Lifts: Depending on the building layout and the

tasks involved, lifts (e.g., scissor, aerial) may be an

option for roofing work near the edge. Lifts provide stable, elevated platforms from which workers can operate safely. For small tasks, aerial lifts

might be more efficient than installing scaffolds.

Plus, aerial lifts are a practical way to get to a customized height above or below the roof level.

Care must be taken when loading material. Do

not overload the lift. For more information on the

safe operation of aerial and scissor lifts, refer to

29 CFR 1926.453, Aerial Lifts and 29 CFR

1926.452(w), Mobile Scaffolds.

Scaffolds: When properly constructed and used,

external scaffolds can provide suitable protection

for roof repairs along the edge of the roof. Pumpjack scaffolds offer a secure platform from which

to work and can be raised and lowered for specific

tasks, such as working from underneath the

eaves. Guardrails installed along the open side of

the scaffold provide fall protection. For other

requirements for scaffolds, refer to 29 CFR 1926

Subpart L-Scaffolds.

Working Higher Up on the Roof

Scaffolds: When working farther up on the roof

and beyond arm’s reach, scaffolds can still provide fall protection if they are properly constructed. The top rail may have to extend higher than

45 inches above the roof surface to adequately

protect workers from falls. For other requirements

on how to build a secure scaffold, refer to the 29

CFR 1926 Subpart L – Scaffolds. 

Personal Fall Arrest System (PFAS): A PFAS is

another tool available to roofers during repair

jobs. In fact, a PFAS is usually the system of

choice for most roofers. A breakdown in any of

these parts could be disastrous for a worker.

Risks During Roof Repair

Roofers typically work at heights that put them at

risk for falls. Workers making roof repairs face the

same hazards, but they can be at increased risk if

the roof shows signs of lost integrity or if they are

uncertain how to use fall protection on a roof that

is already weatherproofed. The employer shall

provide a training program for each worker who

might be exposed to fall hazards. The program

shall enable each worker to recognize the hazards

of falling and shall train each worker in the procedures to be followed in order 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. For patching and repair

jobs, roofers have several options, including 

scaffolding, aerial lifts and various types of 

conventional fall protection. The best choice

depends on where the repair is needed and on

the type of building. 

How to Reduce Risk

Structural Integrity

Employers must determine the structural integrity

of the roof and take all necessary precautions to

protect the workers before repairs begin. If workers notice signs of structural deterioration (e.g.,

dry rot) as old weatherproofing is removed, a

competent person should evaluate the area. 

At the Roof’s Edge

Access from stable platforms: When the damaged

section of roof is along an edge, a roofer can work

from a scaffold or aerial lift. Regardless of the

condition of the roof, this equipment provides

safe, stable work platforms from which the worker

can reach the area to be repaired. 

FactSheet

Reducing Falls During Residential

Construction: Roof Repair

Residential roof repair requires workers to operate on existing, largely intact roofs.

These roofs are rarely designed with fall protection in mind, so roofers making repairs

must plan ahead and take steps to reduce the risk of falls. This fact sheet describes

several fall protection methods that contractors can incorporate into roof repair jobs 

so that roofers can work safely.
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. 

For more information on the requirements for a

PFAS, refer to 29 CFR 1926.502(d).

Remember that for fall arrest systems, workers

must use full-body harnesses. Body belts can

cause serious injury during a fall and so OSHA

prohibits their use as part of fall arrest systems.

Installing, Finding and Using Anchors

Unlike other roofing jobs, patching and repair

involves otherwise intact roofs. Selecting a location to install an anchor is a critical step in avoiding a fatal fall. An anchor gives the worker a

secure point to tie off the lifeline for a fall arrest

system. Most of the time, existing residential

roofs will not have permanent anchors available

for use as fall protection. However, a qualified 

person should survey the roof to confirm that this

is the case. An anchor for a fall arrest system

must meet the 5,000-pound strength requirement

or maintain a safety factor of at least two (twice

the impact load) under supervision of a qualified

person [29 CFR 1926.502(d)(15)]. 

Identifying existing anchors: Inspect the ridge 

cap and last rows of shingles for permanently

installed anchors. This activity should be performed from ground level. If present, these may

be fastened to the top chord or other frame part

during construction. Anchors could also have

been installed with the original roof, using a lowprofile style sometimes painted to match the roof

color (making it less obvious from the ground). 

When available, existing anchors might be effective points for a worker to tie off. Before using

them as tie-off points, have a qualified person

inspect them to make sure they can support the

weight of a falling worker. The qualified person

should make sure that the anchor is solid, unbent,

and well-fixed into the wood frame below. See 29

CFR 1926 Subpart M, Appendix C, for guidance

about testing anchorage points.

Existing anchors are rare, but they may become

more common as builders embrace practices that

“design out” safety hazards. 

In its Prevention Through Design program, the

National Institute for Occupational Safety and

Health (NIOSH) promotes construction practices

that minimize risks to workers early in the design

process.

Retrofit with anchors: If the roof was not fitted

with permanent anchors, employers can install

them as the first phase of the job. This retrofit

process should be planned so that the roof

remains intact and does not leak after the job is

completed. It will likely be necessary to replace

an additional shingle or reset a couple shingles

or tiles. If attaching a new anchor, roofers must

fix it to the truss or rafter structure underneath.

Roof sheathing does not provide enough support by itself.

Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions,

or consult a professional engineer, for proper

installation. Here are some anchor options that

could be used, depending on the roof design:

• Peak anchor: At the apex of the roof, peak

anchors are typically solid, unmoving pieces
secured to the trusses underneath.

• Permanent D-rings: Inexpensive D-ring anchors

attached to the truss frame that can be

removed after the job is done, or left permanently on the roof.

Consider the anchor location: Depending on the

roof design, some roofers choose the peak of

the roof, directly over a truss. There, it will be

above the worker and it will be easy to replace 

a small section of the ridge cap if the anchor is

removed when the job is complete. Always 

follow the anchor manufacturer’s installation

instructions. See 29 CFR 1926 Subpart M, Fall

Protection, for more information and additional

requirements for anchor installation and use.

Add anchor points: Depending on the size of the

repair job and the number of workers who need

to be on the roof, it might be necessary to install

more than one anchor. 

An engineered horizontal lifeline is another 

way to increase the area in which a worker is

protected. The system should be installed 

following the manufacturer’s instructions or

under the supervision of a qualified person.

Leave anchors in place: Where practical, consider leaving roof anchors in place. It will make the

current job simpler and reduce the burden for

roofers in the future. 

Safe Roof Repair – Important Steps

• Before beginning the job, focus on identifying

fall protection needs.

• Guard against falls through skylights or other

roof openings. Use a guardrail system, PFAS or

protective cover that will support two times the

weight of a worker.

• If necessary to protect workers below from

falling debris, set up a work zone while roofers

remove old roofing materials from the repair

area.

• 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.

• Remember to place any removed shingles or

replacement tiles in a safe location. If unsecured,

these materials can visually blend in against the

roof and create a dangerous trip hazard. 

• New materials staged on the roof should be

placed so that they are safe and secure.

Written Fall Protection Plans

If the employer does not use ladders, scaffolds, 

or aerial lifts, 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) when working at heights of 

6 feet or greater, the employer must develop a

written site-specific fall protection plan in accord

with 29 CFR 1926.502(k). The plan must be 

prepared by a qualified person as defined by 29

CFR 1926.32(m). This person could be the owner,

the supervisor, or a worker who has extensive

knowledge, training and experience with fall protection and is able to solve problems relating to

fall protection. States with OSHA-approved State

Plans may have additional requirements for 

written fall protection plans.

The site-specific fall protection plan must 

document at 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. Written sitespecific fall protection plans ensure that protection

continues, even when conventional fall protection

methods are determined to not be feasible.
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-3479 9/2011

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

OSHA standard: 

29 CFR 1926 Subpart M – Fall Protection 

Available online at

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

document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=10922

OSHA Residential Fall Protection Web Page

http://www.osha.gov/doc/residential_fall_

protection.html

OSHA Compliance Guidance:

Compliance Guidance for Residential 

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

Available online at

http://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 within State Plans. For more

information on these requirements, please visit:

http://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 safety and health management 

systems. To locate the OSHA On-site Consultation

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

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

index.html

NIOSH Prevention Through Design

Program

Available online at

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ptd