1926.104: Safety Belts, Lifelines and Lanyards
Lifelines, safety belts and lanyards may be used only for employee safeguarding, and any that have been subjected to in-service loading must be removed from service. Lifelines must be anchored to support a minimum dead weight of 5,400 pounds, rope sizes and strengths are set, lanyards must limit a fall to no more than 6 feet, and hardware must be drop forged or pressed steel and withstand 4,000 pounds tensile loading without cracking, breaking or permanent deformation.
Key takeaways
- 1926.104 is part of OSHA's construction standards (29 CFR Part 1926, Subpart E).
- OSHA cited it 1 times in the last 3 years, in 1 inspections, with $5,107 in current penalties.
- Free 5-minute toolbox talk for your crew below.
In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1926.104, "Safety belts, lifelines, and lanyards", is an OSHA construction standard (Part 1926, Subpart E). It has 6 numbered paragraphs. 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
Show the full text of 1926.104 (6 paragraphs)
(a) Lifelines, safety belts, and lanyards shall be used only for employee safeguarding. Any lifeline, safety belt, or lanyard actually subjected to in-service loading, as distinguished from static load testing, shall be immediately removed from service and shall not be used again for employee safeguarding.
(b) Lifelines shall be secured above the point of operation to an anchorage or structural member capable of supporting a minimum dead weight of 5,400 pounds. 1 citations
(c) Lifelines used on rock-scaling operations, or in areas where the lifeline may be subjected to cutting or abrasion, shall be a minimum of 7⁄8-inch wire core manila rope. For all other lifeline applications, a minimum of 3⁄4-inch manila or equivalent, with a minimum breaking strength of 5,000 pounds, shall be used.
(d) Safety belt lanyard shall be a minimum of 1⁄2-inch nylon, or equivalent, with a maximum length to provide for a fall of no greater than 6 feet. The rope shall have a nominal breaking strength of 5,400 pounds.
(e) All safety belt and lanyard hardware shall be drop forged or pressed steel, cadmium plated in accordance with type 1, Class B plating specified in Federal Specification QQ-P-416. Surface shall be smooth and free of sharp edges.
(f) All safety belt and lanyard hardware, except rivets, shall be capable of withstanding a tensile loading of 4,000 pounds without cracking, breaking, or taking a permanent deformation.
[44 FR 8577, Feb. 9, 1979; 44 FR 20940, Apr. 6, 1979, as amended at 84 FR 21577, May 14, 2019]
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15.
Where and how often it was cited
Free toolbox talk
A 5-minute crew talk on 1926.104, plus alerts when this rule changes. Free.
OSHA interpretation letters
- Re: Application of OSHA's de minimis policy to the requirements of 29 CFR 1926.452(o)(3) and 29 CFR 1926.552(c)(1) - 1926.552(c)(4), 1926.552(c)(8), 1926.552(c)(13), 1926.552(c)(14)(i), and 1926.552(c)(16) regarding certain chimney construction work. (2007-02-08)
- Fall Protection in Steel Erection. (1995-07-10)
- Body belts used for climbing power transmission poles. (1992-08-21)
- Use of link chains as lanyards and contractor's responsibility to supply safety nets for worker protection (1991-05-16)
- The standard does not regulate the manufacture of equipment such as a safety block with a retractable steel wire. (1984-09-25)
- Evaluation of Retractalok Series RTC-2700 fall protection equipment. (1984-06-12)
- Standards that do not apply to overhand-bricklaying.; (1981-01-13)
- Lifelines must be a minimum of 3/4 inch manila or equivalent, with a minimum breaking strength of 5,400 pounds. (1979-06-21)
- Evaluation of Evalok automatic fall protection devices. (1979-03-26)
Get your crew competent
Trainers on Black Belt Safety: Marc Harvey, Dana Reyes
Trainers and suppliers: feature your business on this rule for $25/month.
Frequently asked questions
What happens to a lifeline after it catches a fall?
Any lifeline, safety belt, or lanyard subjected to in-service loading must be immediately removed from service and not used again for employee safeguarding.
What must a lifeline be anchored to?
An anchorage or structural member above the point of operation capable of supporting a minimum dead weight of 5,400 pounds.
How long can a lanyard be?
Long enough to provide for a fall of no greater than 6 feet.
About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1926.104 (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 2026-10-19
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.