Residential Roofing -- "To Be Or Not To Be" - Tied Off? OSHA's "Subpart M" intended to standardize fall protection for the construction industry, but did not clearly define how those standards would apply to residential construction. At the request of industry associations, OSHA reconsidered the code and published an interim policy in December of 1995 which is considered to comply with Subpart M during residential roofing work where (1) the roof slope is 8-in-12 or less and (2) fall potential from lower eaves is 25 feet or less. Check with applicable state programs for inclusion of this optional federal change. If...

Flat Roofing Safety Single-unit (monolithic) roofing applied to flat roofs may seem “safer” to some roof workers, but the work is still at height and subject to many similar hazards and safety requirements as sloped roof work. Proper fall protection measures, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and adhering to safe work practices can protect workers from fall hazards. Roof workers installing, maintaining, or repairing flat roofs with a height more than 20 feet or using backward-pulling machinery, such as felt-layers need protection from falls. Fall protection measures can include one or a combination of the following: Personal fall protection Catch platforms Scaffold platforms Standard railings and toeboards Eave barriers Parapets 24...