ALBERTA · OHS CODE PART 9

Fall Protection in Alberta: OHS Code Part 9 Explained

What Alberta's OHS Code requires: the 3 m and 1.2 m triggers, the order of protection, the written fall protection plan, anchor strengths per worker, training and rescue.

Quick answerIn Alberta, fall protection is required where a worker could fall 3 m or more, or 1.2 m at a permanent work area, and at any height into hazards or through openings. Guardrails come first. A written fall protection plan is required at 3 m whenever guardrails are not used, and it must include rescue procedures.
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  • OHS Code Part 9
  • Plan at 3 m
  • 16 kN per worker
  • Rescue in the plan
ALBERTA FALL PROTECTION ◆ OHS CODE PART 9 ◆ 3 M TRIGGER ◆ WRITTEN PLAN AT 3 M ◆ 16 KN PER WORKER ◆ RESCUE MUST BE PLANNED

Alberta fall protection at a glance

THE NUMBERS THAT MATTER

Trigger height3 m1.2 m at permanent work areas; any height into hazards or through an opening (s. 139).
Order of protectionGuardrail firstThen travel restraint, then personal fall arrest, then an equally effective means.
Written plan3 mWhenever guardrails are not used; on site before work starts (s. 140).
Anchor, fall arrest16 kNPer attached worker, or 2× the maximum arrest force if engineered (ss. 152, 152.1).
Anchor, restraint3.5 kNTemporary travel restraint anchor, per worker (s. 152.1).
TrainingBefore useSafe use of the equipment and rescue procedures (s. 141).

Who regulates fall protection in Alberta

REGULATOR · LAW · OFFICIAL TEXT

Fall protection in Alberta is set by the Occupational Health and Safety Code, Part 9 Fall Protection, made under the Occupational Health and Safety Act and enforced by Alberta OHS. The government also publishes bulletins such as GS010 Fall protection plan (2023).

When fall protection is required in Alberta

OHS CODE S. 139

  • A fall of 3 m or more at a temporary or permanent work area.
  • Less than 3 m where there is an unusual possibility of injury.
  • Into or onto a hazardous substance or object, or through an opening in a work surface.
  • At a permanent work area, a fall of more than 1.2 m.

The order of protection in Alberta

GUARDRAIL FIRST

  1. Guardrails.
  2. If not reasonably practicable, a travel restraint system.
  3. Then a personal fall arrest system.
  4. Then an equally effective means of fall protection.

Procedures in place of fall protection equipment and control zones are covered by separate sections with their own conditions.

Alberta fall protection plans and rescue

S. 140 · GS010 BULLETIN

A written fall protection plan is required where a worker may fall 3 m or more and is not protected by guardrails. It must be at the work site before work starts and cover:

  • the fall hazards;
  • the fall protection systems to be used;
  • the anchors;
  • confirmation of clearance below;
  • procedures for assembly, maintenance, inspection, use and disassembly;
  • rescue procedures for a worker suspended in a personal fall arrest system or safety net.

Alberta's GS010 bulletin says rescue procedures must already be in place and employers need basic on-site rescue capability even if 9-1-1 is called: for example a lift, ladders, suspension relief straps or rescue SRDs.

Anchors and training in Alberta

SS. 141, 152, 152.1

Anchors: permanent and temporary fall arrest anchors need a minimum breaking strength of 16 kN (3,600 lb) per attached worker, or twice the maximum arresting force where engineered. Temporary travel restraint anchors need 3.5 kN (800 lb) per worker. Two workers on one anchor means double the capacity.

Training: before use, workers must be trained in the safe use of the fall protection equipment (assembly, maintenance, inspection, use and disassembly), and workers who may carry out rescues must be trained in the rescue procedures. Alberta does not run an approved-provider card system like Ontario's.

Common fall protection mistakes in Alberta

WHAT INSPECTORS FIND

  • No written plan at 3 m when guardrails are not used.
  • Forgetting permanent work areas need protection from 1.2 m.
  • A plan without real rescue procedures, or one that only says "call 9-1-1".
  • Tying two workers to an anchor rated for one.
  • Rope access without a separate rope access safe work plan.

Fall protection gear for Alberta jobsites

GUARDRAILS, ANCHORS, HARNESSES, RESCUE

Before you buyAlberta's Part 9 lists the equipment standards it accepts. Every product page states its actual certification (CSA or ANSI/OSHA). Check it against the current Code before you buy.

Official Alberta fall protection links

SOURCES

This page is a plain-language summary to help you plan, not legal advice. Regulations change: check the current official text linked above, or call your provincial regulator, before you rely on it. Summary checked October 2026.

More fall protection resources

GUIDES & CHECKLISTS

Alberta fall protection — common questions

ANSWERS YOU CAN CITE

01

When do I need a fall protection plan in Alberta?

Whenever a worker may fall 3 m or more and is not protected by guardrails. The plan must be at the work site before the work starts (s. 140).
02

How strong must an anchor be in Alberta?

16 kN (3,600 lb) per attached worker for fall arrest, or twice the maximum arresting force where engineered; 3.5 kN per worker for temporary travel restraint.
03

Is 9-1-1 enough for rescue in Alberta?

No. The plan must include rescue procedures, and Alberta's guidance expects basic on-site rescue capability even if 9-1-1 is called.
04

Does Alberta require a working-at-heights card?

There is no Ontario-style approved-provider card. Employers must train workers in the safe use of the equipment and the rescue procedures before use (s. 141).