Attics crawlspaces have been covered by osha for 20 years.
Osha regulations for working in attics.
Federal osha has a general duty clause section 5 a of the occupational safety and health act of 1970 that requires employers to provide a place of employment that is free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees.
Deal with it if you can t.
According to osha attics present hazards such as.
Atmospheric hazards e g poor ventilation heat stress.
This fact sheet developed after consultation with the national association of home builders nahb and a detailed frequently asked questions faqs document clarify some of the standard s provisions and their application to residential construction work.
However under osha s new confined spaces in construction standards 29 cfr 1926 subpart aa attics can be considered confined spaces and permit required confined spaces.
Confined spaces in residential construction.
While osha does not have specific regulations for indoor workplace temperatures the agency recommends a temperature range between 68 and 76 degrees.
Osha will continue to publish new guidance products in the coming months and will post them here.
Evaluate every worksite prior to doing any work.
Retraining is required when previous training becomes obsolete due to changes in work conditions or fall protection systems or equipment.
Training must address how to inspect erect disassemble and maintain the fall protection equipment involved in the work 29 cfr 1926 503 a 2 ii.
If the area around the plywood or planking is open and the work area is 6 feet or more above a lower level the employer generally must ensure that workers use fall protection meeting osha requirements 29 cfr 1926 501 b 13.
Failure to comply with these regulations can result in a lawsuit if workers become injured as a result of heat illness.
Construction workers often perform tasks in confined spaces work areas that 1 are large enough for an employee to enter 2 have limited means of entry or exit and 3 are not designed for.
Please check the website often for updates.
Osha heat stress compliance guidelines.
We all have a duty to protect ourselves and our employees.
Employers also may choose to use scaffolds or ladders for attic work.
Mechanical hazards e g attic ventilators whole house fans.
