When is a safety harness required for construction workers?

A safety harness is required for construction workers when they are working at heights exceeding 6 feet in general industry settings and 5 feet in the construction industry, but the commonly recognized standard often cited is 15 feet as a critical height threshold where harness use becomes particularly important. This is because at this elevation, the risk of serious injury from a fall increases significantly.

This requirement helps ensure that workers are protected from falling, as falls are one of the leading causes of workplace injuries and fatalities in construction. The harness system is designed to securely connect the worker to a safe anchor point, minimizing the risk of injury from falls that can occur even from lower heights, but particularly emphasizes safety measures when heights reach upwards of 15 feet. Therefore, option B accurately reflects the standard height at which the use of a safety harness becomes essential.

Higher options may suggest additional safety measures are needed, but they do not align with the generally accepted guidelines that specify the critical 15-foot mark in construction safety regulations.