of the roof and take all necessary precautions 

to protect the workers before the job begins 

(29 CFR 1926.501(a)(2)). If workers notice signs 

of structural deterioration (for example, dry rot), 

a competent person should evaluate the area.

Other considerations for a safe construction site:

• Guard against falls through skylights or other

roof openings. Use a guardrail system, a personal fall arrest system (PFAS), or a protective

cover that will support two times the weight that

may be imposed on it at any one time. For additional information on protecting workers around

skylight and other roof openings, refer to 29 CFR

1926.501(b)(4) and 29 CFR 1926.502(i).

• Appropriate footwear is important personal protective equipment on any construction site, but

it is critical during roof demolition. A nail or

shingle-removal tool injury can cause a worker

to lose concentration and fall.

• Workers should be careful of air hoses and

power cords for nail guns and other electrical

equipment. If a worker steps on one, hoses and

cords can slip underfoot and lead to falls.

Staging Material

Loose material and hand-held equipment can 

create tripping hazards on the roof surface. To

minimize exposure to fall hazards, employers can

stage materials so that workers on the roof have

quick and safe access to them. While handling

material on the roof, the worker should hold the

material on the side of his or her body that faces

the down-sloped edge to prevent being struck by

the materials if they are dropped. Material can

also be staged so it cannot slide off the roof edge

and potentially strike a worker on the ground.

Slide guards can help to keep material from 

Risks During Re-Roofing

Workers replacing roofs risk permanent injury or

death from falls while they demolish old roofs

and install new roofing material (for example,

shingles, tiles, or slate). Even experienced roofers

are exposed to unpredictable fall hazards caused

by uneven sheathing, sudden gusts of wind, loose

roofing materials, and surfaces that become slick

when wet. Taking appropriate fall protection

measures reduces risks and saves lives. 

The employer must provide a training program

for each worker who might be exposed to fall 

hazards. The program must enable each worker 

to recognize the hazards of falling and train each

worker in the procedures to follow to minimize

these hazards. For fall protection training requirements, refer to 29 CFR 1926.503. In all cases,

employers must evaluate the hazards and take

measures to reduce the risk of falls.

More than one-third of fall deaths in residential

construction are caused by falls from roofs.

Safe Roofing Practices: Important Steps

Before beginning the job, focus on identifying fall

protection needs. Survey the roof to determine if

there are pre-installed anchorages available that

can be used. If not, then plan immediately to 

identify those systems needed to protect workers

from falls and have them in place before the

workers report to the job.

Reducing Risks:

Determining Structural Integrity

Many workers have been injured when the roofs

they were working on collapsed from under them.

Employers must determine the structural integrity

FactSheet

Reducing Falls During Residential

Construction: Re-Roofing

Re-roofing exposes workers to the hazards of demolition work at heights. With the 

proper fall protection, the risk of serious falls can be substantially reduced. This fact

sheet highlights some of the hazards workers encounter during re-roofing and lists

some practical methods employers can use to protect workers who replace roofs. 

The fall protection methods in this fact sheet may not be suitable in all situations.

Employers are responsible for ensuring compliance with applicable OSHA requirements.
sliding off the roof. Establishing a restricted area

around the perimeter of the project can also keep

workers out of the danger zone where debris,

tools or materials may fall to the ground. The area

should be posted with signs that warn of the

potential hazard.

Protect Workers on the Ground

During the demolition phase, protect workers 

on the ground from falling debris by controlling

how debris leaves the roof. Consider using an 

all-terrain forklift to elevate a disposal box to the

roof level. This method makes cleanup after the

job particularly easy.

Using the Right Equipment 

Employers must provide roofers fall protection

equipment that meets OSHA requirements 

whenever they work 6 feet or more above a lower

level. There are fall protection systems available

that can provide roofers the flexibility they need

during demolition and roof installation. Some are

more efficient than others because, in many

cases, the employer can use the same system for

both processes. Each phase of roof replacement

has different challenges, but the risk of falling

remains constant. Contractors may be able to 

protect their workers using the following equipment:

• Personal fall arrest systems;

• Guardrails; or

• Ladders.

Note: Fall protection requirements for residential

construction work performed on ladders are in

Subpart X, not in 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(13).

Providing Fall Protection for the 

Whole Job 

Personal fall arrest system: A PFAS is a tool 

available to roofers during replacement jobs. In

fact, a PFAS is the system of choice for many

roofers. However, a breakdown in any component

of a PFAS could be disastrous for a worker.

Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions on

selecting, installing and using PFAS components

correctly. Some PFASs include special elevated

anchor assemblies that permit the system to 

protect workers even when they stand near the

anchor locations. Certain anchorage assemblies

rotate or offer extension arms to improve mobility

and prevent lifelines from contacting the roof 

surface. This is particularly useful during roof

demolition when a line could catch on a nail or

debris. 

Personal Fall Arrest System (PFAS)

A PFAS is designed to safely stop a fall before

the worker strikes a lower level. It includes three

major components: 

A. An anchorage to which the other components

of the PFAS are rigged.

B. A full body harness worn by the worker.

C. A connector, such as a lanyard or lifeline, linking the harness to the anchorage. A rip-stitch

lanyard, or deceleration device, is typically a

part of the system. 

Horizontal Lifeline

For more information on the requirements for a

PFAS, refer to 29 CFR 1926.502(d).

Remember that workers must use full-body 

harnesses in fall arrest systems. Body belts can

cause serious injury during a fall, and OSHA 

prohibits their use as part of fall arrest systems.

Horizontal lifeline: An engineered horizontal 

lifeline system, when used as part of a PFAS, is

another way to increase the area in which a worker is protected. Install the system following the

manufacturer’s instructions and under the supervision of a qualified person. Horizontal lifelines

must be designed to maintain a safety factor of 

at least two (twice the impact load). For requirements for horizontal lifelines, refer to 29 CFR

1926.502(d)(8). 

Rope grabs: Instead of attaching themselves 

to a fixed anchor, workers may be able to use

adjustable rope grabs, another available component of a PFAS. This inexpensive and very popular

system is the fall protection system of choice for

many roofers. Rope grabs allow workers to adjust

the length of the lifeline and can be useful when

workers are moving about the roof frequently. 

The anchored ropes can be as long as necessary,
making this form of fall protection highly versatile.

Roofers who use rope grabs need to constantly

take up the slack out of the line. Too much slack

could allow a worker to free fall more than six feet

off the roof if they slip. Training and monitoring

are critical to the safe use of rope grabs.

Rope Grab: Ensure that a stopping mechanism

prevents workers using rope grabs from backing

down over the roof edge. This mechanism could

be an added attachment or a simple knot in the

rope.

Fall Restraint: While fall restraint systems are not

mentioned in OSHA’s fall protection rules, OSHA

will accept a properly utilized fall restraint system

instead of a personal fall arrest system when the

restraint system is rigged so that the worker 

cannot get to the fall hazard. In effect, (if properly

used) the system tethers a worker in a manner

that will not allow a fall of any distance. A fall

restraint system is comprised of a body belt or

body harness, an anchorage, connectors, and

other necessary equipment. Other components

typically include a lanyard, and may also include 

a lifeline and other devices.

Always follow the manufacturer's instructions 

or consult a qualified person to ensure proper

installation of anchor points. Fall restraint may be

a viable way to provide fall protection in situations

in which the employer has concerns about the

adequacy of available anchorage points for fall

arrest equipment.

Temporary guardrails: Removeable guardrail 

systems can offer roofers effective protection

when installed around the roof perimeter. Always

follow the manufacturer’s instructions or consult a

qualified person, as defined by 29 CFR 1926.32(m),

for proper guardrail installation. This person could

be the owner, the supervisor, or any other worker

who has extensive knowledge, training and experience with fall protection and is able to solve

problems relating to fall protection. For requirements for guardrails, refer to 29 CFR 1926.502(b)-

Guardrail Systems. 

Other considerations: Some employers have

found success in eliminating fall hazards by using

scaffolds and aerial lifts when site conditions permit their use. Fall protection requirements performed on scaffolds and aerial lifts can be found

in 29 CFR 1926 Subpart L – Scaffolds.

Attaching Anchors

OSHA requires that anchors for PFASs be able to

hold at least 5,000 pounds of weight per person or

maintain a safety factor of at least two (twice the

impact load) under the supervision of a qualified

person. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions or consult a qualified person when installing

anchors to ensure they are strong enough to hold

the sudden weight of a falling worker. OSHA

believes that anchorages available on the market

will meet the strength requirements if they are

installed as per the manufacturer’s instructions,

with the right number of properly sized nails or

screws through the roof sheathing and into one 

or more roof trusses.

When choosing an anchor to use for fall protection, employers have a number of options; for

example,

• Peak anchor: At the top of the roof, peak anchors

are typically solid, non-moving pieces secured

to the trusses underneath. 

• Permanent D-rings: Inexpensive D-ring anchors

can be attached to the truss frame; they can be

left permanently on the roof for future use.

Install an anchor above the area being built:

Choose an anchor that is appropriate for the type

of roof and anchor location. Depending on the

roof design, the best location might be at the peak

of the roof, directly over a truss.

Consider leaving anchors in place: Where practical, employers may consider leaving anchors in

place. This can make the current job simpler and

reduce the burden for roofers in the future.

Written Fall Protection Plans

When working at heights of 6 feet or greater, if the

employer does not use ladders, scaffolds, aerial

lifts or fall restraint systems and can demonstrate

that it is not feasible or would create a greater

hazard to use conventional fall protection equipment (guardrails, safety nets or PFAS), the

employer must develop a written site-specific fall
This is one in a series of informational fact sheets highlighting OSHA programs, policies or 

standards. It does not impose any new compliance requirements. For a comprehensive list of 

compliance requirements of OSHA standards or regulations, refer to Title 29 of the Code of Federal

Regulations. This information will be made available to sensory-impaired individuals upon request.

The voice phone is (202) 693-1999; teletypewriter (TTY) number: (877) 889-5627.

DOC FS-3503 1/2012

U.S. Department of Labor

www.osha.gov (800) 321-OSHA (6742)

For assistance, contact us. We can help. It’s confidential.

Occupational

Safety and Health

Administration

protection plan in accord with 29 CFR 1926.502(k).

The plan must be prepared by a qualified person.

This person could be the owner, the supervisor,

or any other worker who has extensive knowledge, training and experience with fall protection

and is able to solve problems relating to fall 

protection. 

The site-specific fall protection plan must 

document, for each location, why the use of 

conventional fall protection equipment is not 

feasible or will create a greater hazard. The plan

must also describe the alternative methods that

the employer will use so that workers are 

protected from falls. Workers and their supervisors must be trained on the proper use of those

other fall protection methods. 

Conventional fall protection equipment can

reduce or eliminate the chances of a fatal fall.

Otherwise, a written site-specific fall protection

plan ensures that protection continues, even

when conventional fall protection methods are

determined to not be feasible. 

OSHA Standard: 

29 CFR 1926 Subpart M – Fall Protection 

Available online at

www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_

document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=10922.

OSHA Residential Fall Protection Web Page:

www.osha.gov/doc/topics/residentialprotection/

index.html.

OSHA Compliance Guidance:

Compliance Guidance for Residential 

Construction – STD 03-11-002 (dated 12/16/2010)

Available online at

www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_

document?p_table=DIRECTIVES&p_id=4755.

State Plan Guidance: States with OSHA-approved

state plans may have additional requirements for

Residential Roofing. For more information on

these requirements, please visit:

www.osha.gov/dcsp/osp/statestandards.html. 

Help for Employers: OSHA’s On-site Consultation

Program offers free and confidential advice to

small and medium-sized businesses in all states

across the country, with priority given to highhazard worksites. On-site Consultation services

are separate from enforcement and do not result

in penalties or citations. Consultants from state

agencies or universities work with employers to

identify workplace hazards, provide advice on

compliance with OSHA standards and assist in

establishing injury and illness prevention 

programs. To locate the OSHA Consultation

Program nearest you, call 1-800-321-OSHA (6742)

or visit www.osha.gov/dcsp/smallbusiness/

index.html.

Almost every OSHA area office has a Compliance

Assistance Specialist to assist employers in 

complying with OSHA standards. To find the

Compliance Assistance Specialist nearest you,

call 1-800-321-OSHA (6742) or visit:

www.osha.gov/html/RAmap.html.