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All places of employment, passageways, storerooms, service rooms, and walking-working surfaces must be kept in a clean, orderly, and sanitary condition.
Scope
These requirements apply to all general industry workplaces. They cover all walking-working surfaces unless specifically excluded by an individual section of 29 CFR 1910, Subpart D.
Regulatory citations
- 29 CFR 1910.22 — General requirements
- 29 CFR 1910.28 — Duty to have fall protection and falling object protection
- 29 CFR 1910.176 — Handling materials — general
Key definitions
- Guardrail system: A barrier erected along an unprotected or exposed side, edge, or other area of a walking-working surface to prevent employees from falling to alower level.
- Walking-working surface: Any horizontal or vertical surface on or through which an employee walks, works, or gains access to a work area or workplace location.
Summary of requirements
The floor of every workroom must be maintained in a clean and, so far as possible, a dry condition. Where wet processes are used, drainage must be maintained, and false floors, platforms, mats, or other dry standing places must be provided, where practicable.
To facilitate cleaning, every floor, working place, and passageway must be kept free of protruding nails, splinters, holes, or loose boards.
Aisles and passageways. Where mechanical handling equipment is used, sufficient safe clearances must be allowed for aisles, at loading docks, through doorways, and wherever turns or passage must be made. Aisles and passageways must be kept clear and in good repair, with no obstruction across or in aisles that could create a hazard. Permanent aisles and passageways must be appropriately marked.