Roofing Law

OSHA Fall Protection Standard featured image

OSHA Fall Protection Standard

Are You Meeting OSHA Fall Protection Requirements?

Working in the roofing industry can be dangerous. Among the dangers is the potential for severe injury and even fatalities due to falls. Appropriate measures must be taken to prevent these falls. According to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) industry standards, it is the legal duty of employers to provide fall protection during roofing operations that contain drops over six feet.

Recognizing Hazards

When roofers are working, you want to be sure they are protected at every level. Preventative and protective measures must be in place to guard against hazards such as an unstable roof, edges, unsafe ladder usage, poor lighting, and steep roofs. Are your roofs strong enough to support the weight of workers? Are your workers at risk for falling into holes or into dangerous machines? Are there barriers in place to protect against falling off an edge? These are just a few of the questions employers should be asking themselves.

Tips to Prevent Falls

Implementing OSHA’s Fall Prevention Campaign is one of the first steps to getting your jobsite in order. With this plan, planning for safety, providing the right safety equipment, and training employees on the effective use of the equipment will be priority one. The following are additional valuable tips for fall prevention:

  • Require inspection of equipment to ensure it works properly
  • Keep worker areas clean and clear of clutter
  • Keep floors clear and dry
  • Do routine safety checks

An extensive list of fall protection systems is available on the OSHA website.

Failing to Meet the OSHA Fall Protection Regulations

Does your roofing company have a fall protection plan that meets OSHA fall protection requirements for a healthy and safe workplace? Rooftop safety is everyone’s business, but employers have the higher responsibility to protect workers. The OSHA standard requires employers to have a prompt rescue plan in place to prevent workers from suffering. Workers should know how to rescue themselves or others with available rescue equipment provided by employers.

Why You Need an Attorney

As expert OSHA defense attorneys, we strongly advise roofing employers to review their practices to ensure they meet industry standards and to protect their employers as well as themselves from potential lawsuits. You may have a plan, but if that plan is ineffective and unenforced, you could face a willful violation with hefty penalties. Nevertheless, we can provide valuable counsel on how to meet and enforce OSHA fall protection regulations.

If you would like to speak with a knowledgeable roofing lawyer, please contact us today.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.