Quick Answer
A walking-working surfaces checklist should verify that floors are clean, dry where practical, orderly, sanitary, strong enough for expected loads, free of sharp or protruding hazards, and maintained to reduce slips, trips, and falls. OSHA's walking-working surfaces rule requires all places of employment, passageways, storerooms, service rooms, and walking-working surfaces to be kept clean, orderly, and sanitary.
Most slip and trip controls are not complicated. They are consistency controls: mark the path, clean the spill, remove the clutter, repair the surface, and make hazards visible until they are fixed.
Walking-Working Surfaces Checklist
| Area | What to Check | Useful Supplies |
|---|---|---|
| Housekeeping | Keep aisles, floors, passageways, and storage areas clean, orderly, sanitary, and free of loose debris. | Brooms, dustpans, waste containers, inspection forms |
| Wet or oily floors | Clean spills quickly and mark wet areas until the hazard is removed. | Absorbent pads, wet-floor signs, cones |
| Floor condition | Look for holes, splinters, loose boards, curled mats, uneven edges, damaged grating, or worn traction surfaces. | Anti-slip tape, repair tags, barricade tape |
| Aisle visibility | Mark pedestrian paths, forklift zones, storage boundaries, and no-storage areas clearly. | Floor marking tape, aisle signs, labels |
| Trip hazards | Control cords, hoses, packaging, pallets, and temporary equipment in walking paths. | Cord covers, cones, cable protectors |
| Loading and storage areas | Keep dock edges, ramps, stairs, and storage rows visible and free of loose material. | High-vis tape, dock signs, guardrails |
FAQ
What does OSHA require for housekeeping?
OSHA requires walking-working surfaces and related areas to be kept clean, orderly, and sanitary, and to be maintained free of hazards such as sharp or protruding objects, loose boards, corrosion, leaks, spills, snow, and ice where applicable.
What is a walking-working surface?
A walking-working surface is any horizontal or vertical surface on or through which an employee walks, works, or gains access to a work area or workplace location.
What supplies help prevent slips, trips, and falls?
Common supplies include floor marking tape, anti-slip tape, wet-floor signs, cones, absorbents, cord covers, cable protectors, inspection tags, and housekeeping tools.
About Mick Chan
Mick Chan is part of the eSafetySupplies safety content team, helping translate workplace safety requirements into practical checklists that purchasing teams, supervisors, and crews can use when selecting PPE, signs, labels, tags, and facility safety supplies.
Final CTA
Keep walking paths easier to inspect with floor marking tape, anti-slip tape, wet-floor signs, cones, absorbents, cord covers, cable protectors, housekeeping supplies, and checklist tags. eSafetySupplies can help standardize slip, trip, and fall prevention supplies across your facility.
Sources
- OSHA 29 CFR 1910.22, General requirements for walking-working surfaces: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.22