Floor & Wall Holes

Floor and wall holes can cause nasty falls with serious injuries. Employers must create a safe work place that prevents employees from falling off of overhead platforms or elevated work stations, or through holes in the floor and walls. OSHA requires that fall protection be provided at elevations of four feet in general industry workplaces. 29 CFR 1910.23 provides regulations for the protection of employees regarding floor and wall holes.

To prevent employees from being injured from falls, employers must guard every floor hole into which a worker can accidentally walk through the use of a railing, and either a toeboard or a floor hole cover. The employer must also provide a guard rail and toeboard around every elevated open-sided platform, floor, or runway. Regardless of the height, if a worker can fall into or onto dangerous machines or equipment, such as a vat or a conveyor belt, employers must provide guardrails and toeboards to prevent workers from falling and being injured.

In addition, any stairway floor opening should be guarded by a standard railing, and the railing should be provided on all exposed sides, except at the entrance to the stairway. Ladderway floor openings or platforms should be guarded by a standard railing and toeboard on all exposed sides, except at the entrance to the opening. A swinging gate must be provided at the entrance so that a person cannot walk directly into the opening.

Pit and trapdoor floor openings that are infrequently used should be guarded by a floor opening cover of standard strength and construction. When the cover is not in place, the pit or trap opening should be constantly attended by someone or should be protected on all exposed sides by removable standard railings.

Manhole floor openings should be guarded by a standard manhole cover. While the cover is not in place, the manhole opening should be constantly attended by someone, or should be protected by removable standard railings.

Wall openings can also be dangerous. Every wall opening from which there is a drop of more than four feet must be guarded by a rail, roller, picket fence, half door, or equivalent barrier. To prevent materials from falling through wall openings, a removable toe board or the equivalent should also be provided.

To learn more about Walking Working Surfaces visit our Walking Working Surfaces & Personal Fall Protection Systems Online Training web page.