California Code of Regulations
Title 8 - Industrial Relations
Division 1 - Department of Industrial Relations
Chapter 4 - Division of Industrial Safety
Subchapter 4 - Construction Safety Orders
Article 30 - Roofing Operations and Equipment
Section 1730 - Roof Hazards

Universal Citation: 8 CA Code of Regs 1730

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 38, September 20, 2024

(a) During roofing operations the employer shall comply with the provisions of Section 1509 and employees shall be trained and instructed in accordance with the provisions of Section 1510 of these orders.

(b) Slopes 0:12 to 4:12--Single-Unit (Monolithic) Roof Coverings.

(1) Employees shall be protected from falls from roofs of a height of more than 20 feet by use of one or a combination of the methods in this section. Whenever felt laying machines or other equipment that is pulled by an operator who walks backwards is being used, this provision shall apply regardless of the height.

(2) Warning lines consisting of rope, wire or similar material, flagged with highly visible material hanging from the warning lines at approximately 6-foot intervals, shall be installed 34 to 45 inches above the roof surface to warn employees that they are approaching the edge of the roof.
(A) The stanchions (portable or fixed) supporting the warning lines shall be designed and installed to minimize tip over or displacement under normal working conditions.

(B) Warning lines shall have a minimum tensile strength of 500 pounds.

(C) The line shall be attached at each stanchion in such a way that pulling on one section of the line between stanchions will not result in slack being taken up in adjacent sections before the stanchion tips over.

(3) Unless conditions prohibit, headers consisting of sheets of roofing or other roofing materials shall also be laid parallel to the edges of the roof to warn employees that they are approaching the edge of the roof.

(4) The warning lines and headers shall be placed no closer than 5 feet from the roof edge.

(5) When using felt-laying machines or other equipment that is pulled by an operator who walks backwards or motorized equipment on which the operator rides, the headers shall be placed no closer than 10 feet and the warning lines shall be placed no closer than 5 feet from those roof edges that are perpendicular (or nearly so) to the direction in which the operator is moving and when conditions prohibit the use of headers, the warning lines shall be placed no closer than 10 feet from those roof edges that are perpendicular (or nearly so) to the direction in which the operator is moving.

(6) The warning lines and headers shall be erected either around the complete perimeter of the roof or only in areas of the roof where work is being accomplished, so long as the warning lines and headers are moved as the work progresses in such a manner as to provide continuous warning to employees in the work area when they approach the roof edge. Access paths shall be erected as follows:
(A) Points of access, materials handling areas and storage areas shall be connected to the work area by a clear access path formed by two warning lines.

(B) When the path to a point of access is not in use, a rope, wire, or chain, equal in strength and height to the warning line, shall be placed across the path at the point where the path intersects the warning line erected around the work area.

(7) Employees shall be instructed to stay inside the warning lines and headers except when work must be performed at the roof edge.

(8) Application of materials outside the warning lines shall be closely supervised by a qualified person.

(9) On narrow roofs and roofs of unusual shape where warning lines and headers would be impractical, the application of materials shall be closely supervised by a qualified person.

(10) When a felt-laying machine or any other equipment that is pulled by an operator who walks backwards is being used, the operator shall be no closer than 3 feet to the roof edges that are parallel (or nearly so) to the direction in which the operator is moving. Motorized equipment on which the operator rides shall not be used or stored between the warning line and the roof edge.

NOTE: The provisions of subsection (b) do not apply when employees are protected by the use of one or a combination of the following methods:

Personal Fall Protection [Section 1724(f)].

Catch Platforms [Section 1724(c)].

Scaffold Platforms [Section 1724(d)].

Eave Barriers [Section 1724(e)].

Standard Railings and Toeboards (Article 16). Parapets at least 24 inches high; except that at those job sites where feltlaying machines or other equipment that is pulled by an operator who walks backwards or motorized equipment on which the operator rides is being used, the provisions of this subsection shall not apply provided that the parapet is 36 inches or more in height at those roof edges which are perpendicular (or nearly so) to the direction in which the equipment is moving.

(c) Slopes Greater Than 4:12--Single-Unit (Monolithic) Roof Coverings. Employees shall be protected from falls from roofs of a height of more than 20 feet by use of one or a combination of the following methods:

(1) Parapets, 24 inches or higher.

(2) Personal Fall Protection [Section 1724(f)].

(3) Catch Platforms [Section 1724(c)].

(4) Scaffold Platforms [Section 1724(d)].

(5) Eave Barriers [Section 1724(e)].

(6) Standard Railings and Toeboards (Article 16).

NOTE: The provisions of this subsection (c) do not apply under the following conditions:

At those job sites where motorized equipment on which the operator rides which has been designed for use on roofs of slopes greater than 4:12 is being used if the parapet is 36 inches or more in height at those roof edges which are perpendicular (or nearly so) to the direction in which the equipment is moving.

(d) Equipment Hazards on Sloped Roofs--Single-Unit (monolithic) Roof Coverings. Equipment that is pulled by an operator who walks backwards shall not be used on a roof having a slope greater than 4:12.

(e) Slopes 0:12 Through 5:12--Multiple-Unit Roof Coverings. 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.

(f) Slopes Greater Than 5:12--Multiple-Unit Roof Coverings. Employees shall be protected from falls from roofs that are of a height of more than 20 feet by one or a combination of the following methods:

(1) A parapet at least 24 inches high.

(2) Personal Fall Protection [Section 1724(f)].

(3) Catch Platforms [Section 1724(c)].

(4) Scaffold Platforms [Section 1724(d)].

(5) Eave Barriers [Section 1724(e)].

(6) Roof Jack Systems [Section 1724(a)] (Safety lines shall be required in conjunction with roof jack systems on roofs steeper than 7:12)

NOTE: For purposes of Section 1730, the height measurement shall be determined by measuring the vertical distance from the lowest edge of the roof or eaves to the ground or level below. The height of parapets shall not be included in the roof height measurements.

EXCEPTION to Section 1730: Section 1731 applies instead of Section 1730 for roofing work on new production-type residential construction with roof slopes 3:12 or greater.

1. Amendment of subsections (b)(5) and (b)(9) filed 7-3-80; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 80, No. 27).
2. Amendment of subsection (b) filed 8-6-81; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 81, No. 32).
3. Amendment of subsections (b)(1), (c), (e) and (f) filed 10-30-81; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 81, No. 44).
4. Amendment of subsection (a) filed 12-15-86; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 86, No. 51).
5. Editorial correction of subsection (c)(5) (Register 95, No. 41).
6. Amendment of subsections (b)(10), (c)(2) and (f)(2) filed 7-2-98; operative 8-1-98 (Register 98, No. 27).
7. Amendment adding EXCEPTION to subsection (f)(6) filed 3-2-2007; operative 4-1-2007 (Register 2007, No. 9).

Note: Authority cited: Section 142.3, Labor Code. Reference: Section 142.3, Labor Code.

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