Do all masonry walls need bracing?
Yes. 29 CFR 1926.706 states all walls over 8 feet must be adequately braced. However, in an OSHA letter of interpretation from 1996, OSHA recognizes that some walls may be designed to take construction loads. If this is the case, the employer (the contractor) needs to determine if the wall is capable of withstanding construction forces and does not need bracing. If this is so, the contractor needs to substantiate this claim.
