Fall protection must be used when employees are on a walking or working surface that is _____ or more above a lower level and has an unprotected edge or side.

Fall protection must be used when employees are on a walking or working surface that is _____ or more above a lower level and has an unprotected edge or side.

• A. 6 feet (1.8 m)
• B. 4 feet (1.2 m)
• C. 8 feet (2.4 m)
• D. 10 feet (3.0 m)

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is that fall protection is required whenever you’re working on a surface that is high enough for a fall to cause serious injury and there’s an unprotected edge or side. The standard threshold used in this context is six feet above a lower level. So when you’re on a walking or working surface six feet or more above the next level and there isn’t a guardrail or other barrier at the edge, you must use fall protection such as guardrails, safety nets, or a personal fall arrest system. This height is chosen because the risk of injury from a fall becomes significant enough to warrant protective measures. A four-foot threshold is used in some general industry situations, but for this scenario the required protection begins at six feet.

The main idea here is that fall protection is required whenever you’re working on a surface that is high enough for a fall to cause serious injury and there’s an unprotected edge or side. The standard threshold used in this context is six feet above a lower level. So when you’re on a walking or working surface six feet or more above the next level and there isn’t a guardrail or other barrier at the edge, you must use fall protection such as guardrails, safety nets, or a personal fall arrest system. This height is chosen because the risk of injury from a fall becomes significant enough to warrant protective measures. A four-foot threshold is used in some general industry situations, but for this scenario the required protection begins at six feet.