Leading Edge Work
Construction · Ver en español
Talking points
- A leading edge is any unprotected side or edge of a floor, roof, or deck where work is actively in progress — fall protection is required at 6 feet.
- Acceptable protection at a leading edge includes guardrails, safety nets, or PFAS. A controlled access zone is allowed only when conventional methods are infeasible.
- If using PFAS at a leading edge, the maximum allowable freefall distance is 6 feet, and the system must limit arrest force to 1,800 pounds.
- Controlled access zones must be at least 6 feet back from the edge and marked with a control line 39 to 45 inches high. Only authorized workers may enter.
- Leading edge work is one of the most common situations for fatal falls. If your protection is missing or inadequate, stop work and speak up — it can save a life.
Ask the crew
Have you ever worked near a leading edge where the fall protection felt inadequate? What would you do differently?
Standards this talk is built on
A toolbox talk is a short safety briefing. It supports the training a standard requires; it does not replace it.
Run this talk with your crew and keep the record
In Jobsite, workers sign in on their phones in English or Spanish, and you keep who attended, when, and where, with every other talk your crew has had.
Using an AI assistant? Jobsite's free MCP server serves this library, with OSHA rule text, no sign-in: https://jobsitecerts.com/api/mcp/public (/mcp)
Sign-in sheet
Print this page to collect signatures, or run the talk in Jobsite and workers sign in on their phones.
| Name | Signature | Date |
|---|---|---|
© Jobsite. Free to read aloud, print and use in your own crew's safety meetings. Republishing, reselling or bulk-copying these talks is not permitted.