Walking-working surfaces

Topic index

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Overview

Everyone knows that surfaces do not walk or work, yet Oregon OSHA has many requirements that apply to them. So it’s important to know what they are. Essentially, a walking-working surface is any surface on which a person walks or works. But the devil is in the details. You will find a nuanced definition of a walking-working surface in Oregon OSHA's construction rules. See: Division 3, Subdivision M: 437-003-1500(7).

You will find the general industry requirements for walking-working surfaces in Division 2, Subdivision D: Walking-working surfaces.

All available content

Publications

Brochures/Guides
- Fall protection for construction activities
  Provides best practices for fall protection when performing construction activities. Covers the requirements in Division 3, Subdivision M, Fall Protection and highlights fall protection requirements for work on ladders and scaffolds.
  English 05/07/2025
- Protección contra caídas en las tareas de construcción
  Fall protection for the construction industry
  Proporciona las mejores prácticas para la protección contra caídas cuando se realizan actividades de construcción. Cubre los requisitos de division 3, subdivision M, protección de caídas y recalca los requisitos de protección contra caídas para trabajos en escaleras y andamios.
  Spanish Order printed copy 11/19/2025
Checklists
- Elevated surfaces
  Checklist for elevated surfaces.
  English
- Floor and openings self-inspection checklist
  Self-inspection checklist for floor and openings.
  English
- Stairs and stairways checklist
  Checklist for standard stairs and stairways
  English PDF version 02/25/2019
- Walkways
  Checklist for walkways.
  English
- Work environment: general
  Checklist for work environment - general.
  English
Fact sheets
- Colocación de lonas y protección contra caídas: información para camioneros
  Tarping and fall protection - information for truckers
  Explica cómo protegerse de las caídas si tiene que ajustar, quitar o colocar una lona desde la parte superior de su carga.
  Spanish 10/29/2024
- Enumera las alturas de activación de las superficies para caminar o trabajar para los lugares de trabajo de la industria en general
  Fall protection trigger heights for general industry
  Enumera las alturas limites de superficies para caminar o trabajar para los lugares de trabajo de la industria en general.
  Spanish 05/06/2022
- Fall protection trigger heights for general industry
  Lists fall protection trigger heights for walking and working surfaces at general industry workplaces.
  English 05/06/2022
- Guardrails, stair rails, and handrails in general industry workplaces
  Summarizes the fall protection requirements for guardrails, stair rails and handrails in general industry workplaces.
  English 03/06/2020
- Lo que debe saber sobre las salidas y rutas de salida
  Things you should know about exits and exit routes
  Este documento describe las normas estatales y federales para la señalización y el trazado de las salidas de emergencia.
  Spanish 02/04/2026
- Reseña de las superficies transitables de trabajo
  Walking-working surfaces: At a glance
  Proporciona una descripción general de los requisitos de las superficies para caminar y trabajar en los lugares de trabajo de la industria en general.
  Spanish 05/20/2024
- Sistemas de barandales, sistemas de barandales para escaleras y pasamanos en lugares de trabajo de la industria en general
  Guardrails, stair rails, and handrails in general industry workplaces
  Resume los requisitos de protección contra caídas para barandales, barandales de escaleras y pasamanos en los lugares de trabajo de la industria en general.
  Spanish 03/06/2020
- Superficies transitables de trabajo: Áreas designadas
  Walking-working surfaces: Designated areas
  Describe las condiciones que deben cumplirse para que los empleados utilicen las áreas designadas en lugar de protección adicional contra caídas cuando trabajan en techos de poca pendiente.
  Spanish 09/08/2017
- Tarping and fall protection - information for truckers
  Explains how to protect yourself from falling if you have to adjust, remove, or apply a tarp from the top of your load.
  English 10/04/2024
- Things you should know about exits and exit routes
  This outlines state and federal rules for marking and routing exits.
  English 04/06/2023
- Walking-working surfaces: At a glance
  Provides an overview of walking-working surface requirements in general industry workplaces.
  English 04/15/2024
- Walking-working surfaces: Designated areas
  Describes conditions that must be met for employees to use designated areas instead of additional fall protection when working on low-slope roofs.
  English 09/08/2017
- высоты при строительных работах, требующих использования средств защиты от падения
  Fall protection trigger heights for the construction industry
  Обеспечивает определенную высоту срабатывания защиты от падения при строительных работах, особенно на незащищенных поверхностях для ходьбы или работы.
  Russian 12/04/2025
- Значения триггерной высоты для защиты от падений на общеотраслевых предприятиях
  Fall protection trigger heights for general industry
  Работа над опасным оборудованием или около него предполагает принятие мер по защите работников от падения на такое оборудование, независимо от высоты.
  Russian 06/06/2022
References
- Rules with requirements
  We get many calls and emails from employers asking the same question. It begins: “Which of your rules have requirements for…” You can finish the sentence with words like “recordkeeping,” “employee training,” and “written documents.” To answer those questions, we’ve organized these rules requirements into a filterable, sortable, searchable table.
  English 05/10/2019

Education and training

Online course
- Fundamentals of Fall Protection online course
  This course is designed to assist you as an employer or employee to meet the requirements of the Oregon OSHA Fall Protection Standards. This is the first course in the fall protection suite.
  English Online course
- Ladder Safety online course
  This course is designed to ensure you have a solid foundation to build or manage your own ladder safety program or begin using ladders on the job.
  English Online course
- Principios fundamentales de la protección contra caídas
  Fall protection fundamentals online course
  Este curso está diseñado para ayudar a los empleadores y empleados a cumplir con los requisitos de los estándares de Protección contra Caídas de Oregon OSHA.
  Spanish Online course

PESO
- La Construcción Residencial: Trabajo Especializado
  Residential Construction: Specialty Work
  Del programa PESO para la seguridad en la construcción residencial - PESO English-Spanish residential construction safety training
  Training program English Spanish 10/14/2020
- La Construcción Residencial: Techado
  Residential Construction: Roofing
  Del programa PESO para la seguridad en la construcción residencial - PESO English-Spanish residential construction safety training
  Training program English Spanish 10/14/2020
- La Construcción Residencial: Acabado de Interiores
  Residential Construction: Interior Finishing
  Del programa PESO para la seguridad en la construcción residencial - PESO English-Spanish residential construction safety training
  Training program English Spanish 10/14/2020
- La Construcción Residencial: Acabado de Exteriores
  Residential Construction: Exterior Finishing
  Del programa PESO para la seguridad en la construcción residencial - PESO English-Spanish residential construction safety training
  Training program English Spanish 10/14/2020

Rules and rule-related

Final Rules
- Division 2, Subdivision D, Walking-Working Surfaces
  2-2017 Word version
- Division 2, Subdivision I, Personal Protective Equipment
  Administrative Order 2-2023 Word version
- Division 3, Subdivision M, Fall Protection
  2-2016 Word version
- Division 3, Subdivision X, Stairways and Ladders
  3-2015 Word version
- Division 4, Subdivision D, Work Surfaces
  9-2006 Word version of Div. 4/D
Interpretations
- Fall protection from ladders, vehicles, or trailers during construction activities
  04/18/2018
- Fall protection: maintenance - vs - construction
  03/21/2018
- Guardrails and alternative barriers such as parapet walls
  07/05/2017
- Guidance Regarding Walking-Working Surfaces
  Technical Guidance: Duty to ensure employees are protected from falling when work is performed at or near a vertical entrance to an elevated walking-working surface.
  08/21/2024
- Testing of rope descent system anchorages on buildings
  02/06/2018
- Walking/working surfaces around fish ponds and runs at fish hatcheries
  A letter of interpretation regarding walking/working surfaces around fish ponds and fish runs (raceways) at fish hatcheries.
  11/15/2023
Program Directives
- Aisles and Passageways: Appropriately Marked Aisles and Passageways
  Purpose: To provide interpretation of “appropriately marked” as it applies to permanent aisles and passageways in fixed workplaces where mechanical handling equipment is used on dirt floors or floors that are covered by sand or fine dusts due to ongoing daily operations.
  A-054 05/29/2018
- Fall Protection: General Industry
  Purpose: To clarify the applicability of 1910.23(c)(1) and (3), and OAR 437-002-0134(5) where employees are exposed to fall hazards.
  A-197 11/01/2017
- Guardrail Height in General Industry
  Purpose: This instruction provides guidance for the equitable enforcement of 1910.23(e)(1) as it pertains to the acceptable height of guardrails.
  A-173 03/16/2018
- Handrails and Railings in General Industry
  Purpose: The purpose of this directive is to provide guidelines when evaluating the clearance between railings and walls or other objects.
  A-067 03/16/2018
- Ladders: Fixed Ladders used on Outdoor Advertising Structures and Billboards
  Purpose: This is to inform Oregon OSHA staffs of a federal OSHA Instruction STD 01-01.014, which must be used by Oregon OSHA personnel when inspecting employees performing work on billboards and related equipment.
  A-178 06/15/2018
- Ladders: Fixed Ladders Used Only for Emergency Evacuations
  Purpose: To establish Oregon OSHA’s position on the applicability of fall protection requirements under 1910.28(b)(9)(i)(A) – (D) and 1926.1053(a)(18) & (19) for fixed ladders used only for emergency evacuations.
  A-142 05/29/2018
- Ladders: Manhole Metal Ladders for Telecommunications Workers
  Purpose: Portable Ladders: Manhole Metal Ladders for Telecommunication Activities
  A-033 05/29/2018
- Ladders: Manhole Steps in Manholes
  To clarify the applicability of 1910.24(b), Manhole Steps, where employees use manhole steps in walls and conical top sections of manholes.
  A-021 05/29/2018
- Local Emphasis Program (LEP): Falls In All Industries
  Purpose: This instruction describes state Local Emphasis Program (LEP) to reduce or eliminate serious injuries and fatalities associated with falls to a lower level while working at heights in all industries covered under Oregon OSHA’s jurisdiction.
  A-239 11/27/2023
- Scaffolds in Construction
  Purpose: This instruction establishes inspection procedures and provides clarification to ensure uniform enforcement of the scaffold standards for construction.
  A-218 10/28/2020
- Warehousing and Distribution Center Operations
  Policies and procedures when conducting comprehensive safety inspections in warehousing and distribution center operations, parcel delivery/courier services, and certain high injury rate retail establishments.
  A-305 12/29/2023

Video Resources

Borrow from the Resource Center

Slips, Trips, and Falls
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