Phase-in for New Fall Protection

OSHA has announced a three month phase-in period to allow residential construction employers to comply with the agency’s new directive to provide residential construction workers with fall protection.

The three month phase-in period runs June 16Sept. 15, 2011. During this time, if the employer is in full compliance with the old directive (STD 03-00-001), OSHA will not issue citations. The agency will instead issue a hazard alert letter informing the employer of feasible methods the employer can use to comply with the new fall protection directive or implement a written fall protection plan. If the employer’s practices do not meet the requirements set in the old directive, OSHA will issue appropriate citations.

If an employer fails to implement the fall protection measures outlined in a hazard letter, and during a subsequent inspection of one of the employer’s workplaces OSHA finds violations involving the same standards, the agency will issue appropriate citations.

To view the directive, Compliance Guidance for Residential Construction (STD 03-11-002), a fall protection slide presentation and other guidance materials on complying with the standard: www.osha.gov/doc/residential_fall_protection.html