GUARDING FLOOR AND WALL OPENINGS
This topic will focus on OSHA definitions of floor and wall openings, guarding requirements, lost time and fatality data from the BLS, fall hazards and how employees can prevent injury to oneself and co-workers. The Bureau of Labor Statisitics recently reported that workplace falls caused 255,750 nonfatal injuries and 767 deaths in a single year. More than 82% of those deaths are from falls to lower levels. In fact, falls are the second leading cause of general industry workplace deaths. The objectives of this topic are to familiarize employees with a variety of workplace floor and wall openings that may pose fall hazards, train to recognize where guarding is necessary and how one can be proactive in reporting and correcting unsafe conditions where they exist.