4 feet or more above a lower level.

When the employer can demonstrate that using a guardrail, a safety net, or personal fall protection systems on a residential roof is either not feasible or creates a greater hazard, the employer must develop and implement both of the following:

• A fall protection plan
• Training

The employer's fall protection plan and training must meet the requirements of the construction fall protection standard.

OSHA included this provision in the Final Rule to increase consistency between the general industry standards and the construction standards, which makes compliance easier for general industry employers who work on residential roofs. Also, requiring employers to develop and implement a fall protection plan ensures that employers take additional action to reduce fall hazards when they find it infeasible to use guardrails, safety nets, and personal fall protection systems.

To learn more about Walking Working Surfaces visit our Walking Working Surfaces & Personal Fall Protection Systems Online Training web page.