Roof Parapet Height Requirements

Has your company ever utilized the height width calculation for parapet walls to be used for fall protection.

Roof parapet height requirements.

Osha 1910 29 b contains system requirements that employers must follow to ensure guardrail systems will protect workers from falling to lower levels. This is in response to your letter of january 28 1983 concerning perimeter protection at setback roof levels. This new r value is r 33 which is an increase in insulation thickness. If a reinforced concrete beam is provided at the top of the wall the minimum height above the wall anchor may be 6 inches 152 mm.

In order for a roof parapet to provide adequate fall protection a roof parapet railing should be at least 42 in height unfortunately many buildings get close to this height without quite meeting the height required by osha to provide fall protection. Parapet corrective work must be performed in conjunction with the installation of tension roof anchors. G parapets of excessive height. Employees shall be protected from falls from roofs that are of a height of more than 20 feet by the use of a roof jack system as provided in section 1724 a a minimum of 24 inch high parapet or other method affording equivalent protection.

1910 29 b 1 the top edge height of top rails or equivalent guardrail system members are 42 inches 107 cm plus or minus 3 inches 8 cm above the walking working surface. 2015 ibc code commentary. E slopes 0 12 through 5 12 multiple unit roof coverings. Where building parapet heights exceed 42 inches special provisions shall be employed to provide a safe means of access to the top of the parapet for rigging purposes if such access is necessary to the safe performance of the work.

However when a roof slopes down toward an exterior wall and parapet with a slope greater than 2 12 further analysis is required to determine if a taller parapet is necessary. A parapet height of 29 inches where employees are exposed to falls from a roof does not comply with the height requirement in 29 cfr 1910 23 e 1 and can not be considered acceptable by osha. The new parapet wall must not only meet the 42 height requirement but also account for the new energy code that was implemented on may 12 2020 for roof systems.