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Home / OSHA / Fall Protection

OSHA Fall Protection Requirements — The 6-Foot Rule & Guardrails

Fall protection in construction is governed by 29 CFR 1926 Subpart M. The controlling number is 6 feet: work at 6 feet or more above a lower level requires guardrails, a safety net, or a personal fall arrest system.

RequirementOSHA StandardSection
Trigger height6 ft above a lower level — guardrail, safety net, or personal fall arrest required1926.501(b)(1)
Guardrail top rail height42 in. ± 3 in. above the walking/working surface1926.502(b)(1)
Top rail strengthWithstand 200 lb applied outward or downward1926.502(b)(3)
MidrailInstalled midway between top rail and surface; withstands 150 lb1926.502(b)(2), (5)
Anchorage strength (PFAS)5,000 lb per attached worker, or designed with a safety factor of 2 under qualified-person supervision1926.502(d)(15)
Maximum free fall6 ft, and no contact with a lower level; max arresting force 1,800 lb with a body harness1926.502(d)(16)
Safety netsAs close as practicable, never more than 30 ft below the working surface1926.502(c)(1)
Hole coversSupport 2× the maximum expected load, secured, and marked "HOLE" or "COVER"1926.502(i)

Worth knowing

  • Different trigger heights apply to specific work: scaffolds 10 ft (Subpart L), steel erection 15 ft (Subpart R), and portable ladders are excluded from Subpart M.
  • Body belts have been prohibited as part of a personal fall arrest system since 1998 — a full-body harness is required.
  • Holes a worker can step into (2 in. or larger) must be covered or guarded, not just watched.
  • Residential construction follows the same 6-ft rule; the old alternative-procedures directive was rescinded (STD 03-11-002).
Source: 29 CFR Part 1926, Safety and Health Regulations for Construction (U.S. Department of Labor, public domain) — read the full standard at osha.gov. State-plan states may impose stricter rules, and your local building code applies in addition — find it on your jurisdiction page.
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