114 Walking-Working Surfaces and Fall Protection

Surface Hazards Causing Falls

Slips, trips, and falls constitute the majority of general industry accidents. They cause 15% of all accidental deaths and are second only to motor vehicles as a cause of fatalities.

General Requirements

Housekeeping

The employer must ensure:

• All places of employment, passageways, storerooms, service rooms, and walking-working surfaces are kept in a clean, orderly, and sanitary condition.
• The floor of each workroom is maintained in a clean and, to the extent feasible, in a dry condition. When wet processes are used, drainage must be maintained and, to the extent feasible, dry standing places, such as false floors, platforms, and mats must be provided.
• Walking-working surfaces are maintained free of hazards such as sharp or protruding objects, loose boards, corrosion, leaks, spills, snow, and ice.

Loads

The employer must ensure that each walking-working surface can support the maximum intended load for that surface.

Access and Egress

The employer must provide, and ensure each employee uses, a safe means of access and egress to and from walking-working surfaces.

Inspection, Maintenance, and Repair

The employer must ensure:

• Walking-working surfaces are inspected, regularly and as necessary, and maintained in a safe condition;
• Hazardous conditions on walking-working surfaces are corrected or repaired before an employee uses the walking-working surface again. If the correction or repair cannot be made immediately, the hazard must be guarded to prevent employees from using the walking-working surface until the hazard is corrected or repaired; and
• When any correction or repair involves the structural integrity of the walking-working surface, a qualified person performs or supervises the correction or repair.

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