This document summarizes OSHA's standards for walking and working surfaces. It outlines requirements for housekeeping, guarding floor and wall openings, aisles and passageways, stairs, ladders, and other general requirements. The goal is to prevent accidents from slips, trips and falls, which constitute the majority of general industry accidents.

1. Walking and Working Surfaces
Subpart D

2. Walking and Working Surfaces
 Slips, trips and falls cause:
 The majority of general industry accidents
 15% of all accidental deaths
 More fatalities than all other causes but motor
vehicles
 OSHA’s standard for walking and working
surfaces
 1910.22, applies to all permanent places of
employment, except where domestic, mining or
agricultural work is performed.

3. General Requirements:
Housekeeping
 Housekeeping 1910.22(a)(1)
 All places of employment shall be kept clean and orderly and in a
sanitary condition.
 Workrooms clean and dry.
 Platforms, mats or other dry standing places for wet processes.
 Every floor, working place and passageway shall be kept free from
protruding nails, splinters, holes or loose boards. (1910.22(a)(3)

4. General Requirements:
Aisles and Passageways
 Aisles 1910.22(b)(1)
 Sufficient safe clearance maintained where mechanical handling
equipment is used.
 Aisles and passageways shall be kept clear and in good repair.
 No obstruction across or in aisles that could create a hazard.
 Permanent aisles and passageways shall be appropriately marked.
(1910.22(b)(2))
 Aisles must be sufficiently wide where mechanical handling equipment
is used

5. General Requirements:
Floor Loading
 Floor Loading 1910.22(d)(1)
 Floor load ratings must be posted, in a conspicuous place to which
they relate.
 Do not exceed the load rating limit
 It shall be unlawful to place, or cause, or permit to be placed, on
any floor or roof of a building or other structure, a load greater than
that for which such floor or roof is approved.

6. General Requirements:
Floor Openings
 Floor Openings 1910.23(a)(1)
 Every stairway floor opening shall be guarded by a standard railing.
 Railings shall be provided on all exposed sides (except at entrance to
stairway).
 For infrequently used stairways, where traffic across the opening
prevents the use of a fixed standard railing, the guard shall consist of a
hinged floor opening cover of standard strength and construction along
with removable standard railings on all exposed sides, except at the
stairway entrance.
 Covers and/or guardrails shall be provided to protect personnel from
the hazards of open pits, tanks, vats or ditches.
 Skylights shall also be protected to prevent accidental falling through
 Ladderway floor openings shall be guarded with a standard railing with
toeboards on all exposed sides (except entrance)

7. General Requirements:
Floor Opening
 Floor Opening Definitions
 Floor Opening: 12 inches or more in its least dimension, in a floor,
platform, or yard, through which persons may fall.
 Floor Hole: less than 12 inches but more than an inch, through which
materials, no persons may fall.
 Wall Opening: at least 30 inches high and 18 inches wide in any wall or
partition through which persons may fall.
Standards specific to protective devices that
must be used – CFR 1910.23

8. General Requirements:
Floor Openings
 Floor Openings 1910.23(a)(1)
 Standard railing
 Consists of top rail, mid rail and posts. Height from the upper surface of top rail to
floor level is 42 inches. Mid rail height is 21 inches.
 Standard toeboard
 4 inches high, with not more than ¼-inch clearance above the floor.

9. General Requirements:
Wall Openings
 Wall Openings 1910.23(b)
 Opening at least 30 inches high and 18 inches wide, in a wall or partition, through which a person
may fall
 Every wall opening from which there is a drop of more than 4 feet shall be guarded by one of the
following: Rail, roller, picket fence, half door or equivalent barrier.
30"
18"
4'
Wall
Opening
W x H
Drop

10. General Requirements:
Open-Sided Floors and Platforms
 Open-Sided Floors and Platforms
 Open-sided floors or platforms 4 feet or more above adjacent floor or
ground level must be guarded by a standard railing (or equivalent) on
all open sides, except where there is an entrance to a ramp, stairway
or fixed ladder.
 A toeboard is required when beneath the open sides:
 Persons can pass
 There is moving machinery
 There is equipment with which falling materials could create a
hazard

11. General Requirements:
Stairways
 Stairways 1910.23(d)(1)
 Every flight of stairs having four or more risers shall be equipped with
standard stair railings or standard handrails.
 Fixed Industrial Stairs:
 Treads must be slip resistant with uniform rise height and tread width.
 Must be able to carry 5 times expected load; minimum of 1000 pounds.
 Minimum width of 22 inches.

12. General Requirements:
Railings
 Railings 1910.23(e)(1)
 A standard railing consists of top rail, intermediate rail, and posts.
 Have a vertical height of 42 inches nominal from upper surface of top
rail to floor.
 The top rail smooth-surfaced.
 The ends of the rails shall not constitute a projection hazard.

13. General Requirements:
Portable Ladders
 Portable Ladders
 Ladders used to gain access to a roof or other area must extend at
least 3 feet above the point of support
 Withdraw defective ladders from service and tag or mark "Dangerous,
Do Not Use“
 Never use ladders in a horizontal position as scaffolds or work
platforms
 Never use metal ladders near electrical equipment

14. General Requirements:
Portable Ladders
 Portable Rung and Cleat Ladders
 Use at an angle where the horizontal distance from the top support to
the foot of the ladder is ¼ the working length of the ladder (length
along the ladder between the foot and the top support)

15. General Requirements:
Fixed Ladders
 Fixed Ladders
 Permanently attached to a structure, building or equipment
 Cages or wells required if longer than 20 feet to a maximum unbroken
length of 30 feet.
 Ladder safety devices may be used on tower, water tank and chimney
ladders over 20 feet in unbroken length instead of cage protection

16. General Requirements:
Portable Wood Ladders
 Portable Wood Ladders 1910.25
 All wood parts free from sharp edges and splinters
 Visually acceptable
 Stepladders 20 feet max.
 Single ladders 30 feet max.

17. General Requirements:
Portable Metal Ladders
 Portable Metal Ladders 1910.26
 Designed to produce a ladder without structural defects or accident
hazards such as sharp edges and burrs.
 Slip resistant rungs.
 Rungs corrugated or knurled.
 Ladders must be maintained in good usable condition at all times.
 Ladders having defects are to be marked and taken out of service until
repaired by either the maintenance department or manufacturer.

18. General Requirements:
Summary
 Slips, trips and falls constitute the majority of general
industry accidents.
 OSHA’s standards for walking and working surfaces
include requirements for housekeeping, guarding floor and
wall openings and holes, industrial stairs and ladders.
 Keeping working surfaces clean, dry and uncluttered can
prevent many workplace accidents.