# Fall protection basics

URL: https://hardhatbinder.com/en/toolbox-talks/fall-protection-basics
Last updated: 2026-10-23

Falls are one of the top ways people get killed in construction, and it can happen from a roof, a deck edge, or an open hole in the floor. This week we have work near edges and openings, so we need to plan our protection before anyone steps out there. A fall takes a second; setting up right takes a few minutes.

## Key points

1. If you are working 6 feet or more above a lower level near an unprotected edge, you need fall protection: guardrails, a safety net, or a personal fall arrest system.
2. Inspect your harness and lanyard before every use. Look for cuts, frayed webbing, burns, bent buckles, or a deployed shock pack, and take it out of service if you find damage.
3. Tie off only to an anchor that can hold a fall, never to conduit, pipe, a guardrail, or anything you are not sure about. Ask the foreman if you don't know.
4. Wear the harness snug with the back D-ring between your shoulder blades, and keep the anchor overhead when you can so you fall less and don't swing.
5. Cover every floor hole and skylight with a cover that is secured and marked "HOLE" or "COVER," and never move a cover without replacing protection.
6. Check guardrails before you rely on them: top rail about 42 inches high, a midrail, and no loose or missing sections. Report any damage right away.
7. Only work at heights with fall gear if you have been trained on it. If you are unsure how to use the equipment, stop and ask.

## Talk it over

- Where on this site are the edges, holes, or openings where someone could fall today?
- What are the approved anchor points for our tie-off, and who sets them up?
- If someone fell and was hanging in a harness, what is our plan to get them down fast?

> **Remember:** Near an edge, protect it or tie off—every time, no exceptions.

## Official sources

- [29 CFR 1926.501](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-1926.501) — Duty to have fall protection
- [29 CFR 1926.502](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-1926.502) — Fall protection systems criteria and practices
- [29 CFR 1926.503](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/section-1926.503) — Fall protection training requirements

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Source: HardHat Binder, operated by Leadspire LLC. Templates to be reviewed by a competent person before use; not legal advice; not affiliated with OSHA.