OSHA Fall Protection 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: At what height above a lower level does OSHA require fall protection for general industry workers?
- 4 feet (Correct answer)
- 6 feet
- 10 feet
- 8 feet
Correct answer: 4 feet
Under 29 CFR 1910.28, OSHA requires employers to provide fall protection for general industry workers at heights of 4 feet or more above a lower level.
Question 2: What is the minimum breaking strength required for a safety net used as fall protection under OSHA standards?
- 2,500 pounds
- 5,000 pounds (Correct answer)
- 7,500 pounds
- 10,000 pounds
Correct answer: 5,000 pounds
OSHA requires safety nets used for fall protection to have a minimum breaking strength of 5,000 pounds to ensure they can withstand the forces of a fall arrest.
Question 3: Which component of a personal fall arrest system (PFAS) connects the body harness to the anchor point?
- Lanyard or self-retracting lifeline (Correct answer)
- Safety net
- Guardrail system
- Toe board
Correct answer: Lanyard or self-retracting lifeline
A lanyard or self-retracting lifeline (SRL) is the connecting component of a PFAS that links the full-body harness worn by the worker to an anchorage point.
Question 4: What is the maximum free-fall distance allowed when using a personal fall arrest system (PFAS)?
- 3 feet
- 4 feet
- 6 feet (Correct answer)
- 10 feet
Correct answer: 6 feet
OSHA limits free-fall distance in a personal fall arrest system to 6 feet to reduce the impact force on a worker's body during arrest.
Question 5: What is required after a personal fall arrest system has arrested an actual fall?
- Inspect it and return to service if undamaged
- Remove it from service and inspect or destroy it (Correct answer)
- Have a supervisor visually approve its reuse
- Clean and lubricate all hardware before reuse
Correct answer: Remove it from service and inspect or destroy it
OSHA requires that any PFAS component subjected to fall-arrest forces be immediately removed from service and inspected by a competent person before being returned to service or destroyed.
Question 6: What is the minimum top rail height for a guardrail system used in general industry?
- 36 inches
- 38 inches
- 42 inches (Correct answer)
- 48 inches
Correct answer: 42 inches
OSHA's general industry walking-working surfaces standard (29 CFR 1910.29) requires guardrail systems to have a top rail height of 42 inches (plus or minus 3 inches) above the walking-working surface.
OSHA Fall Protection 1
At what height above a lower level does OSHA require fall protection for general industry workers?