New fall-protection rules on the way

In a move aimed at cutting U.S. worker deaths as effectively as possible, new federal fall-protection rules will be imposed soon by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Federal OSHA has been working on a general industry walking-working surface rule since its previous rule was repealed in 2010 and a new one was proposed. The rules will essentially allow employers under the general industry rules to select the fall-protection rules that work best for them, according to federal OSHA spokeswoman Amanda McClure.

The rules will take effect on Jan. 17, 2017. OSHA estimates 112 million workers across 7 million job sites will be affected.

Residential painters and roofers will need more training. Also, toe plates, or slide guards, will not be allowed on roofs with a pitch of 3:8 to 3:12 with an eave 25 feet above the ground.

Right now, Associated General Contractors is working to get the word out, said Brent Pockrus, safety consultant with the Oregon-Columbia chapter.

“I think roofers are going to see the biggest change of all our members,” he said. “It’s going to be a huge impact.”

The changes primarily affect followers of OSHA’s general industry rules. However, when a construction company is performing general industry activities, such as maintenance work, the new rule applies.

The law removes inconsistencies between the general industry scaffold rule and the construction industry rule. Both will now follow the construction rule.

Some inconsistencies between general and construction industry rules will remain, however – notably in the difference in the trigger height for fall protection. Construction’s general fall protection trigger height is 6 feet, whereas general industry’s will remain 4 feet.

OSHA estimates the standards will prevent 29 fatalities and 5,824 injuries per year.

Other big changes include:

Rope descent systems are now allowed up to 300 feet.

Body belts that are part of a fall-protection system are prohibited.

Training is required on personal fall protection systems and fall equipment.