Floor / Wall Openings

In the construction industry falls are the leading cause of worker fatalities. When working around floor and wall openings, you must be careful that you don’t fall through. You can be injured or killed if you step into a hole or opening, or are hit by objects falling through.

Definitions
• Guardrail system means a barrier erected to prevent employees from falling to lower levels.
• Hole is a gap or void 2 inches or more in its least dimension, in a floor, roof, or other walking/working surface.
• Opening is a gap or void 30 inches or more high and 18 inches or more wide, in a wall or partition, through which employees can fall to a lower level.

What you need to know
If you are working on a surface or floor that has holes or openings and that surface is more than six feet above a lower level, you must be protected from:
• Falling through holes (including skylights) by personal fall arrest systems, covers, or guardrail systems erected around the holes;
• Tripping in or stepping into or through holes by covers; and
• Objects falling through holes by covers.

Covers and safety How can you tell a cover from a sheet of plywood laying on the floor?
• Covers must be secured when installed to prevent accidental displacement by the wind, equipment, or employees. If the cover material is secured to the floor it may be there for a reason so don’t remove it.
• All covers must be color-coded or marked with the word “HOLE” or “COVER” to provide warning of the hazard. This should be a good indication that the material is a cover.

What if you are going to work in an opening that has a cover secured over it?
• Never remove a cover until you are ready to work in the hole or opening.
• Use personal fall arrest systems when working in the hole or opening.
• After you are finished working in the opening your employer must either replace and secure the cover or erect guardrails around the hole.

What if you are moving or disposing of material through a wall opening to a lower level? If you are working on, at, above, or near wall openings (including those with chutes attached) you must use a guardrail system, a safety net system, or a personal fall arrest system, when:
• the outside bottom edge of the wall opening is six-feet or more above lower levels; and
• the inside bottom edge of the wall opening is less than 39 inches above the walking/working surface.
• OSHA recognizes that accidents involving falls are generally complex events frequently involving a variety of factors. By following the requirements in this handout, you can avoid falling through floor and wall openings.

This information is provided by: Assurance Agency