Occupational Safety and
Health Administration
(OSHA) director Joseph
Dear issued an OSHAwide
directive in December
that will make it easier for
builders to adapt to the
agency's new fall protection
regulations.
Acting to forestall a
Congressional move to suspend
enforcement of "29
C.F.R. Part 1926 Subpart M,"
the fall-safety rule that took
effect in February, 1995,
OSHA officials negotiated
with representatives of the
National Association of
Home Builders (NAHB)
and the National Roofing
Contractors Association
(NRCA) to produce a directive
easing paperwork burdens,
expanding the scope of
"alternative systems," modifying
the requirements for residential
roofing work, and
promising to reopen the rule
for further modifications
starting early this year.
NAHB welcomed the new
document, saying it would
make the fall safety standard
more workable without
sacrificing worker safety.
Contractors can get a copy of
the directive