Last week we discussed Walking-Working Surfaces. In this standard (OSHA 1910.21), OSHA discusses the basics of Walk-Working Surfaces, primarily focusing on what is required to protect employees from injury while negotiating the work place. This includes everything from hand and guardrails to grab bars and toe boards. Each of these safety requirements also have their own standard. For most, and those which are most commonly an injury risk, standard 1910.23 explains the requirements set by OSHA.

Standard 1910.23 discusses the specifics of railings, toe boards, coverings, and guards for floor and wall openings. This includes dimensions, clearance, materials they are made of, required strength, locations, construction, and anchoring of these floor and wall opening guards. It also discusses applicable signage, maintenance, and upkeep required.

Many customers we meet with don’t realize that this standard relates to them; floor and wall openings are not just the rough openings at construction sites or openings related to large industrial facilities. Per OSHA, these openings range from stairwells and ladders to skylights, chutes, and hatchways. If your place of business has any of these, it might be worth a second look at the guarding you have in place. And it should certainly be a part of your annual safety audits.

If you have any questions about the guards for floor and wall openings at your company, please contact us so we can help you guarantee that you have a safe worksite for all of your employees. And if you have anything to add about guarding for floor and wall openings, please leave a comment.

Hand tools and portable powered tools and their equipment are a necessary part of most businesses. And as such, most employers purchase the tools used by customers and employees. If your business is one of the many who fall into these categories, then OSHA is watching you. They enacted Standard 1910.242 to enforce proper safety procedures are being followed in regards to these dangerous tools.

Though small and general, this standard can be crucial to any business using these types of tools. It sets a requirement that “each employer shall be responsible for the safe condition of tools and equipment used by employees, including tools and equipment which may be furnished by employees.” (1910.242[a]) But how do you know what is considered “safe condition?” Well, that is determined by a number of organizations, including OSHA and ANSI. Each type of tool has different requirements, and you need to cross reference each type of tool with the various standards applicable to them. For some, it is quite simple to find the relevant standards; for others, it is not so easy.

Standard 1910.242 also discusses the use of compressed air for cleaning machinery. Any use of compressed air is prohibited unless the pressure is kept below 30 p.s.i. and proper chip guarding and personal protective equipment is utilized.

If your company uses hand or portable powered tools, you need to ensure you are compliant with Standard 1910.242. In order to ensure compliance, it is recommended you have a third party safety audit so that your machinery and procedures are properly reviewed. If you have any questions, please contact us. And if you have anything to add about properly maintaining hand tools and portable powered tools, please leave a comment.

It might seem silly, but often the most serious on the job injuries come from slips, trips, and falls. These extremely avoidable injuries are often a red flag for OSHA, who will target your company for a surprise audit. And while many of these injuries are simply employees tripping even though all proper safety precautions have been taken, many other times the issues are actually due to an unsafe workplace. Because of these types of accidents, OSHA created Standards 1910.21-1910.30. These standards lay out the groundwork for what is required of employers on the jobsite to create a safe walking space for both customers and employees.

The standard covers how to properly handle holes and openings in floors, platforms, holes and openings in walls, risers, stairs, ladders, and scaffolds. It specifically designates when handrails, toeboards, baskets, braces, guardrails, grab bars, and other safety devices must be available to customers and employees. It also discusses how these work areas must be signed and protected to make employees and customers aware of potential hazards, and what steps must be taken to help people avoid these areas.

This all seems very obvious, I’m sure, but the technical details of what is required for each potential hazard can be cumbersome to reference, and one incorrect sign or missing grab bar, and it can mean a serious injury or serious fines from OSHA. And even if you think your facility is following the standards set forth by OSHA, it is always important to remember to have your annual safety audit performed, to ensure nothing has changed in the verbiage of the standards.

If you have any questions about the walking-working surfaces at your place of business, please contact us and we can help you to ensure you are up to code. And if you have any personal experiences to relate about this issue, please post a comment.