Job Site Safety and Fall Protection
Fall protection basics
MIOSHA adopts the federal construction standards. Employees exposed to falls of six feet or more must be protected by guardrails, safety nets or personal fall arrest. On residential roofs, conventional fall protection is required; on steep roofs (generally 4:12 and steeper) employees need fall protection, while warning lines and safety-monitoring systems are limited to low-slope work.
Anchors and equipment
Use a full-body harness with a shock-absorbing lanyard or self-retracting lifeline attached to a properly rated anchor. Keep anchor points high to minimize free fall, and inspect harnesses, lanyards and connectors before each use. Never tie off to a chimney, vent pipe, gutter or other unrated component.
Access
Ladders extend at least three feet above the landing, are set at roughly a 4:1 angle, and are secured at the top. Maintain three points of contact and do not carry loads while climbing.
Roof-level practices
Use roof jacks and staging on steep work, keep the deck clear of debris, and do not work on wet, frosted or icy shingles - Michigan winters make frost and ice a real hazard. Protect skylights and other openings with guardrails or covers that will support a worker.
Other hazards
Nail guns cause puncture injuries; keep fingers clear of the trigger and wear eye protection. Watch for heat stress in summer and cold stress in winter. Control cords and air hoses, and keep ground crews out of the drop zone. If asbestos or lead is suspected on an older roof, stop and arrange testing.
Rule of thumb
If a fall would put you more than six feet down, you need protection - and a harness not connected to a rated anchor provides none.