The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) began enforcing more stringent fall protection regulations on Saturday, March 16, 2013. The Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA) was required by law to begin enforcing these same regulations on that date as well.
For more vital resources, please click on the links below:
Sample Fall Protection Safety Plan for Residential Construction (Word Doc – Highly Recommended)
MIOSHA Fall Protection Webcast (Video & Quiz Series – Highly Recommended)
State of Michigan Residential Fall Protection Fact Sheet (PDF)
MIOSHA Fatal Facts: Falls That Kill (PDF)
SUMMARY OF NEW REQUIREMENTS
Enforcement of the new fall protection standards was originally slated to begin June 16, 2011. However efforts by the Home Builders Association (HBA) of Michigan and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) were able to postpone enforcement, for nearly two years, to allow the residential construction industry more time to learn about the new requirements, receive compliance assistance and ultimately incorporate the more stringent requirements into practice.
A few of the requirements under the new standards include:
- Roofing contractors must use guardrails, personal fall arrest systems (harnesses and lanyards), or safety nets on all roofs with slopes exceeding 4-in-12 pitch or when working six feet or more above a lower level.
- All other trade contractors must use guardrails or personal fall arrest systems (harnesses and lanyards), or safety nets when the height from one elevation to another is greater than six feet, unless employers can demonstrate that it isn’t feasible to use those fall protection systems or using the systems creates a greater hazard. In those cases, contractors must develop a fall protection plan that utilizes alternative fall protection measures.
- All fall protection plans must be in writing and be site specific. However, the written plan developed for repeated use for a particular style/model home will be considered site specific.
- The use of fall protection plans is limited to residential construction on homes being constructed using traditional wood frame construction materials and methods. Please note that the limited use of structural steel in a predominantly wood-framed home – such as a steel I-beam to help support wood framing – DOES NOT keep a structure from being considered residential construction.