Yes. OSHA does not exempt corrugated fiberglass skylight panels: 29 CFR 1910.28(b)(3)(i) requires that each employee be protected from falling through any hole, including skylights, that is 4 feet or more above a lower level. A screen that works as a cover is one of the four protection methods the rule allows, and the Safety Rail Source SCS36120G is a screen made for the 3 x 10 foot corrugated panels found on metal building roofs.
What OSHA requires around skylights
The general industry walking-working surfaces rule handles skylights in three places:
- Definition, 1910.21(b). A hole is a gap or open space in a floor, roof or similar walking-working surface that is at least 2 inches in its least dimension.
- Duty to protect, 1910.28(b)(3)(i). Employees must be protected from falling through any hole, including skylights, 4 feet or more above a lower level by one or more of: covers, guardrail systems, travel restraint systems, or personal fall arrest systems.
- Cover criteria, 1910.29(e). Each cover must be capable of supporting, without failure, at least twice the maximum intended load that may be imposed on it at any one time, and must be secured to prevent accidental displacement.
The rule makes no distinction by glazing material. A translucent fiberglass or polycarbonate panel set into a metal roof is a skylight, so anyone doing maintenance on that roof needs one of the four protections at each panel.
Where does the 200 pound number come from?
You will see 200 pounds quoted often for skylight screens. The current text of 1910.29(e) does not give a fixed number for covers. It says twice the maximum intended load. Safety Rail Source publishes both figures for the Model SCS: its flier lists the screen as OSHA compliant at 200 pounds of force, and its cut sheet states that the screen is designed and tested to comply with 29 CFR 1910.28(b)(3)(i) and Cal/OSHA 8 CCR 3212. For California projects, the flier says the screen can be special ordered in a design that withstands a 400 pound load to comply with Cal/OSHA.
Why corrugated panels need their own kind of screen
Dome skylights sit on a curb, so their screens attach at the curb. A corrugated skylight panel has no curb. It laps into the metal roof panels and follows the same rib profile, so a curb mounted screen has nothing to attach to. The Model SCS solves this by spanning the panel on two support channels and fastening through the roof into the building purlins.
How the SCS36120G fits a 3 x 10 foot panel
| Item | Manufacturer data |
|---|---|
| Skylight size covered | 3 x 10 foot corrugated or ribbed skylight panel |
| Screen size | 40 x 128 inches overall, flat |
| Screen wire | 0.187 inch wire welded in a 4 x 4 inch grid |
| Wire material | Galvanized carbon steel standard, stainless steel optional |
| Support channels | Two channels, 128 inches long, formed to fit over standard ribbed or corrugated profiles |
| Attachment | Through the roof into steel or wood purlins with supplied fasteners and vinyl coated screen clips |
We list the SCS36120G as the galvanized Saf-T-Screen for 3 x 10 foot corrugated skylights. The cut sheet, flier, installation instructions and three part specification are all under the Documents tab on that page.
Installation in brief
The manufacturer's instructions run in this order:
- Set the two support channels over the highest ribs, spaced to split the skylight into roughly equal sections, with each channel end positioned over a purlin.
- Put a 3 inch piece of the supplied butyl tape under each fastening point, then drill a pilot hole through the channel, tape and roof panel into the purlin. Each channel gets one fastener at each end, four in total.
- Lay the screen on the channels so it completely covers the skylight and overlaps evenly onto the metal panels on all sides.
- Clip the vinyl coated screen clips onto the wire at each hole and drive the supplied metal to metal or metal to wood fasteners through the clip, channel and roof panel into the structure.
- Check that the attachment is secure and watertight. The installer is responsible for sealing the fastening points.
The only tool listed is a variable speed drill. The cut sheet gives an installation time of two people, 30 minutes per unit.
Other roof safety products
Roof edge guardrail, hatch rails and screens for curb mounted skylights are grouped under related products, and the panels and domes themselves are on the skylights page.
FAQ
Will the screen fit my roof panel profile?
The support channels are formed to fit over standard ribbed or corrugated profiles. Send the panel profile and manufacturer with your request so fit can be confirmed before you order.
Does installing the screen mean drilling through the roof?
Yes, at four points. Each fastener passes through butyl tape and the metal roof panel into a purlin, and the installer confirms the seal.
Is there a version for California?
The manufacturer states the screen can be special ordered to withstand a 400 pound load to comply with Cal/OSHA. The answers on our FAQ page cover other common screen questions.
Next steps
Count the corrugated skylight panels on the roof, note their size and the roof panel profile, and see what we carry on the Safety Rail Source brand page. Then send the details through the fall protection request for quote page and we will quote the screens.
Product data on this page comes from the manufacturer's published data sheets, drawings and installation instructions, which are posted on each product page. Code references are to the current OSHA text. Always confirm requirements with the authority having jurisdiction for your project.
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