Walking-working surfaces and housekeeping inspection checklist

Before you use it

• OSHA 29 CFR 1910.22(d)(1) requires walking-working surfaces to be inspected “regularly and as necessary” and maintained in a safe condition. It sets no interval, so the weekly frequency here is a starting point for the site to adjust.
• Surface conditions under 1910.22(a): all places of employment, passageways, storerooms, service rooms and walking-working surfaces kept clean, orderly and sanitary; each workroom floor clean and, to the extent feasible, dry, with drainage maintained and dry standing places such as false floors, platforms and mats provided where wet processes are used; and surfaces maintained free of hazards such as sharp or protruding objects, loose boards, corrosion, leaks, spills, snow and ice.
• A hazardous condition must be corrected or repaired before an employee uses the surface again. If that cannot be done immediately, the hazard must be guarded to prevent employees from using the surface until it is corrected or repaired (1910.22(d)(2)). A correction or repair that involves the structural integrity of the surface must be performed or supervised by a qualified person (1910.22(d)(3)).
• Each walking-working surface must support its maximum intended load (1910.22(b)), and the employer must provide, and ensure each employee uses, a safe means of access to and from walking-working surfaces (1910.22(c)). Add the site’s own items for guardrails, floor holes and dock edges, which other sections of subpart D cover.
• Run the checklist per area or building section, and attach a photo to every hazard so the work order shows the exact spot.