Standard Interpretations
RSS Standard Interpretations Subscribe to our RSS Standard Interpretations feed.
OSHA requirements are set by statute, standards, and regulations. Our interpretation letters explain these requirements and how they apply to particular circumstances, but they cannot create additional employer obligations. Each letter constitutes OSHA's interpretation of the requirements discussed. Note that our enforcement guidance may be affected by changes to OSHA rules. Also, from time to time we update our guidance in response to new information.
- 1926.501 - Acceptability of using a ramp to unload parts from a semi-trailer. - 06/27/2012
- 1926.501 - Clarification on controlled access zones for leading edge work. - 04/30/2010
- 1926.501 - Clarification on the use of safety monitors as a method of fall protection on a low-slope roof. - 04/20/2012
- 1926.501 - Clips used for wire rope guardrails; required fall protection in hoist area. - 08/28/2000
- 1926.501 - CPL 02-00-124; Multi-Employer Citation Policy - 11/09/2017
- 1926.501 - Duty of a subcontractor to cover floor holes in a Multi-Employer work site. - 11/17/2004
- 1926.501 - Enforcement of the fall protection standard and fall protection options. - 07/23/1996
- 1926.501 - Fall protection for employees climbing or moving on preassembled reinforcing steel assemblies. - 05/19/1997
- 1926.501 - Fall protection in a situation regarding floor/roofing openings. - 04/16/1997
- 1926.501 - Fall protection methods when assembling and installing roofs. - 08/03/1999
- 1926.501 - Fall protection requirements for employees, other than roofers, working on low-slope roofs - 11/15/2002
- 1926.501 - Fall protection requirements for workers engaged in "roof blocking." - 05/03/2001
- 1926.501 - Fall Protection Standards for Pole Climbing. - 09/24/1990
- 1926.501 - Hoisting personnel into and out of drilled shafts with a drill rig. - 02/07/1995
- 1926.501 - Residential Contruction; 1926.501(b)(3), fall protection or metal stud walls around stairwells. - 05/25/2011
- 1926.501 - Review of a new product, "The Safety Boot". - 09/25/1995
- 1926.501 - Roofing material vendors must provide employee fall protection. - 01/05/2001
- 1926.501 - Tying off of loft workers, top men and pile monks during sheet piling activities. - 11/02/1995
- 1926.501 - Use of personal fall arrest systems at the edge of a well, pit, shaft, or similar excavation. - 03/10/2004
- 1926.501 - When protective measures must be installed after a hole is created on a construction worksite. - 09/05/2006
- 1926.501(a)(2) - Policy for descent control devices used in construction. - 11/09/1998
- 1926.501(b) - Alternative fall protection for leading edge work during precast concrete erection. - 04/20/2004
- 1926.501(b) - Applicability of fall protection requirements/fall protection for waste collection and landfill activities. - 05/09/1995
- 1926.501(b) - Clarification on controlled access zones for leading edge work. - 04/30/2010
- 1926.501(b) - Clarification on several issues regarding OSHA's construction industry standards for fall protection - 12/18/2003
- 1926.501(b) - Enforcement of Subpart M "Fall Protection" - 09/11/2003
- 1926.501(b) - Fall Protection Plans - Enforcement Policy [for Precast Erection]. - 07/12/1995
- 1926.501(b) - Fall protection requirements for employees, other than roofers, working on low-slope roofs - 11/15/2002
- 1926.501(b) - Fall protection requirements for workers engaged in "roof blocking." - 05/03/2001
- 1926.501(b)(1) - Clarification if a depression constitutes a hole or unprotected side/edge and associated fall protection requirements. - 09/30/2004
- 1926.501(b)(1) - Clarification of several residential construction and fall protection issues. - 12/17/2003
- 1926.501(b)(1) - Clarification of the terms "hole" versus "unprotected sides or edges." - 08/14/2000
- 1926.501(b)(1) - Employees engaged in formwork over 6 feet high must have fall protection. - 08/28/2000
- 1926.501(b)(1) - Fall protection for exposure to unfilled swimming pools. - 06/08/1998
- 1926.501(b)(1) - Fall protection requirements applicable during the construction of retaining walls - 05/20/2014
- 1926.501(b)(1) - Fall protection requirements for an employee working from a ladder on a walking/working surface other than the ground. - 05/21/2003
- 1926.501(b)(1) - Fall protection requirements for both residential and commercial HVAC systems; clarification of confined spaces - 09/13/2001
- 1926.501(b)(1) - Fall protection requirements for construction workers doing work while on a roof - 12/15/2003
- 1926.501(b)(1) - Fall protection requirements for employees on construction equipment. - 03/16/2009
- 1926.501(b)(1) - Fall protection requirements for employees working on an elevator car frame. - 03/02/2010
- 1926.501(b)(1) - Fall protection requirements for workers engaged in "roof blocking." - 05/03/2001
- 1926.501(b)(1) - Fall protection, lifejacket, and lifesaving requirements when working over or near water. - 09/28/1999
- 1926.501(b)(1) - Scaffolding/shoring - 04/11/2005
- 1926.501(b)(1) - Use of a warning line instead of conventional fall protection; Part 1926 Subpart M - 01/03/2005
- 1926.501(b)(10) - Acceptable use of warning lines as fall protection for roofers and other trades. - 08/01/2000
- 1926.501(b)(10) - Clarification on the use of safety monitors as a method of fall protection on a low-slope roof. - 04/20/2012
- 1926.501(b)(10) - Fall protection during roofing inspections, investigations, and assessments - 03/12/2004
- 1926.501(b)(10) - Fall protection non-conforming guardrail criteria for application of a de minimis policy. - 05/12/2000
- 1926.501(b)(10) - Fall protection requirements for construction workers doing work while on a roof - 12/15/2003
- 1926.501(b)(10) - Fall protection requirements for employees, other than roofers, working on low-slope roofs - 11/15/2002
- 1926.501(b)(10) - Fall protection requirements for workers engaged in "roof blocking." - 05/03/2001
- 1926.501(b)(10) - Fall protection: determination of roof width on irregular shaped roofs. - 01/16/2001
- 1926.501(b)(10) - The impact on the roofing industry from OSHA's fall protection standard. - 03/30/1995
- 1926.501(b)(10) - The impact on the roofing industry of the OSHA's newly revised fall protection standard. - 05/08/1995
- 1926.501(b)(10) - Use of a warning line instead of conventional fall protection; Part 1926 Subpart M - 01/03/2005
- 1926.501(b)(11) - Compliance of using warning lines and/or control access zones for fall protection on roofs with a slope greater than 4:12. - 09/26/2003
- 1926.501(b)(11) - The construction fall protection standard specifies fall arrest system requirements, but no footwear requirements. - 05/28/2004
- 1926.501(b)(11) - The impact on the roofing industry from OSHA's fall protection standard. - 03/30/1995
- 1926.501(b)(11) - The impact on the roofing industry of the OSHA's newly revised fall protection standard. - 05/08/1995
- 1926.501(b)(12) - Acceptable use of warning lines as fall protection for roofers and other trades. - 08/01/2000
- 1926.501(b)(12) - Alternative fall protection for leading edge work during precast concrete erection. - 04/20/2004
- 1926.501(b)(12) - Clarification on several issues regarding OSHA's construction industry standards for fall protection - 12/18/2003
- 1926.501(b)(12) - Compliance of using warning lines and/or control access zones for fall protection on roofs with a slope greater than 4:12. - 09/26/2003
- 1926.501(b)(12) - Fall protection requirements for construction workers doing work while on a roof - 12/15/2003
- 1926.501(b)(12) - Fall protection requirements for employees, other than roofers, working on low-slope roofs - 11/15/2002
- 1926.501(b)(12) - Requirements for fall protection when ladder jack scaffolds are used for residential and commercial construction - 07/07/2003
- 1926.501(b)(13) - Acceptable use of warning lines as fall protection for roofers and other trades. - 08/01/2000
- 1926.501(b)(13) - Clarification of several residential construction and fall protection issues. - 12/17/2003
- 1926.501(b)(13) - Clarification on several issues regarding OSHA's construction industry standards for fall protection - 12/18/2003
- 1926.501(b)(13) - Compliance of using warning lines and/or control access zones for fall protection on roofs with a slope greater than 4:12. - 09/26/2003
- 1926.501(b)(13) - Fall Protection at residential construction sites. - 11/29/1994
- 1926.501(b)(13) - Fall protection for exposure to unfilled swimming pools. - 06/08/1998
- 1926.501(b)(13) - Fall protection requirements for construction workers doing work while on a roof - 12/15/2003
- 1926.501(b)(13) - Fall protection requirements for employees, other than roofers, working on low-slope roofs - 11/15/2002
- 1926.501(b)(13) - Fall protection requirements for workers engaged in "roof blocking." - 05/03/2001
- 1926.501(b)(13) - Housing Construction Operations. - 06/16/1987
- 1926.501(b)(13) - Requirements for fall protection when ladder jack scaffolds are used for residential and commercial construction - 07/07/2003
- 1926.501(b)(13) - Residential Contruction; 1926.501(b)(3), fall protection or metal stud walls around stairwells. - 05/25/2011
- 1926.501(b)(13) - The predominant use of structural steel would not be considered "residential construction" - 03/01/2004
- 1926.501(b)(14) - Scaffolding/shoring - 04/11/2005
- 1926.501(b)(15) - Fall protection for exposure to unfilled swimming pools. - 06/08/1998
- 1926.501(b)(2) - Acceptable use of warning lines as fall protection for roofers and other trades. - 08/01/2000
- 1926.501(b)(2) - Clarification on several issues regarding OSHA's construction industry standards for fall protection - 12/18/2003
- 1926.501(b)(2) - Employees engaged in formwork over 6 feet high must have fall protection. - 08/28/2000
- 1926.501(b)(2) - Fall protection non-conforming guardrail criteria for application of a de minimis policy. - 05/12/2000
- 1926.501(b)(2) - Fall protection requirements for construction workers doing work while on a roof - 12/15/2003
- 1926.501(b)(2) - Fall protection requirements for employees, other than roofers, working on low-slope roofs - 11/15/2002
- 1926.501(b)(2) - Requirements for fall protection when ladder jack scaffolds are used for residential and commercial construction - 07/07/2003
- 1926.501(b)(2) - Use of a warning line instead of conventional fall protection; Part 1926 Subpart M - 01/03/2005
- 1926.501(b)(2)(i) - Clarification on controlled access zones for leading edge work. - 04/30/2010
- 1926.501(b)(2)(ii) - Fall protection non-conforming guardrail criteria for application of a de minimis policy. - 05/12/2000
- 1926.501(b)(4) - Clarification of the terms "hole" versus "unprotected sides or edges." - 08/14/2000
- 1926.501(b)(4) - Duty of a subcontractor to cover floor holes in a Multi-Employer work site. - 11/17/2004
- 1926.501(b)(4) - Fall protection and controlled access zones for overhand bricklaying - 03/10/2004
- 1926.501(b)(4) - Hatch Net 120 fall protection system - 04/15/1994
- 1926.501(b)(4) - When protective measures must be installed after a hole is created on a construction worksite. - 09/05/2006
- 1926.501(b)(4) - Whether certain skylights meet the cover criteria of 1926 Subpart M. - 12/20/2007
- 1926.501(b)(4)(i) - Clarification if a depression constitutes a hole or unprotected side/edge and associated fall protection requirements. - 09/30/2004
- 1926.501(b)(4)(i) - Duty of a subcontractor to cover floor holes in a Multi-Employer work site. - 11/17/2004
- 1926.501(b)(4)(i) - Fall protection non-conforming guardrail criteria for application of a de minimis policy. - 05/12/2000
- 1926.501(b)(4)(i) - Whether certain skylights meet the cover criteria of 1926 Subpart M. - 12/20/2007
- 1926.501(b)(4)(ii) - Clarification if a depression constitutes a hole or unprotected side/edge and associated fall protection requirements. - 09/30/2004
- 1926.501(b)(4)(ii) - Clarification of fall protection requirements for open holes on a construction site. - 11/17/1998
- 1926.501(b)(4)(ii) - Duty of a subcontractor to cover floor holes in a Multi-Employer work site. - 11/17/2004
- 1926.501(b)(4)(ii) - Fall protection non-conforming guardrail criteria for application of a de minimis policy. - 05/12/2000
- 1926.501(b)(4)(ii) - Fall protection requirements for stairwells and mechanical chase openings surrounded by interior stud walls in residential construction - 12/22/2003
- 1926.501(b)(4)(iii) - Duty of a subcontractor to cover floor holes in a Multi-Employer work site. - 11/17/2004
- 1926.501(b)(4)(iii) - Fall protection non-conforming guardrail criteria for application of a de minimis policy. - 05/12/2000
- 1926.501(b)(5) - Employees engaged in formwork over 6 feet high must have fall protection. - 08/28/2000
- 1926.501(b)(5) - Fall protection during the construction of rebar assemblies. - 06/20/1995
- 1926.501(b)(6) - Acceptability of using a ramp to unload parts from a semi-trailer. - 06/27/2012
- 1926.501(b)(7)(i) - The requirements for fall protection around residential basement foundation excavations deeper than six feet. - 01/24/1996
- 1926.501(b)(7)(ii) - Use of personal fall arrest systems at the edge of a well, pit, shaft, or similar excavation. - 03/10/2004
- 1926.501(b)(9) - Fall protection and controlled access zones for overhand bricklaying - 03/10/2004