If you run a roofing or siding crew, “fall protection” can feel like a tangle of rules. But the heart of it is simple: when your people are working at height without a guardrail, you need a plan and a system that stops them from falling. Here’s how to get it right in Alberta, step by step.
When Fall Protection Is Mandatory
Alberta’s OHS Code (Part 9) kicks in when both conditions are true:
- A worker could fall 3 metres or more, and
- The worker is not protected by guardrails.
Even below 3 metres, you must use protection if a fall could drop someone onto something dangerous—rebar, machinery, or a hazardous substance. For residential roofing and siding, that 3‑metre threshold gets triggered routinely.
Your Fall Protection Plan Must Include These Pieces
Before a single shingle goes on, you need a written fall protection plan. It must be on site and reviewed with the crew before work starts and whenever conditions change. The plan spells out exactly:
- Every fall hazard—leading edges, skylights, gable ends, lower roof levels
- The fall protection system you’ll use (guardrails, travel restraint, or fall arrest)
- The anchors workers will tie off to, including location and strength
- Clearance distances below the work area—enough space to stop a fall without hitting the ground or a lower level
- How to assemble, use, inspect, maintain, and disassemble the system
- A rescue procedure for getting a suspended worker down quickly
Identify Hazards, Then Control Them
Walk the site and list every situation that could cause a fall. Then tackle them in this order:
- Eliminate the hazard first—for example, build a roof section on the ground and lift it into place.
- Where elimination isn’t possible, use engineering controls like guardrails or covers over openings.
- If those aren’t practical, rely on travel restraint or fall arrest systems.
Guardrails are ideal because they protect everyone without individual tie‑off. On many wood‑frame residential jobs, though, you’ll be using harness‑based gear.
Choose the Right Equipment
Pick the system that matches the work:
- Guardrails – a top rail, mid‑rail, and toeboard. Simple and effective when the roof perimeter allows them.
- Travel restraint – a harness and lanyard set up so the worker can’t reach the edge. No free‑fall means fewer clearance worries.
- Fall arrest – a full‑body harness with a shock‑absorbing lanyard, used only where restraint isn’t possible. It stops a worker after a fall, so you must get clearance calculations right.
Anchors are non‑negotiable: each one needs to handle severe forces. Industry standard is a minimum of 5,000 lbs per worker attached, and the anchor location must let the system work without excessive swing. Safety ropes should never have slack beyond what the rope grab requires.
Clearance distances depend on your equipment and anchor height. If there isn’t enough room below for the lanyard and shock absorber to fully deploy plus a safety margin, the fall arrest system won’t work. In those tight spots, switch to a restraint system or another method.
Don’t Skip Inspection or Training
Harnesses, lanyards, and connectors must be visually inspected before every use. Look for cuts, fraying, rust, or missing labels—tag out anything that doesn’t pass. Write inspection into the plan and keep a simple log.
Training is equally critical. Workers need hands‑on practice wearing harnesses, connecting to anchors, moving safely while tied off, and responding if someone falls. A class that ends with a certificate isn’t enough; you must verify that your people can do it on the roof. For help with practical crew training, see our safety training programs.
Prepare Your Rescue Plan
A suspended worker is in immediate danger. Your written plan must explain how you’ll get them down fast—whether that’s equipment‑aided rescue, a ladder, or calling emergency services. Walk through it with the team so no one is improvising.
We Make Fall Protection Practical
These requirements aren’t going anywhere, and OHS officers expect to see a site‑specific plan, not a generic binder. That’s where Salient Health & Safety steps in. We build fall protection plans that satisfy Part 9 of the OHS Code and integrate them into a complete safety program your crew will actually use. From program development to hands‑on training, we handle the technical side so you can run your jobs. If you’d rather not build this alone, book a call and let’s get your fall protection airtight.