Skylights are a great feature in a home or office that can provide added ventilation and sunlight to any space. However, unprotected skylights are extremely dangerous and kill workers every year. Working on a roof is dangerous in general because of the risk of falling from the roof and is even more dangerous with the added hazard of falling through a skylight. Falls from roofs through a skylight not only exposes the worker to lacerations and other severe injuries, but it also risks injury to anyone else below the skylight. If there is evidence that your employer, foreman, supervisor, manager, or building owner had knowledge of the violative condition of the skylight and you have fallen from the roof, then you may be able to file a serious and willful misconduct complaint to Cal/OSHA.
California Code of Regulations, Title 8, Section 3212
details the requirements needed for skylight coverings, and section 3212(a)(1) states that any roof or floor openings, including skylights, should be guarded on all open sides by a cover, guardrail, or equivalent cover. Without proper coverings or barriers, workers can easily fall from the roof and plummet hundreds of feet to the ground.
Section 3212(e) further details that “any employee approaching within 6 feet of any skylight shall be protected from falling through the skylight or skylight opening…” If a person can get within 6 feet of a skylight, for any reason, then the skylight needs protection. Unless you have barriers to avoid specific areas or you cannot access the area of the roof with the skylight, then skylight protection is necessary.
Section 3213(b) explains the weight requirements for the skylight coverings: “Floor and roof opening covers shall be designed by a qualified person and be capable of safely supporting the greater of 400 pounds or twice the weight of the employees, equipment and materials that may be imposed on anyone square foot area of the cover at any time. Covers shall be secured in place to prevent accidental removal or displacement…” Cal/OSHA also requires that the screen must be able to hold the weight without breaking the skylight glass to prevent falling through the skylight from the roof.
Most skylight screens are made with a grid-like wire mesh, and Cal/OSHA requires them to be constructed with an opening that is no larger than 4 inches by 4 inches. If the screens are made from slats, then the opening must not be more than 2 inches wide. Other methods can be used like guardrails, skylight nets, or personal fall arrest systems. The skylight itself can be the cover, but the owner of the building must obtain documentation from the skylight manufacturer that states the skylight meets the strength requirements.
These protection standards are required and work to prevent falls from roofs through skylights. Skylight screens and coverings are relatively inexpensive and will prevent an employee from falling through a skylight on a roof and prevent a costly serious and willful misconduct claim. If you believe your employer had knowledge of inadequate skylight coverings and you or a family member were hurt after falling through the skylight, contact a Sacramento Workers’ Compensation Attorney today. A Sacramento workers compensation attorney will listen to the details of your claim and determine if you have a case to file a serious and willful misconduct complaint against your employer.
