FallsOSHA Focus Four
Holes and floor openings
Holes, skylights, and penetrations in floors, roofs, and decks. A worker can step or fall through them, or trip in a smaller hole. OSHA requires covers, guardrails, or personal fall arrest for holes more than 6 feet above a lower level.
Where it shows up
- Mechanical and plumbing penetrations in slabs
- Skylight openings on roofs
- Stair and shaft openings before rails go in
- Removed deck sheets or grating
Controls, most effective first
Work down the list. Rely on PPE only for the risk the controls above it cannot remove.
| Level | Control |
|---|---|
| Engineering | Cover holes as soon as they are created |
| Covers strong enough for at least twice the weight of workers, equipment, and materials that may cross them | |
| Secure covers so wind, equipment, or workers cannot move them | |
| Guardrails around openings too large to cover | |
| Administrative | Mark covers "HOLE" or "COVER", or color code them |
| Only the foreman or competent person removes a cover, and the hole is guarded while open | |
| Walk the area at the start of the shift to check every cover | |
| PPE | Personal fall arrest when working at an open hole |
PPE to list on the JHA
Full-body harness and lanyard1926.502(d)Hard hat1926.100Safety-toe boots
OSHA standards
| Citation | Title |
|---|---|
| 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(4) | Holes |
| 29 CFR 1926.502(i) | Covers |
Federal OSHA construction standards. State plans can be stricter, and owners or contracts can add requirements. This page is general information. Check the full standard for your work.
Guides and toolbox talks
| Sep 28, 2026 | Fall Protection Toolbox Talk: The 6-Foot Rule on Construction Sites |