Debris chute safety requirements

No — under 1926.852(a), material may not be dropped to any point outside the exterior walls of the structure unless the area is effectively protected. See the requirement in 1926.852(a).

• Practical steps to meet "effectively protected" include establishing barricades, exclusion zones, overhead protection, or other controls that prevent people from being struck by falling debris, but the standard requires that the outside area be protected before dropping material.

Chutes that are angled more than 45° from horizontal must be entirely enclosed except for limited floor-level openings, and those openings must meet specific size and closure rules. See 1926.852(b).

• Openings are permitted only for inserting materials and must be equipped with closures at or about floor level.
• Each such opening must not exceed 48 inches in height measured along the chute wall.
• At all stories below the top floor, those openings must be kept closed when not in use.

The maximum allowed height for chute openings used to insert materials is 48 inches measured along the wall of the chute. See the dimensional limit in 1926.852(b).

• Remember the openings must also have closures at or about floor level and be kept closed on lower stories when not in use.

A substantial gate must be installed at or near the chute discharge end, and a competent employee must be assigned to control the gate and to control backing and loading of trucks. See 1926.852(c).

• That assigned employee should manage when the gate opens and coordinate truck positioning to prevent accidents at the discharge area.

When operations are not in progress, the area surrounding the discharge end of the chute must be securely closed off. See 1926.852(d).

• "Securely closed off" typically means restricting access with barricades, locked gates, or other effective means to prevent unauthorized entry into the hazard zone until operations resume.

Any chute opening into which workmen dump debris must be protected by a substantial guardrail about 42 inches above the dumping surface, and any space between the chute and floor openings must be solidly covered. See 1926.852(e).

• The 42-inch guardrail protects workers from falls while dumping.
• Any gap between the chute and the floor opening must be solidly covered to prevent slips, trips, or objects falling through.

A securely attached toeboard or bumper not less than 4 inches thick and 6 inches high must be provided at each chute opening where material is dumped from mechanical equipment or wheelbarrows. See the dimensional requirement in 1926.852(f).

• This toeboard/bumper helps stop wheeled equipment from rolling into the chute opening and prevents sudden uncontrolled discharges.

Debris chutes must be designed and constructed so they will not fail from the impact of materials or debris loaded into them. See the strength requirement in 1926.852(g).

• Design should account for repeated impacts and dynamic loads from falling material; use construction materials and fastening methods that prevent failure under expected service conditions.

No — openings must be limited to the permitted insertion openings and any space between the chute and floor openings must be solidly covered when workers are dumping material. See 1926.852(b) and 1926.852(e).

• Keep non-use openings closed (on lower stories) and ensure any seams or gaps are covered to prevent falls and falling-object hazards.

Yes — 1926.852(c) requires that a competent employee be assigned to control the operation of the gate and to control the backing and loading of trucks at the discharge end. See 1926.852(c).

• This means one designated competent employee should coordinate gate operation and truck movements to ensure safe material discharge and to prevent strikes or overloads.

You must securely close off the area surrounding the discharge end of the chute when operations are not in progress, and keep chute openings closed when not in use on lower stories. See 1926.852(d) and 1926.852(b).

• Practical measures include locking or boarding gates, posting clear signage, placing barricades around the drop zone, and ensuring the assigned competent employee secures the discharge gate before leaving.

Yes — 1926.852(e) requires a substantial 42-inch guardrail and solid covers for spaces where workers dump debris by hand, while 1926.852(f) additionally requires a securely attached toeboard or bumper at each chute opening where material is dumped from mechanical equipment or wheelbarrows. See 1926.852(e) and 1926.852(f).

• In summary: hand dumping requires guardrail and covers; wheelbarrows/mechanical equipment require guardrail plus the specified toeboard/bumper (≥4 inches thick and 6 inches high).

Yes — 1926.852(g) requires chutes to be designed and constructed of sufficient strength to eliminate failure from impact of materials or debris, which means you must choose materials and construction methods that withstand expected loading conditions. See 1926.852(g).

• Use materials (steel, reinforced plastic, or adequately built timber) and fastening systems rated for dynamic impact loads; follow manufacturer guidance or engineering calculations appropriate to the debris types and drop heights.

Yes — employers must assess workplace hazards and provide appropriate PPE (and a written certification if PPE will be required) for workers who load or work near debris chutes. See the PPE hazard assessment interpretation at https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2024-03-28 and general chute requirements in 1926.852.

• The hazard assessment should consider falling-object risk, airborne dust, asbestos or other hazardous materials in the debris, and physical hazards from equipment.
• If PPE is required, the employer must select PPE appropriate to the assessed hazards and provide a written certification of the hazard assessment per the PPE interpretation.

Yes — when debris chutes are used during demolition or remediation where asbestos-containing building materials may be present, employers must follow asbestos-specific requirements and controls in addition to the chute rules. See the asbestos interpretation at https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2024-11-14 and the chute requirements in 1926.852.

• For asbestos work, the construction asbestos standard (29 CFR 1926.1101) applies and may require exposure assessments, negative exposure assessments, specific respirators, engineering controls, regulated areas, and trained workers as described in the asbestos interpretation.
• Employers should integrate chute operations into the asbestos project controls (containment, decontamination, monitoring) and follow respirator selection and medical surveillance rules when required.

No — 1926.852(b) requires that chute openings at all stories below the top floor be kept closed when not in use. See 1926.852(b).

• This reduces the exposure of workers and passersby to falling materials and prevents accidental falls through unused openings.

A substantial gate must be installed at or near the discharge end and a competent employee must control gate operation and truck loading; when operations are not in progress, the discharge area must be securely closed off. See 1926.852(c) and 1926.852(d).

• Use physical barriers, signs, lockable gates, and an assigned employee to control truck movements and gate operation to prevent unauthorized or accidental entry to the discharge zone.

The guardrail protecting workers who dump debris into a chute must be approximately 42 inches above the floor or surface on which they stand. See the guardrail requirement in 1926.852(e).

• "Approximately 42 inches" aligns with standard guardrail heights used across OSHA standards to protect against falls at floor openings.

Yes — 1926.852(f) requires a securely attached toeboard or bumper at each chute opening where material is dumped from mechanical equipment or wheelbarrows, and the specified minimum dimensions (at least 4 inches thick and 6 inches high) apply to those openings regardless of whether they are temporary or permanent. See 1926.852(f).

• Ensure the toeboard/bumper is firmly attached and sized as required to prevent vehicles or equipment from accidentally entering the chute opening.

An employer should ensure the chute is designed and constructed for sufficient impact strength so it will not fail under expected loads; verification can include engineering design, manufacturer specifications, and inspections that demonstrate adequate construction per 1926.852(g). See 1926.852(g).

• Keep documentation of design calculations, manufacturer load ratings, or inspection records showing the chute meets expected impact loads, and perform routine inspections for damage, loose fasteners, or wear that could compromise strength.

The standard requires that openings be equipped with closures at or about floor level and that openings on stories below the top floor be kept closed when not in use, but it does not specify in 1926.852 who may operate those closures; however, 1926.852(c) requires a competent employee at the discharge end to control gate operation and truck loading. See 1926.852(b) and 1926.852(c).

• Best practice: designate trained or competent personnel to open and close chute floor-level closures to coordinate with the discharge-end gate operator and to minimize risk to workers and bystanders.

Yes — when PPE is required for chute operations, the employer must perform a hazard assessment and provide a written certification that an assessment was performed, consistent with OSHA's PPE interpretation. See the PPE hazard assessment interpretation at https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2024-03-28 and the chute requirements in 1926.852.

• The written certification should identify the workplace evaluated, the person certifying the evaluation, the date(s) of the hazard assessment, and a description of the hazards found and PPE selected.