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California OSHA

May 8th, 2007 Posted by Amelia

Recently a reader contacted us with a question. Why does her boss make such a big deal out of cleaning up spills at work?

The answer lies in a recent change in California OSHA standards. Revised California OSHA standards address the ways employers can prevent slips, trips and falls, the most common form of general industry accidents.

The new standards from OSHA – the Occupational Safety and Health Administration – set out a series of requirements for workplace maintenance to limit the number of slips, trips and falls. According to OSHA, they cause 15% of all fatal accidents. They rank behind motor vehicles only as the leading cause of death.

One of the best ways you as an employer can prevent the problem is to post a Slip Trips Falls poster prominently in your workplace. That way, workers will be reminded to clean up spills quickly. Cleanup is a key factor because housekeeping is one area most frequently neglected when it comes to slip, trip, and fall prevention.

OSHA standards require the floor of all workrooms to be kept clean, orderly, dry, and sanitary. That includes passageways, storerooms, and service rooms. In places where industry requires wet processes, OSHA requires drainage. Raised platforms, mats, or gratings must be in place.

There are other requirements as well. Aisles and passageways of a permanent nature must be marked. They must be kept clear – no obstructions that would cause dangers are allowed. And every area – whether passageway, floor, or workplace – must be absolutely free of loose boards, holes, splinters, or nails.

Aisles and passageways in particular come in for consideration in the standards. For example, they must be kept clear and in repair, with no obstructions. You must provide room for two people to pass. That is because narrow aisles combined with vehicle traffic and sloppy housekeeping is a recipe for worker injuries, equipment damage, and blocked emergency exits. Unfortunately, many slip, trip, and fall mishaps occur when people are rushing to leave a building.

The exceptions to the recent California OSHA standards are places of employment where agricultural, mining, or domestic work only is carried out.