# Residential construction · 1926.501 Duty to have fall protection — OSHA fall protection trigger height by standard

For Residential construction · 1926.501 Duty to have fall protection, hazard situation is Residential construction; standard is 1926.501 Duty to have fall protection; trigger height is 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above lower levels; required protection once triggered is guardrail systems, safety net system, or personal fall arrest system; subpart is Subpart M —Fall Protection, recorded from its source on 2026-08-25; source re-checked 2026-09-14.

- **Hazard situation:** Residential construction _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Standard:** 1926.501 Duty to have fall protection _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Trigger height:** 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above lower levels _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Required protection once triggered:** guardrail systems, safety net system, or personal fall arrest system _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Subpart:** Subpart M —Fall Protection _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **CFR paragraph:** 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(13) _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_

## What the source says

> (13) Residential construction. Each employee engaged in residential construction activities 6 feet (1.8 m) or more above lower levels shall be protected by guardrail systems, safety net system, or personal fall arrest system unless another provision in <https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-1926.501#p-1926.501(b)> paragraph (b) of this section provides for an alternative fall protection measure. Exception: When the employer can demonstrate that it is infeasible or creates a greater hazard to use these systems, the employer shall develop and implement a fall protection plan which meets the requirements of <https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-1926.502#p-1926.502(k)> paragraph (k) of § 1926.502 .

## Source

- https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/subtitle-B/chapter-XVII/part-1926/subpart-M/section-1926.501

Last verified: 2026-09-14. Review by: 2027-08-25.
Part of [OSHA fall protection trigger height by standard](https://referencesource.org/osha-fall-protection-trigger-height-by-standard/).