Steel erection fall protection

Employees on steel erection walking/working surfaces with an unprotected side or edge more than 15 feet above a lower level must be provided fall protection such as guardrails, safety nets, personal fall arrest, positioning device, or fall restraint systems.

• This is the basic trigger: an unprotected side or edge more than 15 feet (4.6 m) above a lower level.
• The exact requirement is set out in 1926.760(a)(1).

See also the general fall-protection equipment criteria in 1926.760(d) which requires that systems conform to 1926.502.

On multi-story structures, perimeter safety cables must be installed at the final interior and exterior perimeters of the floors as soon as the metal decking has been installed.

• Install perimeter safety cables immediately after the metal decking is in place at the final floor perimeters.
• Perimeter safety cables must meet the guardrail criteria described in 1926.760(d)(3) and the guardrail system criteria in 1926.502.

Reference: 1926.760(a)(2).

Connectors and employees working in Controlled Decking Zones (CDZs) are governed by the special rules in paragraphs (b) and (c) of 1926.760, respectively, rather than the general 15-foot rule.

• Connectors are covered by 1926.760(b), which includes height-based protection requirements and training.
• Employees in CDZs are subject to the CDZ rules in 1926.760(c), including access limits, demarcation, training, and decking attachment procedures.

See 1926.760(a)(3) for the exception to the general requirement.

Connectors working at heights greater than two stories or 30 feet (whichever is less) must be protected in accordance with [1926.760(a)(1)], meaning they must have guardrails, safety nets, personal fall arrest, positioning device, or fall restraint systems.

• The rule is in 1926.760(b)(1).
• For heights between over 15 feet and up to 30 feet, connectors must be provided and able to use a personal fall arrest system, positioning device system, or fall restraint system, or other means of protection consistent with 1926.760(a)(1) as described in 1926.760(b)(3).

Also note connectors must complete connector training under 1926.760(b)(2) and 1926.761.

Connectors must complete connector training in accordance with [1926.761].

• The requirement is stated in 1926.760(b)(2).
• See 1926.761 for the training criteria and content that steel-erection workers performing connector duties must receive.

Employers should ensure documentation and verification that each connector has successfully completed the required training before performing connector work.

For heights over 15 feet and up to 30 feet above a lower level, connectors must be provided with and be able to use a personal fall arrest system, positioning device system, or fall restraint system, or be provided other means of protection consistent with [1926.760(a)(1)].

• This rule appears in 1926.760(b)(3).
• Connectors must also have completed connector training per 1926.760(b)(2) and 1926.761.

Employers must provide the necessary equipment and ensure workers are able to tie off or use the protection provided.

A Controlled Decking Zone (CDZ) is a designated area over 15 and up to 30 feet above a lower level where metal decking is initially being installed and forms the leading edge of a work area; it may be established for that limited purpose.

• The CDZ concept and scope are described in 1926.760(c).
• CDZs are specifically for initial decking installation at leading edges and are subject to special access, demarcation, training, and attachment rules listed in 1926.760(c)(1)–(7).

Employees working at the leading edge in a CDZ must be protected from fall hazards greater than two stories or 30 feet (whichever is less), and access to the CDZ must be limited to only those employees engaged in leading-edge work.

• Protection requirement: 1926.760(c)(1).
• Access limitation: 1926.760(c)(2).

Only trained leading-edge workers may enter a CDZ; other trades or passersby should be kept out until the area is no longer a CDZ.

The boundaries of a CDZ must be clearly designated and marked by control lines or an equivalent method, and the CDZ may not be more than 90 feet wide and 90 feet deep from any leading edge.

• Demarcation and maximum size rules: 1926.760(c)(3).
• Employers can use control lines or equivalent visual barriers; examples of acceptable procedures are referenced in Appendix D of the subpart.

Keep CDZs as small as practical and ensure the markings are visible and enforced.

Inside a CDZ, employees must have completed CDZ training; unsecured (unattached) decking cannot exceed 3,000 square feet; safety deck attachments must be performed from the leading edge back to the control line with at least two attachments per metal decking panel; and final deck attachments and shear connector installation are prohibited in the CDZ.

• Training: 1926.760(c)(4) and 1926.761.
• Unsecured decking limit: 1926.760(c)(5).
• Attachment procedure and two attachments per panel: 1926.760(c)(6).
• Prohibition on final deck attachments and shear connectors: 1926.760(c)(7).

These measures reduce leading-edge hazards until decking is fully secured.

Guardrail systems, safety net systems, personal fall arrest systems, positioning devices, and their components must conform to the criteria in [1926.502].

• The requirement is stated in 1926.760(d)(1).
• Fall arrest components used in fall restraint systems must also conform to [1926.502] as specified in 1926.760(d)(2).

Always select and use systems and components that meet the detailed strength, anchorage, and installation criteria in 1926.502.

Perimeter safety cables must meet the criteria for guardrail systems as specified in [1926.502].

• This specific requirement is in 1926.760(d)(3).
• Refer to 1926.502 for minimum height, strength, toprail/midrail details, and installation guidance.

Ensure perimeter safety cables are installed and anchored to achieve the performance required of a guardrail system.

Yes — components designed for fall arrest may be used in fall restraint systems, but they must conform to the criteria in [1926.502].

• This permission and the requirement are in 1926.760(d)(2).
• When using arrest components for restraint, verify the component ratings, connectors, and anchorage meet 1926.502 criteria for the intended use.

Do not mix incompatible components or use equipment outside manufacturer specifications.

Yes — either body belts or body harnesses may be used in fall restraint systems under this standard.

• The provision allowing either is stated in 1926.760(d).
• Remember that body belts are not acceptable for personal fall arrest systems; they are permitted only for restraint per the standard and applicable criteria in 1926.502.

Always follow the system-specific requirements in 1926.502 and manufacturer instructions.

Fall protection provided by the steel erector may remain for use by other trades only if the controlling contractor or its authorized representative directs the steel erector to leave it in place and has inspected and accepted control and responsibility for that fall protection before allowing others to work there.

• Requirements: 1926.760(e)(1)–(2).
• Both conditions must be met: (1) formal direction to leave the protective systems in place, and (2) inspection and acceptance of responsibility by the controlling contractor.

This ensures accountability and that the systems remain suitable and maintained when other trades use them.

Unsecured decking in a CDZ must not exceed 3,000 square feet (914.4 m2).

• This numeric limit is specified in 1926.760(c)(5).

Plan decking installation so unsecured areas stay below this limit and secure panels per 1926.760(c)(6).

Safety deck attachments in a CDZ must be performed from the leading edge back to the control line, and there must be at least two attachments for each metal decking panel.

• This procedure and the two-attachment requirement are in 1926.760(c)(6).
• This sequence reduces the area of unsecured decking and secures panels progressively toward the interior.

Do not perform final deck attachments or shear connector installation in the CDZ per 1926.760(c)(7).

No — final deck attachments and installation of shear connectors are not permitted to be performed in a CDZ.

• This prohibition is stated in 1926.760(c)(7).

These operations must be carried out after the deck is outside the CDZ or otherwise secured per the standard.

Acceptable procedures for demarcating CDZs can be found in Appendix D to the subpart referenced by the steel erection standard.

• The standard points employers to Appendix D for examples of acceptable CDZ demarcation procedures (1926.760(c)).
• In practice, control lines, flags, stanchions, or other visible barriers that clearly mark the CDZ boundary are commonly used.

Consult Appendix D of the subpart for pictorial examples and employer-friendly guidance.

Yes — fall protection systems used in steel erection must meet the criteria in [1926.502], which sets the strength, anchorage, and installation requirements for guardrails, safety nets, and fall arrest/positioning systems.

• This requirement is explicitly stated in 1926.760(d)(1).
• Perimeter safety cables are also required to meet guardrail criteria in [1926.502] per 1926.760(d)(3).

Always follow the detailed performance and installation rules in 1926.502 when selecting and installing equipment.

Before non-steel-erection workers use fall protection left by the steel erector, the controlling contractor must direct that the fall protection be left in place and must inspect and accept control and responsibility for it.

• These steps are required by 1926.760(e)(1)–(2).
• The controlling contractor’s inspection should verify the systems are in proper condition, meet applicable criteria, and are suitable for the other trades’ work.

Do not allow other trades to use steel-erector fall protection until these conditions are satisfied.

Employees working in CDZs must complete Controlled Decking Zone (CDZ) training as specified in [1926.760(c)(4)] and the training criteria and content are set forth in [1926.761].

• Training requirement: 1926.760(c)(4).
• Training standard and curriculum details: 1926.761.

Employers must ensure workers receive and can demonstrate completion of the required CDZ training before they perform leading-edge decking work.

No — a CDZ may only be established in areas over 15 and up to 30 feet where metal decking is initially being installed and only the CDZ-specific protections and limits apply to employees inside it; connectors still have specific protection and training requirements under [1926.760(b)].

• CDZ scope and limits: 1926.760(c).
• Connector protections and training obligations remain in 1926.760(b), including protection requirements above two stories or 30 feet and required connector training in 1926.761.

A CDZ is a narrowly defined exception with its own controls — it does not eliminate connector protections or training.

If employers use fall arrest components in fall restraint systems, those components must conform to the criteria in [1926.502].

• This requirement is stated in 1926.760(d)(2).
• Verify compatibility, component ratings, and anchorage meet the 1926.502 specifications for the intended use.

Avoid mixing incompatible equipment and ensure workers are trained in the proper use of the restraint system.