Roofing work on low slope roofs except as otherwise provided in paragraph b of this section each employee engaged in roofing activities on low slope roofs with unprotected sides and edges 6 feet 1 8 m or more above lower levels shall be protected from falling by guardrail systems safety net systems personal fall arrest systems or a.
Osha low slope roof definition.
Lower level means a surface or area to which an employee could fall.
Osha is adding this provision to make the general industry standard more consistent with the construction fall protection standard which includes a provision addressing roofing work performed on low slope roofs 1926 501 b 10.
Roof slope osha defines a low slope roof as a roof having a slope of less than or equal to 4 inches of vertical rise for every 12 inches horizontal length 4 12 1926 500 b definitions.
Lower levels means those areas or surfaces to which an employee can fall.
A low sloped roof is defined as a slope equal or less than a ratio of 4 to 12.
Low slope roof means a roof having a slope less than or equal to 4 in 12 vertical to horizontal.
In our previous article about citations regarding the standard for steep roofs we pointed out that osha standard 1926 500 defines a steep roof as a roof that has a pitch of 18 5 or more.
According to this definition a low slope roof has a pitch of less than 18 5.
Cages and wells are not ladder safety systems.
The difference between steep and low slope roofs is depicted in the image below.
Effective january 17 2017 the final rule updating osha s general industry walking working surfaces standards permits certain work near the edge of low slope roofs without fall protection systems as long as the work is temporary relatively infrequent.
Low slope roof means a roof that has a slope less than or equal to a ratio of 4 in 12 vertical to horizontal.
Such areas or surfaces include but are not limited to ground levels floors platforms ramps runways excavations pits tanks material water equipment structures.
Although the actual definition of a designated area mentions any walking working surface all of the guidance for how designated areas are to be applied and used are related to low slope roofs found in osha 1910 28 b 13.
29 cfr 1926 500 defines low slope roof as a roof having a slope less than or equal to 4 in 12 vertical to horizontal 29 cfr 1926 501 b 10 allows the use of a safety monitor on a low slope roof.
This is important because the osha definition is used as a basis for implementing low slope fall protection measures such as warning.
New questions are emerging about key provisions the occupational safety and health administration s updated rule to prevent falls.
