Falls on the job result in injuries and deaths to workers every year In particular, workers in the construction industry are at higher risk due to the nature of their work. According to the National Safety Council, falls to a lower level are the third leading cause of fatal injuries in all industries, and falls are the number one cause of fatalities in the construction industry. The following rule changes are aimed at preventing these injuries and deaths.

Summary of what's changed

• We have consolidated most of the fall protection rules from several WAC Chapters into a new rule, Unified Fall Protection Chapter 296-880, WAC This new rule is effective 10/1/2020.
• We also made minor rule updates to ensure our rules are at least as effective as OSHA’s Fall Protection rules.
• Other changes to the rules were made to things like roll stock, walking/working surfaces, and ladders and stairways.

Construction Training Revised

We’ve also updated our Fall Protection in Construction training to reflect these rule changes. While this training focuses on the construction industry, the concepts and information presented will also help other industries. See the “Fall Protection” section of our Online Safety Training page or view one of the PowerPoint modules below:

• Module 1: General Requirements
• Module 2: When is fall protection required?
• Module 3: Fall Restraint Systems
• Module 4: Positioning Devices and Fall Arrest Systems
• Module 5: Personal Fall Arrest Systems (Part 1)
• Module 5: Personal Fall Arrest Systems (Part 2)

More information about this rulemaking project

• Fall Protection Rulemaking Stakeholder Page
• Concise Explanatory Statement (CES)
• Unified Fall Protection Rule-making Order (CR-103)

© Washington State Department of Labor & Industries.

Webmaster@Lni.wa.gov

Access Agreement | Privacy & Security Statement | Intended Use/External Content Policy