Walking-working surfaces

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.

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 Order printed copy 05/09/2019
- Fall protection for the construction industry
  Protección contra caídas en la industria de la construcción
  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 01/03/2018
Checklists
- Elevated surfaces
  Checklist for elevated surfaces.
  English
- Floor and wall openings
  Checklist for floor and wall 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
- Fall protection trigger heights for general industry
  Enumera las alturas de activación de las superficies para caminar o trabajar para los lugares de trabajo de la industria en general
  Enumera las alturas limites de superficies para caminar o trabajar para los lugares de trabajo de la industria en general.
  Spanish 03/27/2019
- Fall protection trigger heights for general industry
  Lists fall protection trigger heights for walking and working surfaces at general industry workplaces.
  English 03/12/2019
- 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 12/12/2018
- 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 05/16/2018
- Walking-working surfaces: At a glance
  Provides an overview of walking-working surface requirements in general industry workplaces. Highlights the key walking-working surfaces rules and the rules that have delayed effective dates.
  English 09/06/2017
- 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
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
- Fall Protection online course
  English Online course

No items are currently available

Rules and rule-related

Advisory Committee

Walking-Working Surfaces

Final Rules
- Division 2, Subdivision D, Walking-Working Surfaces
  2-2017 Word version
- Division 2, Subdivision I, Personal Protective Equipment
  2-2017 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
Interpretations
- Fall protection from ladders, vehicles, or trailers during construction activities
  04/18/2018
- Fall protection: maintenance - vs - construction
  03/21/2018
- Fish hatcheries
  02/25/2011
- Guardrails and alternative barriers such as parapet walls
  07/05/2017
- Testing of rope descent system anchorages on buildings
  02/06/2018
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
- Scaffolds in Construction
  Purpose: This instruction establishes inspection procedures and provides clarification to ensure uniform enforcement of the scaffold standards for construction.
  A-218 02/07/2017

Video Resources

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Slips, Trips, and Falls
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