1926.502(d)(16)(iv): 3.5-Foot Deceleration Distance
A personal fall arrest system must bring the worker to a complete stop with no more than 3.5 feet of deceleration distance.
Key takeaways
- 1926.502(d)(16)(iv) is part of OSHA's construction standards (29 CFR Part 1926, Subpart M).
- OSHA cited it 7 times in the last 3 years, in 7 inspections, with $19,000 in current penalties.
- 1 death is linked to inspections that cited this rule.
- Related part: 1926.502(d) Personal fall arrest systems (1,999 citations).
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In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1926.502(d)(16)(iv) is one requirement inside 1926.502 Fall protection systems criteria and practices, 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
(iv) bring an employee to a complete stop and limit maximum deceleration distance an employee travels to 3.5 feet (1.07 m); and, 7 citations
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1926.502.
Export the list: 7 inspections cited 1926.502(d)(16)(iv) in the last 3 years, with employer, location, penalty and date.
Purple Belt, $59/moInjuries linked to this rule
1 death is linked to inspections where OSHA cited 1926.502(d)(16)(iv).
At 5:00 p.m. on February 16, 2024, Employee #1 was working for a highway/street construction contractor. Employee #1 was using a portable grinder to cut a hanger on a pipe attached to the bottom of the bridge. It appears that when the hanger was cut…
Where and how often it was cited
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OSHA interpretation letters
None exist. OSHA has not published a letter of interpretation for 1926.502(d)(16)(iv).
Related parts of this rule
- 1926.502(d) Personal fall arrest systems 1,999 citations
- 1926.502(d)(17) 558 citations
- 1926.502(d)(15) 509 citations
- 1926.502(d)(16) 322 citations
- 1926.502(d)(16)(iii) 274 citations
- 1926.502(d)(21) 137 citations
- 1926.502(d)(6) 126 citations
- 1926.502(d)(6)(i) 109 citations
- 1926.502(d)(15)(ii) 57 citations
- 1926.502(d)(11) 44 citations
- 1926.502(d)(8) 17 citations
- 1926.502(d)(1) 17 citations
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About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1926.502 (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.