September 15th, 2012 is the date compliance with 29 federal OSHA regulations for residential builders will be required. Under 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(13) any roofer or residential builder working in an area 6 ft. or more above lower levels must be protected by conventional fall protection.
In the past, roofers were allowed to work under the 25 ft. ground to eave threshold. No longer. These federal requirements, as most professional residential workers have heard about by now, also prohibit slide guards to be used as the primary fall protection, regardless of the height or pitch of the roof.
Residential roofers and construction workers were allowed to bypass these fall safety rules in the past because of interim requirements. OSHA has attempted to make this change easier to understand by creating a series of videos and other aids showing the types of equipment used for compliance with today's laws.
Workers or employers looking for a simple solution for meeting these new criteria can turn to products such as the Roofers' Fall Protection Kit from Protecta . This kit includes quality fall safety equipment that is easy to deploy and doesn't inhibit the worker unnecessarily.
Together these pieces provide the fall protection necessary to meet the new residential OSHA requirements. The reusable roof anchor is rated for 5,000 lbs. That's sufficient for one worker to clip onto. A 50 ft. blended line is attached to the anchor. To the line attaches a rope grab and shock-absorbing lanyard combination. The rope grab allows the worker to move along the length of the rope, and only seizes hold if there is a quick pull to the line, as in the case of a fall. Finally, a full-body harness with 5-point adjustment allows for a custom fit and greater comfort while working.
Fall safety is a requirement for residential construction workers and roofers. But compliance with the rules doesn't need to be difficult. If you have any questions about the specific requirements of your site, or about the key components of this kit, please call us, or contact us online at pksafety.com.