5 feet.
Trenches 5 feet (1.5 meters) deep or greater require a protective system unless the excavation is made entirely in stable rock. If less than 5 feet deep, a competent person may determine that a protective system is not required.
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At what depth do you need fall protection?
6 feet
Each employee at the edge of a well, pit, shaft, and similar excavation 6 feet (1.8 m) or more in depth shall be protected from falling by guardrail systems, fences, barricades, or covers.
When a trench is 4 feet or more in depth?
A stairway, ladder, ramp or other safe means of egress shall be located in trench excavations that are 4 feet (1.22 m) or more in depth so as to require no more than 25 feet (7.62 m) of lateral travel for employees.
Do you need fall protection around a trench?
Under these provisions, if the trench is not readily visible because of plant growth or other visual barrier, fall protection is required.
What size hole requires a cover?
First, §1926.501(b)(4)(i) requires that employees be protected from falling through holes more than 6 feet by fall arrest systems, guardrails or covers. So, if a hole is more than 6 feet deep, one of these protection systems must be used.
At what height does OSHA require fall protection?
OSHA requires that fall protection be provided at elevations of four feet in general industry workplaces, five feet in shipyards, six feet in the construction industry and eight feet in longshoring operations.
What is considered a hole by OSHA?
OSHA’s construction fall protection rule, 29 CFR Subpart M §1926.500, defines these terms as follows: “Hole means a gap or void 2 inches (5.1 cm) or more in its least dimension, in a floor, roof, or other walking/working surface.”
At what depth does a trench require shoring?
five feet deep
Depth of trench If the trench is five feet deep or more it must be shored or sloped. If there is a possibility of soil movement, even shallower trenches have to be shored.
Is fall protection needed in excavation?
Excavations. Each employee at the edge of an excavation, pit, well, or shaft 6 feet or more in depth shall be protected from falling by guardrail systems, fences, barricades, or covers.
Is a trench box and a trench shield the same thing?
What’s the difference between a trench box, shore box and a trench shield? Nothing. They are all terms used to refer to the same common type of trench protective system. A trench box, or trench shield, protects the workers inside it in the event of a trench wall collapse.
What is the 6 foot rule in construction?
The “6-foot” rule is a general rule of thumb in the construction industry. Basically, it requires that fall protection be provided when work occurs at heights of six feet or greater above a lower level.
What is work at height as per OSHA?
‘Work at height’ means work in any place where, if there were no precautions in place, a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury (for example a fall through a fragile roof down an unprotected lift shaft, stairwells).
When did OSHA require fall protection?
In 1994, OSHA instituted the Subpart M Fall Protection Standard for construction workplaces and their different needs. The standard applies to employees working at a height of 6-feet or higher.
How many feet should warning lines be flagged?
The warning line must be marked at least every 6 feet with high-visibility material and remain between 34”-39” from walking or working spaces.
What are the 3 requirements for a hole cover?
➢ Covers for holes in floors and working surfaces must meet the following requirements: ➢ Capable of supporting at least twice the maximum load expected to cross over the cover. ➢ Shall be secured when installed to prevent displacement. ➢ Shall be marked with word “HOLE” or “COVER”.
What material is never appropriate to use as a hole cover?
Never use paper, cardboard, a tarp, or other soft material to cover a floor hole.
At what height do I need to wear a harness?
Personal Fall Arrest Systems
OSHA requires workers to wear a full-body harness, (one part of a Personal Fall Arrest System) when they are working on a suspended scaffold more than 10 feet above the working surface, or when they are working in bucket truck or aerial lift.
What is the minimum height for using safety belt?
8. If working with your feet 6 feet (1.8 meters) or more above the floor, harnesses shall be used whenever a suitable anchor point is available.
How high can you go on a ladder without fall protection?
24 feet
Although personal fall protection is required for workers exposed to a potential fall from an unprotected edge of six feet or more, fall protection is not required for workers on fixed ladders 24 feet or less, or on portable ladders of any height.
How does OSHA define fall protection?
Fall protection means any equipment, device, or system that prevents an employee from falling from an elevation or mitigates the effect of such a fall.
What is the minimum walkway width for OSHA?
A minimum width of 18 inches is acceptable for a walkway used for maintenance and gaining access to equipment and would comply with the intent of Section 1910.37, OSHA General Industry Standards.