Working at Height / Fall Protection Policy template
OSHA-compliant fall protection program covering general industry (4 ft) and construction (6 ft) thresholds with rescue plan and competent-person requirements.
- 29 CFR 1910.28 (general industry walking-working surfaces)
- 29 CFR 1926.501 (construction fall protection)
- 29 CFR 1926.502 (fall protection systems)
- ANSI Z359 (fall arrest)
- OSHA Directive STD 03-11-002
What the policy covers
- 1. PURPOSE AND SCOPEThis program establishes your company's requirements for the prevention of falls from height, in compliance with OSHA fall protection standards.
- 3. HIERARCHY OF FALL PROTECTIONFall protection methods are applied in the following order of preference:
- 4. PERSONAL FALL ARREST SYSTEMS (PFAS)Where PFAS is required, components must meet ANSI Z359 standards:
- 5. RESCUE PLANA written rescue plan is required for every job using PFAS.
- 6. COMPETENT PERSONA designated competent person (defined per 29 CFR 1926.32(f) as one capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards and authorized to take prompt corrective measures) must
- Roof WorkLow-slope roofs over 15 ft from a lower level require conventional fall protection.
- Skylights and Roof OpeningsAll skylights and openings are treated as a fall hazard.
- Aerial Lifts and Scissor LiftsWorkers in aerial lifts use a full body harness with a short lanyard tied to the manufacturer's anchor point.
- ScaffoldsErected, modified, and dismantled only by trained workers under supervision of a competent person.
- LaddersPortable ladders extended at 4:1 (one out for every four up).
- 8. TRAININGAll employees who may be exposed to fall hazards are trained before initial assignment and retrained when conditions change, equipment changes, or inadequate knowledge is observed
- 9. INSPECTION AND RECORDSPFAS components are inspected by the user before each use and by a competent person at least annually.
- 10. CONSEQUENCESFailure to use required fall protection is a serious safety violation and may result in immediate suspension pending investigation, up to and including termination.
- 11. REVIEWThis program is reviewed annually, after any fall incident or near-miss, after any OSHA citation, and when relevant standards change.
Who needs it
Any employer whose people can get hurt, handle personal data or spend company money. Inspectors, insurers and regulators ask to see these first.
Questions people ask
Is a working at height / fall protection policy a legal requirement?
It rests on 29 CFR 1910.28 (general industry walking-working surfaces) and 29 CFR 1926.501 (construction fall protection) and 29 CFR 1926.502 (fall protection systems) and ANSI Z359 (fall arrest) and OSHA Directive STD 03-11-002. Some policies must be written down once a business reaches a certain size or does certain work; others are simply how a tribunal, an inspector or an auditor expects to see that you have thought about it. A clear, dated, signed policy is the evidence either way. Guidance, not legal advice.
Can I change it to suit how we work?
Yes. Inside Work-Lynx it is a starting point: put your company name in, adjust the arrangements to what you actually do, set the review date and publish it. Staff read and acknowledge it on their phones, and you can see who has not.
Is it up to date?
Last reviewed April 2026. The pack is updated when the law moves, and every policy carries a review date so it does not quietly go stale.
How do I get it?
It is preloaded in Work-Lynx with the other 28 policies for the US. Work-Lynx is $3 plus $1.25 per employee, 14 days free, no card, and what you see on the pricing page is the bill.
Who is it for?
Any employer whose people can get hurt, handle personal data or spend company money. Inspectors, insurers and regulators ask to see these first.
All 29 US policies, $3 a month
This policy and 28 others are already in Work-Lynx, alongside GPS clock-in, schedules, timesheets, PTO and an employment-question advisor. $3 base plus $1.25 per employee a month. 14 days free, no card, no sales call.
Start free trial