CSLB C-39 Roofing ContractorSafety and RepairMedium
A roofing contractor is performing a reroof on a building with a parapet wall. The parapet is 30 inches high. According to Cal/OSHA fall protection requirements, what additional fall protection, if any, is required for workers working on the roof near this parapet?
- ASafety monitoring system is required, but only if the roof is over 50 feet wide.
- BGuardrails, safety nets, or personal fall arrest systems are required.
- CNo additional fall protection is required, as the parapet meets the minimum height for a guardrail.
- DA warning line system must be installed at least 6 feet from the parapet edge.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Guardrails, safety nets, or personal fall arrest systems are required.
Cal/OSHA requires guardrails to be at least 42 inches high. A 30-inch parapet is insufficient, meaning conventional fall protection (guardrails, nets, or PFAS) is required for workers exposed to the fall hazard at the parapet edge.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Safety monitoring systems are a less protective option, generally allowed only on low-slope roofs under specific conditions and usually in conjunction with other measures, not as a standalone solution for an inadequate parapet.
- C. Cal/OSHA requires guardrails to be at least 42 inches (3.5 feet) high for fall protection. A 30-inch parapet does not meet this requirement.
- D. Warning line systems are allowed in specific situations for low-slope roofs, but they do not eliminate the need for primary fall protection when a fall hazard exists, especially with an inadequate parapet.
Cal/OSHA Parapet Fall Protection
A parapet less than 42 inches high does not meet Cal/OSHA guardrail requirements, necessitating additional fall protection.
- Standard guardrail height is 42 inches (+/- 3 inches).
- Parapets below this height are not considered adequate fall protection.
- Conventional fall protection (guardrails, nets, PFAS) is then required.
Memory trick: If the wall isn't high enough, you need more than just a bluff.