1. Subparts D Walking/Working Surfaces
PRESENTED BY: Joan M. Spencer Compliance Assistance Specialist Tampa Area Office

2. Introduction Slips, trips and falls:
Accounted for 27 percent of cases involving days away from work in 2014.
17 percent of all workplace deaths
Falls on same level have increase since 2012
OSHA’s standards for walking and working surfaces apply to all permanent places of employment with some exceptions

3. Federal Register Published on May 24, 2010.
Was expected to be released as a final rule sometime in 2015.
But, now put on hold.
Estimated to prevent 20 deaths and more than 3,500 lost-time injuries annually.

4. Subpart D Current 1910.21 - Definitions 1910.22 - General requirements
Guarding floor and wall openings and holes
Fixed industrial stairs
Portable wood ladders
Portable metal ladders
Fixed ladders
Safety requirements for scaffolding [related topic page]
Manually propelled mobile ladder stands and scaffolds (towers)
Other working surfaces
Proposed
– Scope, application and definitions
General requirements
Ladders
Step bolts & manhole steps
Stairways
Dockboards
Scaffolds (including rope descent systems)
Duty of have fall protection
Fall protection systems criteria and practices
Training requirements

5. General Requirements Must be kept clean, orderly and sanitary.
Floors kept clean and dry as best as possible.
Kept free from protruding nails, splinters, holes, or loose boards.
Safe clearances around mechanical handling
Permanent aisles and passageways shall be appropriately marked.
Covers and/or guardrails provided to protect personnel from open pits, tanks, vats, ditches.
Floor loading protection
Surface conditions:
All places of employment are to be kept clean and orderly, and in a sanitary condition.
Clean and, so far as possible, dry condition.
Designed, constructed and maintained free of recognized hazards
Application of loads.
Designed, constructed, and maintained to support their maximum Intended load; and
Not loaded beyond their maximum intended load.
Access and egress.
Maintenance and repair.
Regular and periodic inspection and maintenance
The hazard must be guarded to prevent employee use if not immediately corrected.
Where conditions may affect the structural integrity of the walking-working surface, a qualified person must perform or supervise the maintenance or repair of that surface.

6. Guarding Floor and Wall Openings and Holes
Floor openings
standard railing
a hinged floor opening cover and removable standard railings on all exposed sides
Ladderway floor opening or platform
standard railing with standard toeboard with the passage through the railing by a swinging gate or offset
Other floor openings, e.g. hatchway, skylight, pit, trapdoor, manhole, temporary floor holes, doors opening to stairs, etc.

7. Guarding Floor and Wall Openings and Holes
Every wall opening from which there is a drop of more than 4 feet:
Rail, roller, picket fence, half door, or equivalent barrier.
Toe boards
Grab handles for material handling
Other wall openings, e.g. extension platform, chutes, window wall opening, temporary wall opening, etc.

8. Guarding Floor and Wall Openings and Holes
Every open-sided floor or platform 4 feet or more above adjacent floor or ground level
standard railing on all open sides except where there is entrance to a ramp, stairway, or fixed ladder.
Possible toe boards
Dangerous equipment or processes – protection regardless of height

9. Guarding Floor and Wall Openings and Holes
Stairway railings and guards
Stairs with four or more risers shall be equipped with standard stair railings or standard handrails
Rails dependent on the width of the stair
Railing, toe boards, and cover specifications
Consist of top rail, intermediate rail, and posts, and a vertical height of 42 inches
Stair railing vertical height - not more than 34 inches nor less than 30 inches
4” toe boards
capable of withstanding a load of at least 200 pounds applied in any direction at any point on the top rail.

10. Fixed Industrial Stairs
Required for regular travel
Interior or exterior stairs except fire escapes
Angles to the horizontal of between 30 and 50 degrees
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

11. Portable Wood/Metal Ladders
Maximum length:
stepladders – 20 ft.
single ladders – 30 ft.
two-section rung ladders – 60 ft.
Stepladders must be equipped with a metal spreader or locking device
Inspected periodically
Kept in good condition at all times

12. Portable Wood/Metal Ladders
Free from sharp edges, splinters, oil grease, or other defects which would affect their use.
Always place the ladder on secure footing and lock in place.
Do not splice shorter ladders together to make long ladders.
The top of a regular stepladder shall not be used as a step.
Always face the ladder when climbing or descending.

13. Portable Wood/Metal Ladders
Ladders used to gain access to a roof or other area must extend at least 3 feet above the point of support (length dependent)
Use at a 1:4 ratio
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. Fixed Ladders
Minimum design live load shall be a single concentrated load of 200 pounds –proposed at 250 pounds
Grandfathered –
Proposed: Fixed ladders must be capable of supporting two live loads of at least 250 pounds each, concentrated between any two consecutive attachments, plus anticipated loads e.g. ice buildup, impact loads resulting from the use of ladder safety systems. The number and position of additional concentrated live loads must also be included.

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

16. Fixed Ladders
All fixed ladders must be inspected regularly and be maintained in a safe condition.
Preferred pitch in range of 75 to 90 degrees with horizontal.
Clearance from steps and rungs, or grab bars, or both, to the nearest permanent object in back of the ladder must be 7 inches

17. Scaffolding
Must be capable of supporting four times the maximum intended load
Do not alter or move while in use
Protect workers on scaffolds from overhead hazards
If higher than 10 ft.., use guardrails, midrails and toeboards
Use wire mesh between the toeboard and guardrail if people work or pass underneath
Must be equipped with access ladder or equivalent

18. Scaffolds
Proposed: must meet the requirements of 29 CFR Subpart L ( ) with exception of rope descent systems
Rope descent system means a suspension device that supports one employee in a chair (seat board) and allows the user to descend in a controlled manner and to stop at any time at a desired level of descent. A rope descent system is a variation of the single-point adjustable suspension scaffold. Also known as a controlled descent device, controlled descent equipment, or controlled descent apparatus.

19. Duty to have fall protection
Proposed sets requirements for employers to provide fall protection.
All fall protection must conform to the criteria set forth in proposed , except that personal fall protection systems (for example, personal fall arrest systems, restraint systems, and positioning device systems) must conform to the criteria set forth in subpart I of this part.

20. Fall Protection Systems Criteria and Practices
Guardrail systems
Safety net systems
Designated areas, a distinct portion of a walking-working surface delineated by a perimeter warning line in which temporary work may be performed without additional fall protection.
Covers
Handrail and stair rail systems

21. Fall Protection Systems Criteria and Practices
Cages, wells and platforms used with fixed ladders
Qualified climbers, only for outdoor advertising operations
Ladder safety systems
Personal fall protection systems
Protection from falling objects
Grab handles

22. Training Requirements
Fall hazards
Equipment hazards
Retraining
Training must be understandable

23. Other Specific Issues
Fall protection on rolling stock and motor vehicles
Fall protection on stacked material
Qualified climber
Building anchorage for rope descent systems
Technological advances in fall protection and fall arrest
Rolling stock – presently does not address fall protection on rolling stock. Clarification , should it be excluded, what are employers doing now, how are the employees protected. Will not cover the protection in “railroad operations”.
Steel erection and pre cast its concrete.
Should a qualified climber be left in for outdoor billboard companies.
There are no current provisions for the requirements of rope descent systems other than they must be sound. fall protection requirements are found in proposed subpart I.
New dual-mode self retracting lanyards that lower the person for rescue after the fall.

24. Subpart I Section- 1910.140, Personal fall protection systems
Scope and application
Definitions
General requirements
Personal fall arrest systems
Positioning systems, includes a section on window cleaner’s positioning systems

25. Subpart I - PPE Addition of : 1910.140 – Fall Protection System
Appendix C - Personal Fall Protection Systems - non-mandatory
Appendix D – Test Method and Procedures for Personal Fall Protection Systems – non-mandatory

26. Example of Text For 5(a)(1) Citation for Fiberglass Ladder
Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970: The employer did not furnish employment and a place of employment which were free from recognized hazards that were causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees in that employees were exposed to fall hazards: a) XYZ Inc., Warehouse - On or about December 10, 2015, the employer failed to ensure all ladders, such as a ABC Co. fiberglass extension ladder, were used in accordance with the safety instructions of the manufacturer's label. The employer failed to use the ladder in accordance with the posted safety instructions such as; a) This ladder section is not designed for separate use, b) When use is required on a slippery surface secure ladder from excessive movement, c) Always face ladder and maintain a firm grip while on it, d) Never climb or stand higher than 3 feet from the top of the ladder, e) When possible, have someone hold the ladder, f) For additional care, use and safety instructions, contact your employer, dealer or manufacturer, or see ANSI A14 Standards (see other labels), American National Standard for Ladders Portable Reinforced Plastic Safety Requirements (ANSI ASC) A Footing Support. Devices such as shoes, spurs, spikes, combinations thereof, or similar devices of substantial design should be installed where required for slip resistance and bearing area. Ladders shall not be used on ice, snow, or slippery surfaces unless suitable means to prevent slipping are employed.

27. Coefficient of Friction
COF 0.5 value
Letter of Interpretation can be found at:
Current consensus flooring standard ANSI/NFSI - B101.0 – B101.8

28. Additional References
Proposed 2010 Subparts D and I -
Safety and Health Topics Page – Walking / Working Surfaces -