Master Builders of Iowa

OSHA’s interpretation of residential combines two elements, both of which must be satisfied for a project to fall under that provision for the purpose of fall protection 1926.501(b)(13)

• The end-use of the structure being built must be as a home, i.e., a dwelling, and the structure being built must be constructed using traditional wood frame construction materials and methods.

The limited use of structural steel in a predominantly wood-frame home, such as a steel I-beam to help support wood framing, does not disqualify a structure from being considered residential construction.

Traditional wood frame construction materials and methods will be characterized by

• Framing materials:  Wood (or equivalent cold-formed sheet metal stud) framing, not steel or concrete; wooden floor joists and roof structures.
• Exterior wall structure:  Wood (or equivalent cold-formed sheet metal stud) framing or masonry brick or block.
• Methods:  Traditional wood frame construction techniques.

Now that OSHA has resinded STD 03-00-001, what do residential construction employers have to do to protect employees from fall hazards?

• Employees working six(6) feet or more above lower levels must be protected by conventional falls protection methods listed in 1926.501(b)(13) (i.e., guardrails systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems) or alternative fall protection measures allowed by other provisions of 1926.501(b) for particular types of work.
• An example of an alternative fall protection measures allowed under 1926.501(b) is the use of warning lines, and safety monitoring systems during the performance of roofing work on low-sloped roofs, (4 in 12 Pitch) or less.
• OSHA allows the use of an effective fall restraint system in lieu of a personal fall arrest system.  To be effective, a fall restraint system must be rigged to prevent a worker from reaching a fall hazard and falling over the edge.  A fall restraint system may consist of a full body harness, or body belt that is connected to an anchor point at the center of a roof by a lanyard of a length that will not allow a worker to physically reach the edge of the roof.
• When the employer can demonstrate that it is infeasible or creates a greater hazard to use required fall protection systems, a qualified person must develop a written site-specific fall protection plan in accordance with 1926.502(k) that among other things, specifies the alternative fall protection methods that will be used to protect workers from falls.

If you have any questions contact Phil Mercuris, Vice President of Safety Services at Master Builders of Iowa 515-288-8904 / 515-250-7001 or 800-362-2578.  Email address: pmercuris@mbionline.com