Walking-Working Surfaces

A walking working surface is any horizontal or vertical surface on or through which an employee walks works or gains access to their work area.

Everywhere we work there is a 'floor'. It may be a carpeted office floor, or a brick sidewalk, or even a rooftop. Keeping this 'floor' safe for walking and working is a daily effort. Specific requirements include:

• Indoor hallways must have a minimum width of 44 inches that is clear of obstructions. (In other words, storage in a hallway may not reduce that hallway below 44 inches of travel space.)

·         Cords, cables, and hoses that cross a walkway must be covered to prevent people from tripping over them. This is commonly accomplished with a rug or cable protectors.

·      Edges with a four foot or greater drop off must be protected with some sort of barrier to prevent falls off the edge.

• Tripping hazards must be corrected.

There are three main areas that are covered by the Walking-Working Surface rules.

• Slips, Trips and Falls (add link http://solomon.longwood.edu/ehs/worker-safety--health/slip-trips-and-falls/)
• Ladder Safety (add link http://solomon.longwood.edu/ehs/worker-safety--health/ladder-safety/)
• Fall Protection (add link http://solomon.longwood.edu/ehs/worker-safety--health/fall-protection/)

For more information send an email to Longwood University’s Environmental Health and Safety at safety@longwood.edu .