Watch your step and pick up that trash
['Walking Working Surfaces']
['Walking Working Surface Inspections']
01/05/2024
Copyright 2024 J. J. Keller & Associate, Inc. For re-use options please contact copyright@jjkeller.com or call 800-558-5011.
...
We often take for granted the walking-working surfaces at our facilities. However, it’s not that simple because these surfaces can create or harbor hazards for employees. That’s why it’s so important for employers to inspect their facilities’ floors, ladders, stairways, and mezzanines.
OSHA defines a walking-working surface as any horizontal or vertical surface on or through which an employee walks, works, or gains access to a work area or workplace location. Regular inspection and maintenance of these by employers is an OSHA requirement.
Depending on the work being done in the facility, it may not be easy to maintain the passageways, storerooms, service rooms, and walking-working surfaces located throughout the location. One example is when wet processes are used; drainage must be maintained and, when possible, employers should provide dry standing places, such as false floors, platforms, and mats.
When performing the inspection, hazards to look for include sharp or protruding objects, loose boards, corrosion, leaks, spills, snow, and ice. If any hazardous conditions are found, they must be corrected or repaired before an employee uses the walking-working surface again. In some situations, corrections or repairs cannot be made immediately.
If that’s the case, it’s a requirement to guard the hazard to prevent employees from using the walking-working surface until the hazard is corrected or repaired. When any correction or repair involves the structural integrity of the walking-working surface, a qualified person must perform or supervise the correction or repair.
There are a couple other things to consider when thinking about a facility’s walking-working surfaces. The first is the load capacity of the surface. Employers must ensure that each walking-working surface can support the maximum intended load for that surface. This often comes into play when materials are stored on an elevated surface such as a mezzanine. That mezzanine must be strong enough to handle the weight of stored material.
The second concern is related to access and egress. Employers must provide, and ensure each employee uses, a safe means of access and egress to and from walking-working surfaces.
The take-away here is that employers must not take their facility walking-working surfaces for granted and must perform proper inspections and necessary maintenance to protect their employees.
READ MORESHOW LESS
['Walking Working Surfaces']
['Walking Working Surface Inspections']
Load More
J. J. Keller is the trusted source for DOT / Transportation, OSHA / Workplace Safety, Human Resources, Construction Safety and Hazmat / Hazardous Materials regulation compliance products and services. J. J. Keller helps you increase safety awareness, reduce risk, follow best practices, improve safety training, and stay current with changing regulations.
Copyright 2024 J. J. Keller & Associate, Inc. For re-use options please contact copyright@jjkeller.com or call 800-558-5011.