§ 1910.22 - General requirements.

§ 1910.22 General requirements.

This section applies to all permanent places of employment, except where domestic, mining, or agricultural work only is performed. Measures for the control of toxic materials are considered to be outside the scope of this section.

(a) Housekeeping. Surface conditions. The employer must ensure:

(1) All places of employment, passageways, storerooms, and service rooms shall be kept clean and orderly and in a , and walking-working surfaces are kept in a clean, orderly, and sanitary condition.

(2) The floor of every each workroom shall be is maintained in a clean and, so far as possible, to the extent feasible, in a dry condition. Where When wet processes are used, drainage shall must be maintained , and and, to the extent feasible, dry standing places, such as false floors, platforms, mats, or other dry standing places should and mats must be provided where practicable.

(3) To facilitate cleaning, every floor, working place, and passageway shall be kept free from protruding nails, splinters, holes, or loose boards Walking-working surfaces are maintained free of hazards such as sharp or protruding objects, loose boards, corrosion, leaks, spills, snow, and ice.

(b) Aisles and passageways.

(1) Where mechanical handling equipment is used, sufficient safe clearances shall be allowed for aisles, at loading docks, through doorways and wherever turns or passage must be made. Aisles and passageways shall be kept clear and in good repairs, with no obstruction across or in aisles that could create a hazard.

(2) Permanent aisles and passageways shall be appropriately marked.

(c) Covers and guardrails. Covers and/or guardrails shall be provided to protect personnel from the hazards of open pits, tanks, vats, ditches, etc.

(d) Floor loading protection.

(1) In every building or other structure, or part thereof, used for mercantile, business, industrial, or storage purposes, the loads approved by the building official shall be marked on plates of approved design which shall be supplied and securely affixed by the owner of the building, or his duly authorized agent, in a conspicuous place in each space to which they relate. Such plates shall not be removed or defaced but, if lost, removed, or defaced, shall be replaced by the owner or his agent.

(2) It shall be unlawful to place, or cause, or permit to be placed, on any floor or roof of a building or other structure a load greater than that for which such floor or roof is approved by the building official

Loads. The employer must ensure that each walking-working surface can support the maximum intended load for that surface.

(c) Access and egress. The employer must provide, and ensure each employee uses, a safe means of access and egress to and from walking-working surfaces.

(d) Inspection, maintenance, and repair. The employer must ensure:

(1) Walking-working surfaces are inspected, regularly and as necessary, and maintained in a safe condition;

(2) Hazardous conditions on walking-working surfaces are corrected or repaired before an employee uses the walking-working surface again. If the correction or repair cannot be made immediately, the hazard must be guarded to prevent employees from using the walking-working surface until the hazard is corrected or repaired; and

(3) When any correction or repair involves the structural integrity of the walking-working surface, a qualified person performs or supervises the correction or repair.