1926.852: Chutes for Demolition Debris
Employers must not drop material outside exterior walls unless the area is protected. Chutes steeper than 45 degrees must be fully enclosed except for closable openings no taller than 48 inches, with a gate at the discharge end run by a competent employee. Dumping openings need a guardrail about 42 inches high, and toeboards or bumpers where equipment or wheelbarrows dump.
Key takeaways
- 1926.852 is part of OSHA's construction standards (29 CFR Part 1926, Subpart T).
- OSHA cited it 2 times in the last 3 years, in 2 inspections, with $7,231 in current penalties.
- Free 5-minute toolbox talk for your crew below.
In this article
What this rule covers
29 CFR 1926.852, "Chutes", is an OSHA construction standard (Part 1926, Subpart T). It has 7 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 1926.852 (7 paragraphs)
(a) No material shall be dropped to any point lying outside the exterior walls of the structure unless the area is effectively protected.
(b) All materials chutes, or sections thereof, at an angle of more than 45° from the horizontal, shall be entirely enclosed, except for openings equipped with closures at or about floor level for the insertion of materials. The openings shall not exceed 48 inches in height measured along the wall of the chute. At all stories below the top floor, such openings shall be kept closed when not in use. 1 citations
(c) A substantial gate shall be installed in each chute at or near the discharge end. A competent employee shall be assigned to control the operation of the gate, and the backing and loading of trucks.
(d) When operations are not in progress, the area surrounding the discharge end of a chute shall be securely closed off.
(e) Any chute opening, into which workmen dump debris, shall be protected by a substantial guardrail approximately 42 inches above the floor or other surface on which the men stand to dump the material. Any space between the chute and the edge of openings in the floors through which it passes shall be solidly covered over. 1 citations
(f) Where the material is dumped from mechanical equipment or wheelbarrows, a securely attached toeboard or bumper, not less than 4 inches thick and 6 inches high, shall be provided at each chute opening.
(g) Chutes shall be designed and constructed of such strength as to eliminate failure due to impact of materials or debris loaded therein.
Source: eCFR, text current as of 2026-10-15.
Where and how often it was cited
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OSHA interpretation letters
- Design of Debris Chute (1992-03-25)
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Frequently asked questions
Can debris be dropped outside the building walls?
Not unless the area is effectively protected.
How high must the guardrail at a chute opening be?
Approximately 42 inches above the floor or other surface on which the men stand to dump the material.
What is needed where wheelbarrows dump into a chute?
A securely attached toeboard or bumper not less than 4 inches thick and 6 inches high at each chute opening.
About this page
Sources
- 29 CFR 1926.852 (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.