The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that over half of all fall-related deaths occur in the construction industry. While fall deaths are down from the 2007 high of 847 fatalities, this may have been due to economic factors resulting in fewer construction jobs and workers. In 2009, over 600 people fell to their deaths in work-related accidents.
Residential roofing falls, in particular, result in 40 worker deaths per year, according to the BLS. In an effort to reduce the number of deaths, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration rescinded a 1995 directive that allowed builders and contractors to ignore certain safety regulations.
The 1995 Directive
The previous standards under the Interim Fall Protection Compliance Guidelines for Residential Construction let residential builders avoid using the prescribed methods of fall protection laid out in federal regulations and use alternative means to protect workers.
According to a press release from the U.S. Department of Labor, the 1995 directive was originally intended to be temporary because questions were raised about "the feasibility of fall protection in residential building." But with the number of deaths and the opinion of many industry experts that feasibility was no longer an issue, the Labor Department decided to rescind the directive.
The rescission had the support of numerous agencies including the Occupational Safety and Health State Plan Association, the ALF-CIO, OSHA's labor-management Advisory Committee for Construction Safety and Health and the National Association of Home Builders.
Under the new guidelines, any person involved in residential construction that is working six feet or higher above a lower level must "use guardrails, safety nets, or personal fall arrest systems."
After an Injury
If you have been injured in a fall or experienced another work-related injury, it is important to discuss your case with an experienced attorney. You may be entitled to receive worker's compensation or other forms of compensation
