Introduction:
In 2017, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) decided to revise its standards for walking-working surfaces. Walking working surfaces are defined as any surface that is horizontal or vertical on or through which an employee walks, works, or gains access to a work area. OSHA predicted that based on the standards that were going to be implemented, an estimated 30 deaths and 6000 lost work injuries could be prevented. The changes that were made affected all general industry employers such as: Manufacturing, Warehousing, Utilities, Oil and Gas Extraction, Retailers, and Offices.
What exactly changed?
OSHA adopted the existing standards in 1971 and had not updated them since. According to OSHA, the new rule will increase worker safety and make compliance obligations clearer and less costly. OSHA estimates that the annual monetized benefits of the lives saved, and injuries prevented will be $614.5 million. These updates were to come into effect after January 17th, 2017. It is important to note that some requirements in the final rule have compliance dates after the effective date. Listed below are the sections that were redone. If not updated on job sites, fines and citations would follow. It is important to stay informed of these new changes to avoid this happening to you!
- 1910.21: Scope and definitions
- 1910.22: General Requirements
- 1910.23: Ladders
- 1910.24: Step bolts and manhole
- 1910.25: Stairways
- 1910.26: Dock boards
- 1910.27: Scaffolds and rope descent systems
- 1910.28: Duty to have fall protection and falling object protection
- 1910.29: Fall protection systems and falling object protection: Criteria and practices
- 1910.30: Training Requirements
What we are going to do!
In the next few months, we will be creating a series that covers a breakdown of the walking-working surface updates. Specifically: ladders, self-closing gates, training and duty to have fall protection. We will also be providing you with HySafe created solutions to the new standards so you can stay OSHA compliant on the job site! Stay on the lookout for our posts! Want to get ahead? Contact HySafe to help evaluate your current fall protection needs and program to meet all updated OSHA standards.
