A skylight is a hole in the roof. Under federal OSHA general industry rules, workers on a roof must be protected from falling through any skylight that is 4 feet or more above the level below. A skylight screen, cage or guard provides that protection permanently, because it stays in place whether or not anyone remembers to set up guardrail or harnesses.
What the rules say
- General industry, 29 CFR 1910.28(b)(3)(i): each employee must be protected from falling through any hole, including skylights, that is 4 feet or more above a lower level, by covers, guardrail systems, travel restraint systems or personal fall arrest systems.
- Covers, 29 CFR 1910.29(e): a cover must be able to support, without failure, at least twice the maximum intended load that may be imposed on it at any one time.
- Construction work, 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(4)(i) and 1926.502(i)(2): during construction, workers must be protected from falling through holes, including skylights, more than 6 feet above a lower level, by personal fall arrest systems, covers or guardrail systems. Covers must support, without failure, at least twice the weight of employees, equipment and materials that may be on them at any one time.
- The old general-industry rule that called for skylight screens to withstand 200 lb (former 1910.23(e)(8)) was replaced when OSHA's updated walking-working surfaces rule took effect on January 17, 2017. Some product literature still quotes it.
State plans (for example Cal/OSHA) can be stricter. This page is a buying guide, not legal advice: confirm the requirement for your site with your safety professional.
Interior or exterior?
- Interior screens fasten inside the curb, under the skylight, so nothing sits on top of the dome.
- Exterior screens and cages go over the unit, where they are easy to see and inspect from the roof.
- Curbs with a built-in screen solve it at the curb, so any skylight that fits the curb is covered.
- Smoke vents: check the vent’s product page before you pick a screen. Some operable smoke vents, such as the Kingspan ULSV, can only use interior safety screens.
Interior skylight screens (19)
| Brand | Model | Type | Nominal | Size on product page (in.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Curbs Plus | CP 36120 ZFRAME 4OC | Curbs Plus Interior Screen | 3' x 10' | ICD 35.5 x 119.5 |
| Curbs Plus | CP 4848 ZFRAME 4OC | Curbs Plus Interior Screen | 4' x 4' | ICD 47.5 x 47.5 |
| Curbs Plus | CP 4896 ZFRAME 4OC | Curbs Plus Interior Screen | 4' x 8' | ICD 47.5 x 95.5 |
| Curbs Plus | CP 6060 ZFRAME 4OC | Curbs Plus Interior Screen | 5' x 5' | ICD 59.5 x 59.5 |
| Curbs Plus | CP 6072 ZFRAME 4OC | Curbs Plus Interior Screen | 5' x 6' | ICD 59.5 x 71.5 |
| Kingspan | 4689 SSCRN | Internal Safety Screen | 4' x 8' | confirm with us |
| Kingspan | 4848 SSCRN | Internal Safety Screen | 4' x 4' | ICD 48 x 48 |
| Kingspan | 4872 SSCRN | Internal Safety Screen | 4' x 6' | ICD 48 x 72 |
| Kingspan | 4896 SSCRN | Internal Safety Screen | 4' x 8' | ICD 48 x 96 |
| Kingspan | 6060 SSCRN | Internal Safety Screen | 5' x 5' | ICD 60 x 60 |
| Kingspan | 6072 SSCRN | Internal Safety Screen | 5' x 6' | ICD 60 x 72 |
| Kingspan | 6096 SSCRN | Internal Safety Screen | 5' x 8' | ICD 60 x 96 |
| Sunoptics | GUARD 4040 W47 L47 CLPOG | Sunoptics Security Guard | 4' x 4' | ICD 47 x 47 |
| Sunoptics | GUARD 4080 W48 L96 BURGB 5IN O.C. 1D | Fall protection | 4' x 8' | ICD 48 x 96 |
| Sunoptics | GUARD 4080 W48 L96 CLPOG | Sunoptics Security Guard | 4' x 8' | ICD 48 x 96 |
| Sunoptics | GUARD 5060 W59.375 L71.375 CLPOG | Sunoptics Security Guard | 5' x 6' | ICD 59.375 x 71.375 |
| Taylon | 4896 FPBA | Fall protection | n/a | see product page |
| VELUX | CRGA 4872 ICDS | Interior Safety Screen | 4' x 6' | ICD 48 x 72 |
| VELUX | CRGA 4896 ICDS | Interior Safety Screen | 4' x 8' | ICD 48 x 96 |
Exterior skylight screens, cages and guards (12)
| Brand | Model | Type | Nominal | Size on product page (in.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingspan | 3648 SCAGE | Gladiator Safety Cage | 3' x 4' | ICD 36 x 48 |
| Kingspan | 4896 SCAGE | Gladiator Safety Cage | 4' x 8' | ICD 48 x 96 |
| Kingspan | 55102 SCAGE | Gladiator Safety Cage | 4' x 8' | ICD 48 x 96 |
| Kingspan | 5596 SCAGE | Gladiator Safety Cage | 4' x 7.5' | ICD 48 x 90 |
| Safety Rail Source | SCS36120G | Safety Rail Source Skylight | 3' x 10' | ICD 36 x 120 |
| Sunoptics | ESFP 4040 W51.250 L51.250 | Sunoptics Exterior Safety Screen | 4' x 4' | OCD 50.25 x 50.25 |
| Sunoptics | ESFP 4080 W52.250 L100.250 | Sunoptics Exterior Safety Screen | 4' x 8' | OCD 51.25 x 99.25 |
| VELUX | CAE 4848 0004 | Exterior Safety Screen | 4' x 4' | ICD 52 x 53.5 |
| VELUX | CAE 4896 0004 | Exterior Safety Screen | 4' x 8' | ICD 53.5 x 100 |
| VELUX | CAE 6060 0004 | Velux Exterior Safety Screen | 5' x 5' | ICD 64 x 65.5 |
| VELUX | CAES 4872 0004 | Exterior Screen | 4' x 6' | ICD 48 x 72 |
| VELUX | CAES 4896 0004 | Exterior Screen | 4' x 8' | ICD 48 x 96 |
Roof curbs with a built-in screen (4)
| Brand | Model | Nominal | Inside curb (in.) | Outside curb (in.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AES | 4848 ARC6 12H 14GA CG | 4' x 4' | 48 x 48 | 51.5 x 51.5 |
| AES | 4848 ARC6 14H 18GA CG | 4' x 4' | 48 x 48 | 51.5 x 51.5 |
| AES | 4896 ARC6 14H 18GA CG | 4' x 8' | 48 x 96 | 51.5 x 99.5 |
| AES | 5060 ARC6 14H 14GA CG | 5' x 6' | 58.875 x 70.875 | 62.375 x 74.375 |
Related reading
- OSHA fall protection for skylights (Daylighting Library)
- Corrugated skylight screens and OSHA
- 4x8 commercial skylights and 4x4 commercial skylights
Not sure which screen fits? Send us the outside curb dimension and quantity and we will quote the skylights, curbs and fall protection together.
Request a fall protection quoteAll quote forms or call 1-844-455-7283
Request a fall protection quoteAll quote forms or call 1-844-455-7283