Precautions
Skylights, Floor Holes, and Wall Openings
Employees on a construction site are exposed to floor holes and wall openings that can result in serious or fatal falls.
Generally, in residential construction, when employees are exposed to a hazard of falling 6 feet or more to a lower level, the employer must ensure that fall protection systems are provided, installed, and implemented.
To protect employees, follow these safe work practices:
- Skylights: Install guarding in the form of standard railing around skylight openings, or install a cover capable of supporting the maximum intended load. Covers over skylight openings should be installed so as to prevent accidental displacement.
- Falling objects: To protect employees on a walking/working surface from objects falling through holes (including skylights), cover the holes and install toeboards around the edges of permanent floor openings.
Falls in Construction: Skylights
- Holes: To protect employees on walking/working surfaces from falling through holes (including skylights) more than six feet above lower levels, install guardrails or place covers over the holes.
- Floor openings: Guard floor openings that are 12 inches or more with a secured cover, a guardrail, or equivalent on all sides (except at entrances to stairways).
Falls in Construction: Floor Openings
- Wall openings: Use a guardrail system to protect employees working on, at, above, or near wall openings (including those with chutes attached) where:
- the outside bottom edge of the wall opening is six feet or more above lower levels, and/or
- the inside bottom edge of the wall opening is less than 39 inches above the walking/working surface from falling.
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2-4. What should you do if you have to work around a skylight?
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