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OSHA to Rescind Interim Fall Protection Enforcement Policy
 The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) intends to withdraw its interim enforcement policy on fall protection for certain residential construction activities, according to a statement made by Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Jordan Barab at the OSHA Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health (ACCSH) meeting on July 30.
The directive, OSHA STD 03-00-001 - STD 3-0.1A - “Plain Language Revision of OSHA Instruction STD 3.1, Interim Fall Protection Compliance Guidelines for Residential Construction,” was first issued in 1994.
In April 2008, NAHB asked OSHA to consider revoking the directive because it had created confusion in the residential construction industry over what fall protection methods and systems needed to be used to comply with OSHA standards. NAHB felt that it was extremely difficult for builders and trade contractors to locate, review and comprehend all of the information they needed to be in compliance.
NAHB also urged the agency to follow the fall protection regulations in §29 CFR Subpart M to continue to allow some flexibility to residential construction employers for providing fall protection systems.
“NAHB commends OSHA for taking this step to protect workers and for recognizing NAHB’s assertion that due to advances in fall protection equipment technology and construction methods, at this time the best action is to reevaluate this directive,” said NAHB Construction Safety and Health Committee Chairman Colin Campbell, a home builder from Charleston, S.C.
Home builders should be aware that the compliance enforcement policy will be changing, but they are encouraged to implement fall protection methods and systems on a continuous basis.
New information on the guidelines and enforcement policy will be published in Nation’s Building News as soon as it becomes available.
Barab did not specify exactly when OSHA will rescind the directive.
NAHB provides members and others in the residential construction industry with information, guidance and access to training resources to help them protect employees' health and safety. A variety of safety resources and guidebooks, including the English-Spanish NAHB Fall Protection Handbook and Fall Protection Video, are available through www.builderbooks.com/safety.
For more information on NAHB construction safety issues and training programs, e-mail Rob Matuga, or call him at 800-368-5242 x8507.
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