A freshly laid masonry wall resists little until the structure ties into it. 29 CFR 1926.706(b) covers this in one paragraph, and the exam tests nearly every word.
The rule
"All masonry walls over eight feet in height shall be adequately braced to prevent overturning and to prevent collapse unless the wall is adequately supported so that it will not overturn or collapse. The bracing shall remain in place until permanent supporting elements of the structure are in place."
Over 8 ft, not 8 ft or more
The common error is reading the trigger as "8 ft or more".
- A wall of exactly 8 ft 0 in is not over 8 ft, so 1926.706(b) is not triggered, even with no lateral support until the floor above is framed.
- The rule does not cover every masonry wall; it has a height threshold.
- 10 ft and 12 ft are not thresholds in the regulation.
- Scaffolding on both sides is not a condition.
The only exception
A wall over 8 ft may go unbraced only when it is adequately supported so that it will not overturn or collapse. Nothing else substitutes:
- Mortar type, such as Type S or stronger, is not in the rule.
- Doubling the limited access zone controls who is near the wall but does not stop it overturning.
- Wall length, such as under 20 ft, is not a condition.
How long bracing stays
Until permanent supporting elements of the structure are in place. Not after a 7-day mortar cure, not when the scaffold is dismantled, and not when the limited access zone is removed.
That last trap reverses the link between the paragraphs. Under 1926.706(a)(5), the zone for a wall over 8 ft stays until the bracing requirements are met. The zone waits on the bracing, and the bracing waits on the permanent structure, never the other way round.