1926.502(d)(8): Horizontal Lifelines
Horizontal lifelines must be designed, installed and used under a qualified person's supervision as part of a complete fall arrest system with a safety factor of at least two.
Official text: 29 CFR 1926.502(d)(8)
(8) Horizontal lifelines shall be designed, installed, and used, under the supervision of a qualified person, as part of a complete personal fall arrest system, which maintains a safety factor of at least two.
17 citationsSource: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15. Read all of 1926.502.
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Injuries linked to this rule
1 injury case in the last 3 years came from inspections where OSHA cited 1926.502(d)(8), including 1 death.
At 1:00 p.m. on December 10, 2024, Employee #1 was using a torch to heat the steel lid of a tank, intending to cut a hole for installing a level indicator. Flammable gas inside the tank ignited as the torch was applied, causing the tankto…
Where and how often it was cited
| Year | Citations |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 10 |
| 2026 | 4 |
Top states: NY (3), IL (2), PA (1), MA (1), IN (1)
Largest penalties
| Employer | Location | Penalty for this rule |
|---|---|---|
| H&K GROUP | NORRISTOWN, PA | $10,140 |
| STATE CONTRACTING CORP. OF NY | PORT CHESTER, NY | $9,215 |
| SECURITY-LUEBKE ROOFING, INC. | COMBINED LOCKS, WI | $6,951 |
| DIVISION SEVEN CONTRACTING INC. | STATEN ISLAND, NY | $6,452 |
| EAGLE SANDBLASTING AND PAINTING INC | MONETT, MO | $4,965 |
OSHA interpretation letters
Related parts of this rule
- 1926.502(d) Personal fall arrest systems 2,011 citations
- 1926.502(d)(17) 560 citations
- 1926.502(d)(15) 507 citations
- 1926.502(d)(16) 326 citations
- 1926.502(d)(16)(iii) 277 citations
- 1926.502(d)(21) 136 citations
- 1926.502(d)(6) 128 citations
- 1926.502(d)(6)(i) 111 citations
- 1926.502(d)(15)(ii) 55 citations
- 1926.502(d)(11) 44 citations
- 1926.502(d)(1) 17 citations
- 1926.502(d)(9) 14 citations
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About this page
Official text from the eCFR. Citation and injury numbers from public U.S. Department of Labor enforcement and accident records, copied nightly; 3-year window; data as of 2026-10-18. 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.