1926.501(b)(13): Residential Construction Fall Protection
Workers doing residential construction 6 feet or more above lower levels must be protected by guardrails, safety nets or personal fall arrest systems. A site-specific fall protection plan under 1926.502(k) is allowed only when the employer can prove conventional protection is infeasible or creates a greater hazard; OSHA presumes it is feasible.
Key takeaways
- 1926.501(b)(13) is part of OSHA's construction standards (29 CFR Part 1926, Subpart M).
- OSHA cited it 15,404 times in the last 3 years, in 15,374 inspections, with $99,836,981 in current penalties.
- 50 deaths are linked to inspections that cited this rule.
- Most citations: FL (1,603), TX (1,517), IL (1,414).
- Related part: 1926.501(b) (23,401 citations).
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In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1926.501(b)(13) ("Residential construction") is one requirement inside 1926.501 Duty to have fall protection, an OSHA construction standard (Part 1926, Subpart M). The official text below is copied word for word from the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR). The numbers, injury cases and training on this page show how OSHA enforces it on real job sites.
Official text
(13) Residential construction. Each employee engaged in residential construction activities 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above lower levels shall be protected by guardrail systems, safety net system, or personal fall arrest system unless another provision in paragraph (b) of this section provides for an alternative fall protection measure. Exception: When the employer can demonstrate that it is infeasible or creates a greater hazard to use these systems, the employer shall develop and implement a fall protection plan which meets the requirements of paragraph (k) of § 1926.502. 15,404 citations
There is a presumption that it is feasible and will not create a greater hazard to implement at least one of the above-listed fall protection systems. Accordingly, the employer has the burden of establishing that it is appropriate to implement a fall protection plan which complies with § 1926.502(k) for a particular workplace situation, in lieu of implementing any of those systems.
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1926.501.
Export the list: 15,374 inspections cited 1926.501(b)(13) in the last 3 years, with employer, location, penalty and date.
Purple Belt, $59/moInjuries linked to this rule
50 deaths are linked to inspections where OSHA cited 1926.501(b)(13).
An employee working as a framer was completing a job in an attic at a new residential construction site. A few minutes after the employee entered the attic, he fell through the attic door opening to the floor below causing multiple fatal injuries.
Full case list with employer, penalty, filters and download is part of OSHA Data (Purple Belt).
Unlock with Purple BeltWhere and how often it was cited
| Year | Citations |
|---|---|
| 2023 | 846 |
| 2024 | 5,783 |
| 2025 | 5,434 |
| 2026 | 3,341 |
Top states: FL (1,603), TX (1,517), IL (1,414), OH (935), GA (921)
Largest penalties
| Employer | Location | Penalty for this rule |
|---|---|---|
| ADRIAN CONSTRUCTION GROUP LLC | FRANKLIN LAKES, NJ | $806,615 |
| J.S ALDO'S CONSTRUCTION CO, INC. | MAYWOOD, NJ | $331,028 |
| BLUE CONTRACTOR CORP. | LANCASTER, PA | $266,163 |
| ASH ROOFING AND REMODELING LLC | CINCINNATI, OH | $182,064 |
| ABEL CUNYAS CABRERA | MANDAN, ND | $165,514 |
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A 5-minute crew talk on 1926.501(b)(13), plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
None exist. OSHA has not published a letter of interpretation for 1926.501(b)(13).
Related parts of this rule
- 1926.501(b) 23,401 citations
- 1926.501(b)(1) Unprotected sides and edges 2,850 citations
- 1926.501(b)(10) Roofing work on Low-slope roofs 1,828 citations
- 1926.501(b)(11) Steep roofs 1,551 citations
- 1926.501(b)(4) Holes 1,110 citations
- 1926.501(b)(4)(ii) 666 citations
- 1926.501(b)(4)(i) 418 citations
- 1926.501(b)(14) Wall openings 271 citations
- 1926.501(b)(15) Walking/working surfaces not otherwise addressed 151 citations
- 1926.501(b)(2) Leading edges 117 citations
- 1926.501(b)(2)(i) 80 citations
- 1926.501(b)(3) Hoist areas 43 citations
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About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1926.501 (eCFR), text current as of 2026-10-15
- U.S. Department of Labor enforcement data: OSHA inspections, citations and accident records, copied nightly; data as of 2026-11-07
3-year window. Federal OSHA only; state-plan rules are not counted. Plain-language text is a summary, not legal advice; the official text controls. Black Belt Safety is not part of OSHA or the Department of Labor.